The safety of you and our customers is the first priority of ClusterTruck Transportation, LLC (“ClusterTruck”). We believe we have developed an industry-leading model for independent contractors that reduce certain risks associated with other gig economy services.

Unlike rideshare companies, with ClusterTruck, you are never allowing unknown passengers into your vehicle; and, unlike other food delivery services, you will only need to leave your vehicle about 1% of the time. The main goal here is to ensure you get the maximum amount of deliveries per hour.

We feel that our central kitchen + curbside delivery model is not only more efficient for you, the driver, but safer as well. With one central kitchen, you always know your starting point. It reduces the unknowns of other services by providing a familiar, fixed address to begin every delivery. And, with a cashless transaction at the curb, you always remain in the safety of your vehicle—day or night.

Here are 10 best practices and safety tips to make your experience on the road safer:

  1. Always follow the law when it comes to the use of your mobile device in a vehicle. We recommend a dashboard mount, or other hands-free accessory, to ensure you keep your eyes on the road, and your surroundings.
  2. Wear your seatbelt at all times.
  3. Once you receive your order at the kitchen, ensure it is set in a clean, secure place in your vehicle to avoid shifting or spilling in transit. The placement of the order in your vehicle should never be a distraction that requires you to take your hands off the steering wheel, or eyes off the road.
  4. When you enter the ship code for your order, confirm the route and begin your GPS navigation while stopped in the driver queue—not while driving. This avoids unnecessary distractions while en route.
  5. Even if state or local laws permit, we do not advise you to talk or text while driving. If you need to communicate with the customer, we recommend that you pull over to a safe location to use your mobile device. Some couriers have found it helpful to set up handsfree voice commands with preset text messages to alert customers of their status.
  6. Obey all traffic laws. ClusterTruck is already an efficient delivery system. It has no tolerance for illegal and unsafe driving behavior. So, follow the speed limits, signal all turns and lane changes, come to complete stops at stop signs, obey traffic signals, and never make illegal turns.
  7. Always watch for pedestrians and cyclists. Even as cities continue to add designated lanes for cyclists and pedestrians, city streets are busy and unpredictable. Always be mindful of pedestrians in (and out of) crosswalks, blind corners, sidewalks, and bicycle lanes. Also, watch for dockless scooters. As dockless electric scooters have burst onto the scene, many cities have yet to outline regulations for their use. Many of these scooters have speeds of up to 17-mph, and as ridership continues to grow, so do the number of inexperienced riders using them on sidewalks, bike lanes, and city streets. Increased awareness and caution is needed to safely share the road.
  8. Always find a safe spot to meet your customer curbside. If you miss the address, don’t worry. Just pull back around the block. Never block traffic, make a U-turn, drive in the wrong lane, or put the customer in an unsafe situation. We want your handoff to be safe for you, for the customer, and for those around you.
  9. Be aware of your surroundings at the curb. If you feel a situation may be unsafe or uncomfortable for either you or the customer, find a safer location, pull over, and contact the customer. You both may want to coordinate a safer curb to make the handoff.
  10. In the event of an accident, always make sure that you and any parties involved are safe. If it is an emergency situation, call 911 immediately. If it is not an emergency, contact your local authority's non-emergency line, if necessary. Then, once everyone is safe, please report the incident to [email protected] or text the respective kitchen you're delivering in.
  11. In the event, that you cannot get a hold of the guest to meet you at the curb. Feel free to reach out to our CX team (Indy: (317) 732-1084, Broad-Ripple: (317) 751-9543, Castleton: (317) 779-3131, Columbus: (614) 914-2776, KCMO: (816) 605-6670) to see if they have anymore information on the delivery. There will be times to where you will be asked to leave your vehicle to complete a delivery.

<aside> ✍️ Now that you've caught up on best practices, you should be ready for the quiz!

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Next: TAKE THE QUIZ!