Mission-critical shipping requires multiple levels of precision and planning at every stage. Mission-critical shipping is complex – from precise timing for just-in-time (JIT) delivery, to meticulous pre-planning and routing, to heightened safety measures.
This is the third post in our series on the advance planning required for mission-critical shipments. This post talks about the final steps to prepare your shipment for the open road. (Read the first and second posts in the series now.)
Ensuring drivers are prepared with a Project Kick-Off Call
Drivers are a vital component in getting mission-critical shipments to their destinations safely. Once the planning phase is complete, it’s time to conduct a project kick-off call with the drivers.
Starting with safety, we brief drivers on the key takeaways identified during the previous planning steps. Cargo and over-the-road safety measures are the first thing we want them to understand, as well as what they must do to be in compliance with personal protection equipment (PPE) requirements. In addition to safety, drivers are informed of the shipper’s hours and location constraints, the delivery sequence that must be followed, specification for the permitted dimensions and weights, as well as the detailed route plan.
Properly preparing our drivers ensures we are ready to travel on the scheduled load day and helps them focus on delivering the customer’s cargo safely.
The day of shipment: taking your mission critical load on the road
Once the truck is loaded and the freight is safely secured, the focus turns ensuring that they are off to a safe start and delivering the cargo without damages. Now, it’s time for the driver to perform a final checklist before they get in the cab.
Step 1: Check dimensions. Carefully measure travel dimensions and ensure these match the permitted dimensions. This simple step can make all the difference in a smooth delivery.
Step 2: Familiarize themselves with the route. Conduct a detailed review of the permitted route and note any risks that were identified in the route survey. The driver and escort should have a thorough understanding of the route before they embark.
Step 3: Set the high pole. A high pole is a measuring device, mounted on the front of the lead vehicle, that is used to measure the height of obstructions along the route. Use of a high pole is often mandated in permits. Both the driver and escort should confirm all measurements.
Step 4: Sync up communication protocols. It may sound simple, but ensuring that primary and secondary communication methods between the driver and escort are clearly established and checked is vital.
Step 5: Do a final walk around inspection. Check, check, and check again! With mission-critical shipments, you can never be too careful. Now, it’s time for one more inspection to ensure the load is secured properly and flags are in place.
Now, your mission-critical load is ready to hit the road!
Why Momentum is perfectly suited to handle your next Mission Critical shipment:
After more than 6,000 heavy haul and specialized shipments of this nature, Momentum, an award-winning Landstar agent, is proud to report an average on-time delivery rate of 99% with 99% of mission critical shipments arriving damage free.
We also have a wide range of specialized equipment and highly trained drivers who can help make your next mission critical shipment a success. And finally, due to the complexities of these kinds of shipments, our Project Management expertise helps coordinate each and every detail to make the entire planning, in-transit and delivery process a success.
To learn more about how Momentum Transportation can help you with your mission-critical shipping needs, contact us at www.landstar-agent.com.
This blog post is the third in a series that discusses how to achieve success when shipping mission-critical products using methods like heavy haul, flatbeds, escorts and more.