Getting organised before you set off can make all the difference between a successful delivery run and sheer hell. With a little care, planning and organisation, you can take most of the stress out of your day so that all you have to cope with is the traffic.
Start by being clear on your route; know where you’re going and how to help reduce time spent faffing about while on the road. Remember to factor in your breaks, driving is tiring work and the law requires you to take breaks throughout the day to ensure your safety, as well as that of other road users. Don’t forget to add time for traffic, black spots are usually easy to keep track off so be sure to either steer clear or include additional time between locations to account for them.
Cross reference your route with parcel size, determine what size and weight parcel you’re collecting or delivering at each stop so that you can organise the van to help you. Put all your heavier parcels on the bottom, fragile parcels on top. But, more than that, put those you’re delivering first towards the front so you don’t have to climb over items to reach things. If you have the room, set up zones in the van, one for delivery and one for collection to help keep things organised and easy to access.
Use your parcel checklist to make certain everything’s loaded correctly before you set off, and keep it up to date throughout the day so you know nothing is missing. Don’t be forced to turn back right at the beginning of the day because a single small parcel was forgotten! Knowing exactly what’s on your van, and where, can make deliveries much faster, allowing you to fit more in during your busy day.
And finally, keep all the associated paperwork in order too. Organise in order of your route, and cross check against the parcels to be sure you’ve got everything you need before you set off. Include any paperwork required for collections in order of route or keep them separate from deliveries depending on preference. Put the work in at the beginning of the day to keep the rest of the day calm and relaxed.
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