Journey scheduling
Journey scheduling needs to be based on the risks highlighted by an organisation’s most recent fleet safety risk assessment, and take into account the organisation’s standards and procedures.
Both journey scheduling and route planning need to take account of factors such as:
• Field trips should be planned to realistic and achievable schedules with consideration given to driver rest periods, adherence to speed limits and the organisation’s specific security regulations.
• Avoiding times of day that lead to unacceptable risk, driving or security. For example, night time driving should be reduced or prohibited if possible and ideally driving should be avoided in the high risk hours when a driver is most likely to fall asleep (early morning, between midnight and 6am and early afternoon between 2pm and 4 pm).
• Allowing for drivers to meet the driving hour limits and rest periods set down in the organisation’s standards.
• Making allowances for conditions that could affect vehicle speed (e.g. adverse weather, poor road conditions, unsuitable terrain, road works, etc).
• Schedules should allow time for unexpected delays and move away from strict time routing.
• Monitor and plan for annual leave to reduce driver shortages.
Many organisations will already have good estimates of safe journey speeds for various conditions and routes. However, they should be cautious when scheduling new journeys and routes, and should modify these according to continual feedback received from drivers.
Where situations dictate, it is advisable to work with local agencies to influence them to improve the safety of the road network or, when the organisation’s security team require, obtaining the services of appropriate police or security service escort.
Finally, it is essential that managers and passengers DO NOT at any time pressurise or authorise drivers to break organisation’s rules and procedures, or take unacceptable risks.
The journey schedule
Completing a journey schedule will help ensure that journeys are properly authorised, that transport assets are being used effectively and that in the event of an incident or delay that an appropriate response can be put into effect.
A completed journey schedule is, in essence, a list of the tasks to be carried out with details of the driver, passengers, the vehicle and load. It should always be accompanied by a copy of the route plan, along with the anticipated journey length and timings.
