What makes us an all-weather haulage company? As the people’s haulier, we’re here to help our valued customers in sunshine, rain or heavy wind.

If you follow Hayward’s on social media, you may have seen us post updates during stormy weather throughout the year, assuring our customers that our depots remained open to transport loaded and empty containers safely. At Hayward Transport, we are committed to being on hand to provide transportation solutions to our customers whatever the weather. 

With many weeks of winter left, to provide peace of mind that your container transport and general haulage needs can be met, we’re here to discuss the challenges we face as a haulage company in stormy weather conditions, but also the strategies we take to mitigate these issues.

As a haulage company, specialising in container haulage, throughout the year we do face many different challenges brought on by driving in high winds, heavy rain, and storms.

Windy conditions

When faced with high winds, we have to consider that our vehicles can face the risk of overturning. High sided vehicles such as our container trucks have large surface areas that in strong winds can act a little like sails, so we have to take extra precautions to prevent accidents.

Driving container lorries in high winds can also mean a risk of cargo instability. It’s vital to pay special attention to detail when securing containers, as gusts of wind can shift loads, destabilising the vehicle.

It’s also important to consider that extremely windy conditions can also affect driver control, pushing vehicles off course, particularly on exposed stretches of road or bridges.

Heavy rain

Heavy rain can obscure the driver’s view, making it harder to anticipate potential obstacles, hazards, or changes in traffic, such as sudden stoppages. In addition to reduced visibility as rain hammers down on windscreens, rain can also lead to water pooling on roads. This can lead to a loss of traction, making steering and braking less effective.

In addition to challenging driving conditions, heavy rain can also result in risks of damaged cargo if the container or trailer is not sealed properly. 

Storms

Other problems related to adverse weather conditions are road flooding, fallen debris and infrastructure weaknesses, all of which may require drivers to take longer routes than normal, as well as the need for sharp road awareness to ensure safe driving.

Whilst difficult weather conditions undoubtedly generate a wide range of challenges for container transport, at Hayward’s, we are problem solvers. When faced with weather that could lead to transportation issues, we do everything possible to navigate these obstacles.

Let’s discuss some of the mitigation strategies we use to approach safe and reliable transport in bad weather conditions.

Weather monitoring

With access to modern weather monitoring technology, we can use real-time weather tracking and alerts to plan routes around hazardous weather conditions. In windy conditions, we may take a more sheltered route, or avoid flooded roads in rainy conditions, allowing us to transport cargo as safely and efficiently as possible.

Driver training

Driver training is central to everything we do. We place a strong focus on specialised driver training to handle adverse conditions, such as keeping control of a lorry in high winds, as well as braking safety on wet roads.

Load securing

Regardless of weather conditions, we always make regular checks to ensure that containers are safely secured to trailers and properly fastened to ensure cargo is secure and safe from the elements. In windy conditions, we carry out extra checks to ensure loads are secured.

Emergency planning

With every journey, we develop contingency plans for any potential challenge that we might face, including planning for delays that could be caused by extreme weather scenarios. Whilst a certain route may be planned, with real-time data, we can make changes to our plans at any time to ensure the safety of our team and safe transportation of cargo for our customers.

Taking a proactive approach is key to minimising risks and maintaining operational efficiency, even when facing difficult weather conditions. In addition to following our strategies for safe and efficient haulage, we can also provide advice for our customers to ensure smooth logistics.

1. Plan ahead – if you need goods or materials to be transported, it’s important to monitor weather forecasts. This helps you to anticipate potential delays and plan accordingly, as you may need to allow extra time, or prioritise deliveries to ensure that the most critical shipments are transported first.
2. Communication – providing detailed information, including your own contingency plans, helps us to deliver the best possible service, especially if weather impacts the delivery schedule.
3. Prepare for delays – when there is a chance of delays as a result of weather conditions, it is useful to stockpile critical inventory, and to adjust schedules to account for potential delays on incoming or outgoing shipments.
4. Choose the right haulage partner – working with a haulage company with experience in handling adverse weather conditions and familiar with alternate routes is extremely important. At Hayward Transport, we are highly experienced in all driving conditions and will work with you to ensure your shipments are delivered safely and efficiently, providing real-time tracking for your peace of mind.

If you are in need of logistics support, or are worried about how bad weather conditions could affect your transportation needs, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us.