Travelling in a company car and travelling in your own personal car are two very different scenarios.
While some employees get the advantage of driving the company car for personal use, the car’s ownership and rights belong to your employer, not you.
Moreover, when operating a company vehicle, there’s often a long list of need-to-knows that the company will impose on you before you use the car.
If you want to ensure that you’re driving within the bounds of legal and contractual obligations, here are nine tips for travelling in a company car while still making the most out of it.
1) Understand Company Policies
One of the first things you should consider before driving a company car is fully learning the company’s policy before driving in their vehicle.
Sure, it’s likely not your first time driving a vehicle. It may not even be your first time driving a company vehicle. That said, it’s important to recognise that not all rules carry over from company to company.
You’ll have to undergo a process of unlearning and learning new habits to ensure that you’re sticking by your new company’s guidelines.
Companies may have different policies regarding personal use, gas reimbursement, and accident procedures—so be sure to know these rules as if they’re at the back of your hand before hitting the road with the company vehicle.
2) Stay Up-to-Date on Maintenance
While you’re not financially responsible for the company car (in most cases), it’s a respectable decision to ensure that it’s in working order every couple of months or so. This is especially true if you’re keeping the company car within your premises.
As a start, you should perform regular oil checks and tire pressure checks to ensure that they’re operating efficiently.
Beyond that, if the brakes, windshields, A/C unit, and other vital car parts aren’t performing up to par, consider having a car repairman check up on these car parts and have them fixed or replaced after consulting with your company. Getting regular checkups not only extends the car’s shelf life, but also keeps you and your passengers safe on the road.
And if your company sees that their current car needs to be replaced entirely, they could replace it with a new one! Win-win!
3) Keep Track of Mileage
In many cases, companies closely track your mileage. This helps them understand the car’s usage and how much needs to be reimbursed to have it fueled up for the following days.
Furthermore, tracking mileage is also done to ensure that you’re not overspending on fuel and other pertinent costs. It’s a record-keeping measure to ensure that keeps both you and the company accountable. It’s also a data point that can help the company in expense reporting and planning their resource management more effectively.
While cars have their own mileage tracker, you should keep track of the daily and weekly mileage of the vehicle. You can also track the purpose of the travel as a transparency measure. This will give a clearer picture of how often the vehicle is being utilised.
4) Understand regulations
Make sure you are abreast of regulations around company car fines. It is critically important that companies nominate drivers who are responsible for committing offences in company cars. Failure to nominate the driver of a vehicle can result in harsher penalties for both the driver and the company.
So, if you happen to commit a driving offence in a company car, ensure that the matter is resolved in an accurate manner to avoid harsher penalties for all involved.
5) Secure the Vehicle
Whenever you leave the vehicle, always make sure to lock the doors and close the windows. If you live in a high-crime area, try to park your car in a private area with high surveillance.
Crimes like carjacking are becoming more common recently, with some locations experiencing triple the rates of this offence in just a few short years. Robbery and theft are also on the rise in some areas.
To prevent the company car from being exposed to such threats, it’s important to park in an area that’s relatively safe and not close to any high-risk areas. This way, your company car won’t be at risk of getting compromised, which will further give you and your company fewer headaches.
While it’s impossible to predict where and when a crime will happen, you can take the appropriate steps to minimise that risk.
6) Report Damage Promptly
When driving a company car (or any vehicle, for that matter), you should always strive to drive it safely. However, when driving, there’s always a non-zero chance that you’ll find yourself amidst a collision or accident.
In these cases, it’s crucial to report car damage to the insurance provider and company immediately. The worst thing you could do is leave a scratch or dent unmentioned and have someone else within the company find out about it and report you.
7) Avoid Idling to Conserve Fuel
Excessive idling can lead to more costs for the company. It can also lead to worsening car performance over time.
To avoid excessive resource expenditure, be sure to use your car only when necessary. Furthermore, practise fuel-conserving driving tips like accelerating gently and coasting to decelerate.
This way, you can keep costs at bay and prolong the lifespan of the company car.
8) Keep Necessary Documents in the Car
In the event of an accident between two parties, information exchange is of utmost importance.
As such, be sure to have all the necessary car documents in the car’s glove compartment. This includes the vehicle registration, insurance card, and necessary emergency contact numbers.
Besides, keeping these documents within the car’s glove compartment ensures that you won’t risk misplacing these papers in your home or office. This way, you’ll know where to find it and have immediate access to it in case of sudden traffic stops or accidents.
9) Keep Your Car Clean
Let’s face it, driving clients in a foul-smelling and unsightly vehicle is not something any self-respecting business will let slide.
While you’re not required to make the car look luxurious by any means, it’s the right thing to do to keep the vehicle tidy for you and your passengers.
You can start by keeping the passenger seat and front seat free from any sprawling items and trash. You should also put an air freshener to allow a pleasant scent to permeate around your car. Refrain from eating smelly and greasy foods inside the vehicle too.
Lastly, you should also look into vacuuming, dusting, and washing the vehicle regularly, like every month or so. This applies to both the exterior and interior of the vehicle.
