Running a public transport company is a huge responsibility. You are not only responsible for ensuring the business runs smoothly, you earn profits and you have adequate staff, but you are also responsible for ensuring your fleet is in sound condition to transport passengers on a daily basis.
The Large Workload
If you are lucky enough to work for one of the larger bus or rail companies, you will have a selection of managers working under you where you can hold weekly meetings to ensure all is running as it should. The one manager you should concentrate on is the one responsible for the serving and maintenance of the fleet.
Obviously without your fleet you are not able to turn a profit and then you will have shareholders and owners to answer to, if you are not the owner yourself. Being a public transport owner probably has a higher level of risk as if your maintenance manager is not up to scratch, you can lose a lot of money in the long run.
From managing your insurance premiums to balancing profit and loss statements and ensuring wages are paid to ensuring your passengers are safe at all times, your workload is overwhelming to say the least.
Look After the Transportation
It’s a good idea to take a day or two and spend it in the servicing department. This way you can ensure that the buses or trains are being serviced and maintained on a regular basis. You can find out where you are losing money at the same time.
You want your fleet to look immaculate; people are more likely to choose a transportation company with decent looking buses. If your buses are suffering from rust, especially if you are in a seaside location, use corrosive prevention on them before spraying them again. This way you can ensure the rust doesn’t keep coming through, keeping your fleet looking good and not spending a fortune on replacement
body parts.
Waxing
Your fleet should be washed and waxed with a corrosive prevention on a weekly basis, this way they are protected against the environmental elements. If you are in a seaside location anywhere in Britain, then regular cleaning of the body work will prevent rust ever taking hold by removing the salt that has attached itself to the vehicle. Bear in mind that the underside of the vehicle is as important as the body work the passengers get to see.
Regular Updates
Once you go back to your office and leave your maintenance manager back in charge, get regular updates on the progress of the vehicles to ensure they are being washed and corrosive prevention is being applied regularly. This can save you so much money in the long run. Not having to pay out for spare body parts can help your cash flow and keep your profit margins high.
Other important aspects are for the vehicles to be cleaned daily and the tyres checked on a regular basis. The slightest problem with tyres can result in you not being able to claim should an accident take place. The vehicles should be in a satisfactory road worthy condition at all times.
Have regular meetings with your drivers on any problems they are experiencing when driving your vehicles. They are in these vehicles all day every day and are the best people to mention any problems that may have occurred; enabling you to fix them quickly and get the vehicle back on the road in a safe way.
For insurance purposes, keep the vehicles well maintained. Have any checks done on a regular basis that is required by law and ensure your drivers all have clean driving licenses and that their medicals are up to date.
Running a transportation company is exhausting. You can save money by using something as simple as a
corrosive prevention on a regular basis and help your financial budget dramatically.