Keeping Your Phone Charged and Reachable on a Job Day: A Driver's Routine

The customer is standing at the gate with a wardrobe on the pavement. You are ten minutes away, but your phone died at the last junction. He calls four times, gets nothing and starts looking for another driver. A dead phone costs you the job, the offer and sometimes the customer for good.

Your phone is part of the truck. Treat it the way you treat the tyres: check it every morning.

Charge before you leave, not on the road

Plug in overnight and check in the morning that the battery is full. If your power is unreliable at night, charge at your first stop of the day or use a power bank. Do not leave home at 30 percent and hope.

A simple rule: do not start a job under 50 percent.

Carry the right kit

• a power bank that holds at least one full charge
• a car charger that fits your truck socket
• a short cable and a spare cable (cables fail more than phones)
• a plastic bag or pouch for rain and dust

Keep these in one place in the cab, not scattered in different pockets. Tie the spare cable to the sun visor if it keeps disappearing.

Make the phone easy to reach, safely

A phone holder on the dashboard lets you see a call without taking your eyes off the road for long. Do not scroll, text or type while the truck is moving. If the customer calls, let it ring, pull over safely and call back. Safe driving always comes before an answered call.

Cut what drains the battery

Lower the brightness, close apps you are not using and turn on battery saver once you drop below 30 percent. Keep the Sphere driver app and your calls, and close the rest. A phone left running video or music all day will not last through a long-haul job.

Stay reachable between jobs

Keep your ringer on and the volume loud enough for the cab. Check that the number on your profile is the one you actually answer. If you have two SIMs, make sure the right one has airtime and data. If you drive out of network range on long routes, tell the customer and send a message before you go.

When you are waiting at a pickup, answer calls quickly and say where you are. Short, clear replies work: "I am at the junction, two minutes." For more on staying in touch before arrival, read calling the customer before pickup.

Have a plan for a dead phone

If it does die, you still need a way out. Memorise the customer's number or write it on the job sheet. Borrow a phone from the gateman, a shop owner or a helper and call. Tell them quickly that you are on the way. This is where keeping a weekly job record helps: the phone numbers are in your jotter.

How to do this on Sphere

Open the Sphere driver app and keep it running so you can see new move requests in your area and send counter-offers quickly. Check your offers at the start of the day and again at the end of each job. Before you accept a job, confirm the pickup, drop-off, load and any loading help with the customer. If you are not yet approved, apply as a driver here.