Preparing Your Fleet for Hurricane Season

There aren’t too many good things about hurricanes, but being able to see them coming is one of them. It gives people time to fortify structures, stock up on supplies, or, if they’re potentially going to be in great danger, to evacuate to a safer location and wait out the storm.

Similarly, this gives companies with large fleets of trucks or major logistical needs a chance to prepare. One particular need to address is fuel. It goes without saying that if you don’t have adequate fuel and then storm fallout keeps you from getting it, you’re in deep trouble. This even applies if your fleet isn’t operating in an area hit by the storm; we’ll talk about that further on.

So it’s essential to start preparing your fleet for hurricane season and to start taking care of the fuel needs you will have. Here’s how to do that:

Preparing Your Fleet for Hurricane Season

Fill Up Ahead of Time

In preparing your fleet for hurricane season, top off your tanks well in advance of the storm. Many people are procrastinators by nature, and the closer it is to the storm, the longer they wait to fill. You might face a surge in prices, too. Also, if the terminal that supplies you is a waterborne one, supply vessels might steer clear until after the storm, leaving you in a bind. That’s another reason to fill up well ahead of time.

Conserve Your Inventory and Buy Retail Fuel

If you have your own fuel inventory, it’s best not to touch that until after the storm or if there’s an emergency need. Filling up at retail locations like truck stops and convenience stores might cost more and might be more hassle, but you’re better off not tapping your own supply until all is clear or if you have to. This is essential in preparing your fleet for hurricane season.

Have a Plan B (and C)

Hurricanes sometimes cause severe damage to a city’s infrastructure. If the city you rely on for your fueling needs takes a bad hit to its fueling infrastructure, where else can you get your supply from? When you don’t already have the ability to get it from somewhere else, at least one other location but ideally at least one more than that), you’re suddenly facing major problems. Any contingency plan should involve other markets, preferably far enough from each other that it’s extremely unlikely they could all go down at the same time.

Choose Your Fuel Partners Wisely

Most likely, your business has some fuel partners. You might have the best of all plans on your end, but if your partners go down, then everything could go down. So while it’s important to fill up early, conserve your resources, know where your supply is coming from, and have a good backup plan, it’s also important that your partners do, too. Before you enter any partnership with another business, ask those questions, and consider it a good sign of their competence and reliability if they ask the same questions of you as well.

Fuel Up for Hurricane Season

In recent years, hurricanes and tropical storms have been increasing in frequency and severity, and weather and climate experts expect this trend to continue for the foreseeable future. Readying your fleet for its fuel needs ahead of hurricane season is critical to protecting your business and those who rely on it. Don’t get caught unprepared! Looking for a fuel partner to help you make preparations for this season? We can help! Schedule a free consultation today.

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