The need to protect delivery drivers is crucial. Over the past few years, the pace of home delivery by retailers has skyrocketed. Individual retailers along with companies like Shipt and Instacart have added hundreds of thousands of delivery drivers to their roster to meet increasing demand. The industry continues to expand at a 10% pace, one of the fastest-growing occupations according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
This dramatic shift in the way we buy has made it easier and more convenient for consumers to get the goods they need. But with this big change comes many risks, particularly for retailers, delivery and logistics companies, and drivers.
Train Delivery Staff on Crime Risk Safety Measures
Keeping drivers and delivery people (not to mention your customers’ goods) safe is increasingly important as more take to the streets. Proper safety training can help protect them from threats on the road.
Teach your delivery staff to:
- Park in safe, well-lit areas. And while it may be tempting to keep the car or truck running, drivers should always turn off the vehicle, lock the door, and take the keys during a delivery, even if they’ll only be away for a minute.
- Avoid deliveries in unsafe areas. Delivery people should avoid alleys and entrances in hard-to-get-to spots. It’s never worth risking a person’s safety to make a delivery.
- Have customer information on hand before making the delivery. Customers should be required to leave a contact phone number so delivery staff can reach them in instances where deliveries seem unsafe or there’s no place to safely leave a package. Delivery people should avoid heading to a drop-off location without this information.
These issues may seem like easy judgment calls or common sense, but they could be the difference between a safe delivery and an at-risk employee. Training should occur frequently, and retailers should focus efforts on drivers located in urban areas or other locations where crime has increased.
Protect Delivery Drivers with Data-Driven Training Decisions
To make better-informed decisions about the crime risks your delivery staff face from store to doorstep, use data. Assessing crime risk for locations can not only help you determine where your delivery staff may be at higher risk, but it can also help you prioritize where and when to train staff.
Crime risk data can also help you:
- Determine the safest route for your deliveries
- Develop and implement the appropriate security measures for protecting your packages and drivers
- Guide delivery policies and protocols — when certain deliveries happen, and additional security measures such as cameras
Protect Delivery Drivers and Your Fleet
As the number of delivery drivers on the road continues to go up, security concerns will also likely increase. Ensure the protection of your drivers with data-driven safety training.
Learn more about how CAP Index gives you access to up-to-date crime risk data for your store locations and delivery areas.
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