Winter is upon us, and in Colorado it can be unpredictable going from 65 degree weather at noon to snowy by 4 p.m. in just one day. Here at Via we know how important it is to keep our riders and drivers safe on the road. We even start winterizing our vehicles in September. Safety is a priority. To ensure we keep our riders safe we prepare for winter driving conditions by winterizing our vehicles and training our drivers.
How does Via winterize vehicles – and great tips to keep your car safe too in winter weather conditions
- Tires – our mechanics make sure every vehicle has at least 75% tread on the tires. For the rear wheel drive vehicles, we change the tires to winter tires and put sand bags in the back.
- Windshield wiper blades – our mechanics replace windshield wiper blades before winter hits.
- Battery – we low test batteries and replace all HOP batteries
- Anti-freeze – we check all fluids are at proper levels, belts, brakes, and alternators every 3,000 miles or 3 months.
- Heater – some of the buses we operate have block heaters and our mechanics repair them if needed.
How does Via prepare drivers for winter driving?
- Training & Safety – all new Via drivers go through extensive 120 hours of training and safety certification, which includes seasonal driving conditions.
- Annual Winter Driving Safety Course – once a year Via drivers have continued education and they are taught to check their vehicles are fit to be on the road especially the tires and windshield wiper blades are in proper condition; adjust their speed; special assistance techniques for winter conditions for our door-to-door service.
More safe winter driving tips from Via safety team:
- Tires, tires, tires – make sure your tires have enough 75% tread or use winter tires.
- Replace your windshield wiper blades and make sure you have windshield wiper fluid
- Be gentle with all of your controls
- Keep blanket, shovel, water, and food in your car in case you get stuck
- Keep your gas tank half full
- Use lower gears for going down hill
- Keep a minimum 6 second distance from you and the vehicle in front of you.
