How to Get Drivers to Take Care of Company Vehicles

Our technicians have worked on thousands of vehicles. Our projects have placed us inside vehicles of all shapes, sizes…and levels of cleanliness.

All too often, we’ve seen company vehicles left in terrible conditions. Food, bugs, pet hair, smoke damage, and even cigarette burns can turn the nicest vehicle into a pigsty.

Worse still, this neglect can cost your company in repairs and resale value. 

Vehicle upkeep is essential for any company fleet. It asks your drivers to respect your company. It also maintains order within your fleet. Use these tips below to keep your fleet vehicles clean and well-maintained by your drivers.

How to Get Drivers to Take Care of Company Vehicles

1. Create a policy and stick to it

It’s a lot easier to care for something when you own it. Since your employees don’t have a stake in your company vehicles, it may be easier to let things slide. Cleaning it regularly, avoiding crumbs, and being careful with it aren’t as much of a priority.

The best way to avoid this problem is to mandate care. Create clear expectations regarding cleanliness, preventative maintenance, and vehicle use. 

For example, keeping the vehicle free of food and trash is good pest control. Carrying a can of Raid is not.

Regularly remind your drivers of these guidelines so everyone is aware of your expectations. Your policy will then make it easier to address any problems that occur later on.

2. Hold regular inspections

If an employee isn’t maintaining their vehicle, you need to know ASAP. Schedule inspections every month or quarter to make sure each vehicle is up to standard. These check-ins don’t need to take long. A quick look into the vehicle and review of maintenance records should be enough to confirm compliance.

If you can’t visit the vehicles in person, ask drivers to send in videos of the vehicle’s current state. Pictures can be used to hide issues, but it’s harder to do the same in a video.

3. Incentivize compliance

The easier or more rewarding you can make it for drivers, the more likely they are to participate. Encourage drivers to maintain their vehicles by:

• Offering cleaning supplies, such as on-site vacuums, or a budget for car washing
• Rewarding drivers for a streak of passed inspections
• Allowing employees to purchase their vehicles for a discounted price after a set amount of time

With these incentives, you will hopefully see higher buy-in and better-kept vehicles.

Looking for more ways to improve your fleet management? Visit our blog for tips on costs, safety, and more.