Managing traffic is one of the largest stressors for delivery drivers internationally. When the timeliness of your driving sessions is the basis of your pay, it can be frustrating to be held back. Here is some insight into how to calmly and safely manage traffic as a delivery driver.
Managing Traffic: Avoid it if You Can!
Learning how to avoid traffic as a delivery driver takes time to become familiar with the area and the regular traffic patterns. Once you become familiar with regular routes, you will know the fastest ways to your destination and the times to avoid certain areas. If you are not yet familiar with the areas you are driving in, GPS applications like Waze are designed to find you the fastest route. They account for traffic, accidents, speed stops, and more.
Coping with Traffic as a Delivery Driver
When you cannot avoid the traffic as a delivery driver, there are a few management techniques that you can engage to make it through the traffic jam.
- Calming Breaths: Take a deep breath when you first encounter a traffic jam. Practicing calming breaths can help you keep your head clear and keep your stress levels down.
- Practice Safe Driving: If you drive recklessly through traffic, you risk scaring your passengers or damaging your delivery goods. More severely, you put your safety and the safety of others at risk. Be sure to always engage industry best practices, even in stressful, traffic-filled situations.
- Meditation and Music: Consider taking your mind off of the traffic with meditation, podcasts, audiobooks, or music. Of course, you should always keep your full attention on the road and your safe driving practices, but these extras can help you reduce stress while in traffic. If you are a rideshare driver, you might also consider taking this time to get to know your passenger, if they feel comfortable and interested in talking.
- Traffic Updates: Be on the lookout for insights into wrecks and other traffic-causing situations. This can help you find the fastest route to your destination out of the way of traffic.
Do your best to remain calm and manage traffic as best as you can. Remember that it will pass eventually, and you will be on your way to other deliveries in no time.
What To Do When Traffic Affects Drivers
Traffic is a natural part of driving, so when driving is your job, you have to manage traffic like a true professional. There are different challenges in place, depending entirely on the type of delivery driver you are. One of the best ways to prevent traffic from affecting your driver rating is to safely provide status updates.
For drivers completing deliveries, try to provide your customers with status updates regarding the traffic. When possible, safely keep your passengers updated on the status of the situation and your new arrival time. They will feel more compassionately if they are informed, rather than if you leave customers guessing.
Does my Driving Pay Reflect Traffic?
Check your specific platform to see how traffic will affect your pay. If you are a rideshare driver, your pay will likely reflect the time that you spend in traffic, assuming that you have already picked up your passenger. The ride costs will automatically rise surrounding times of heavy traffic. Additional time spent in unaccounted traffic is usually automatically adjusted and reflected in the rates you receive. Knowledge of the fact that you are still getting paid for your time may also help alleviate some of your tension in the traffic; however, understand that your passengers are the ones paying for the traffic in these situations, so it is important to still act with compassion and urgency during these stressful situations.
This perk is not always extended to food delivery drivers. Platforms will likely adjust your pay around heavy traffic times to reflect the time you spend in traffic. This is not always an exact calculation, but it should help to offset the inconvenience of traffic. Be sure to always remain aware of the policies set by your specific driving platform for the most accurate information about the rights, rules, and compensation for drivers.
Find Driver Support
Stressful situations are often less stressful when you have the resources, information, and the support you need to cope with difficult challenges. RapidGo Driver provides this outlet of support for drivers to help other drivers within the community. Consider taking our Safe Travel 101 course to learn how to drive safely during stressful situations. With the right tools on your side, you can remain a safe and productive delivery driver in even the heaviest of traffic.
