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Practical Advice For Keeping Your Fleet Running Smoothly During Winter

By
Barbara Shea
Published at 14.23 on 01.13.2025

Winter is No Joke for Fleets

Winter is tough on fleet owners. Icy roads, freezing temps, and unexpected delays can make keeping your trucks, vans, or heavy equipment running a challenge. Snow and cold don’t just make life harder for drivers—they can drive up costs, create safety risks, and lead to more breakdowns.

 

Here’s how to keep your fleet rolling, no matter what winter throws at you.

 

 

Prepare Your Vehicles for the Cold

Winter prep saves you time and money down the line:

  • Check Batteries: Cold drains batteries fast. Test and replace weak ones before they leave you stranded.
  • Inspect Tires: Proper tread and pressure are non-negotiable. Consider winter tires if you’re in a snow-prone area.
  • Use Winter-Grade Fluids: Swap in winter-grade oil, wiper fluid, and antifreeze. Keep extras on hand.
  • Stock Emergency Kits: Every truck should have blankets, ice scrapers, tire chains, snacks, and a first-aid kit—especially for routes in remote areas.

Optimize Routes and Schedules

Snow and ice can wreck even the best plans. Build in buffer time for delays and communicate with your team and customers about changes. Keeping everyone in the loop ensures smooth operations, even when the weather doesn’t cooperate.

 

Automate customer notifications if you can to keep them informed and satisfied.

Manage Idling to Save Fuel

Winter often means more idling—but that doesn’t have to mean more wasted fuel.

  • Limit Warm-Ups: Engines don’t need to idle for more than a few minutes to warm up.
  • Shut Off Engines: Parked for a while? Turn it off. Obviously. you don’t want anyone to freeze, but keeping on top of excessive idling is important. 
  • Use Auxiliary Heaters: When possible, these can keep drivers comfortable without burning through fuel.

 

Train Drivers for Winter Hazards

Winter driving needs a steady hand and level head. This YouTube video from Engineering Explained compares dry, wet, snowy and icy conditions for things like braking and cornering. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7t_sYFBYCKs.

 

  • Teach Defensive Driving: Handling ice and snow safely takes practice. Consider taking new drivers into an empty snow-covered parking lot and have them practice .
  • Review Traction and Skid Control: Knowing what to do when wheels lose grip is really important – review it every winter.
  • Remove Snow & Ice From Roof: Flying ice can cause an accident and cost you big time!

 

Images below from the Engineering Explained video referenced above

Stay Ahead on Maintenance

Winter puts extra wear and tear on your fleet. Weather extremes, cold or hot, is when it’s really important to do the preventive maintenance stuff. Make sure someone is in charge of that. Give them tools to make it easier AND check that it’s being done!

 

  • Inspect Brakes, Tires, and Wipers Regularly: These are your first line of defense. Poorly inflated tires wear unevenly and can impact stopping ability.
  • Check Heating and Defrost Systems: Keep drivers comfortable and windshields clear.
  • Stay on Top of Fluids: Oil, coolant, and washer fluid are essential in cold weather.
Make Sure That Maintenance is Being Done!

Use Tech to Keep Things Moving

The right tools make winter fleet management easier:

 

  • Real-Time Tracking: Know exactly where your vehicles are, even in bad weather.
  • Idling Alerts: Catch and cut down on excessive idling before it drains your budget.
  • Driver Safety Tools: Dash cams and driver scorecards help promote safe driving habits.
  • Automated Reports: Stay on top of fuel use, maintenance, and travel time to make smarter decisions.

Stay in Control With GPS Tracking & Fleet Management

Winter already brings enough challenges—don’t let managing your fleet be one of them. Momentum GPS offers tools like real-time tracking, idling alerts, and driver safety monitoring to help you stay ahead of the weather and avoid costly downtime.

 

Get Momentum GPS free for 30 days and see how it can save you time, cut costs, and keep your fleet running smoothly this winter.

 

Stay safe, stay prepared, and keep moving forward—snow or shine.