Especially during the winter months when the days are short and the nights are long, planning an efficient trip for your long haul is critical to optimizing your time on the road. You can take preventative measures to avoid adding unnecessary time to your trips. To maximize your efficiency and streamline your next haul, consider these 4 tips we’ve compiled to help you out.
- Inspect your vehicle before you leave.
Making sure that your vehicle is in great condition before you embark on your long haul helps you minimize the risk of anything malfunctioning. Double-check your tire pressure, your oil and coolant levels, and look for any signs that should be addressed under the hood of your truck as well as around it. Are all your lights working? Make sure that other vehicles and pedestrians on or near the roads you’re traveling will be able to see you, no matter the weather conditions that may occur.
- Check more than one resource for directions.
Don’t rely on one resource to help you navigate to your destination. Instead, look at your route on multiple resources like Google Maps, Apple Maps, and Navigo GPS. It may be a wise idea to print out the directions so you have them handy in case your electronic devices or GPS system decide to stop working. Examining your pickup and dropoff destinations via satellite view can help you familiarize yourself with what the driving will be like around them.
- Note obstacles.
While you’re checking your directions on multiple resources, note where obstacles like road closures, heavy traffic, border crossings, and tools should be avoided or taken note of so you can be prepared. Depending on the obstacles present, you may need to route yourself around the obstacle so you can make the best use of your time. Also, keep cash and necessary paperwork on hand for any tolls or crossings that you anticipate encountering.
- Plan your breaks.
Do you ever wonder how you can best manage your time on the road? Planning your breaks is a key component of doing so. Jotting down when and where you will stop to rest, take a bathroom break, eat, or sleep is integral to efficiently utilize your time on a long haul. Knowing when you’re going to break can also give you something to look forward to and allow you to plan around traffic, depending on the time you’re stopping.
With a little bit of time and effort and planning an efficient trip should be a breeze. However, if your truck decides to malfunction or you find yourself in need of emergency roadside assistance, give Tow Pro a call at 615.256.TOWS(8697). We’re here to help out, 24/7.