One Route Too Many: Managing Overtime Before It Grows

When propane delivery ramps up during busy seasons, it’s easy for overtime hours to sneak past unnoticed. A few extra hours here and there can add up quickly – and before you know it, your labor costs are eating into your margins. If you’re not tracking it closely, overtime can become one of the biggest silent drains on your delivery team’s budget. Here’s a practical guide to managing overtime wisely in order to protect both your operational efficiency and costs.

Start With a Clear Overtime Policy
Before you even begin tracking hours, ensure that your team understands what counts as overtime and when it’s allowed. Set limits. Be clear about when drivers need permission to go beyond their scheduled shifts. Without a clear policy, you’ll likely get inconsistent work patterns that are difficult to track and manage. Keep the policy simple and easy to follow. Your goal isn’t to cut hours when necessary work is underway – it’s to keep extra costs from building up unnoticed.

Use Daily Time Reports
Waiting until payroll day to review team members’ hours is too late. If you want to control overtime, be sure to check their time logs every day. This will do much to help you catch patterns early. If a driver regularly works past their shift, you can step in and address it before it becomes a habit. Daily tracking of hours also helps you identify one-off issues – like routes that took longer than planned or jobs that need better scheduling. Catching these early saves money and helps you adjust workloads more evenly across your team.

Review Delivery Routes Weekly
Many overtime problems stem from inefficient routing. Long drive times, poor scheduling, or too many stops on one route can stretch a driver’s day too far. Each week, take time to review each driver’s routes and delivery patterns. Look for areas where mileage or stops can be better balanced. Even small changes to daily routes can reduce drive time, cut back hours, and keep fuel costs in check.

Utilize GPS and Dispatch Software
If you are using software that tracks truck locations, driving time, and stop lengths, you already have the resources needed to monitor overtime risks. GPS and dispatch tools give you better visibility into how long each task takes. These will help you plan better and identify areas where delivery delays are common.

Additionally, route optimization software will plan the most efficient routes for your team, ensuring that unnecessary extra miles and stops are minimized. If you don’t use this type of software now, be sure to look into it. It is now available as an app for dispatchers’ and drivers’ smartphones, making smart route planning easier than ever. This is hands-down one of the best investments in your business you can make.

Train Dispatchers to Spot Red Flags
Dispatchers often notice when a driver works late or takes longer than expected. Teach them what to watch for – things like late starts, long stops, or extra miles. Give them the authority to adjust routes or schedules if needed. When dispatchers feel responsible for overtime costs, they’re more likely to keep a close eye on how their routes are assigned and handled.

Review Time Reports Yourself
Most drivers focus on getting the job done – not watching the clock. While some will speak up about the overtime hours they have put in, others may not realize how many extra hours they’ve logged. Don’t wait for someone to tell you. Be proactive and review time reports on your own. This also helps prevent burnout. Overworked drivers are more likely to get frustrated with their schedules or make mistakes, which could potentially turn into safety issues.

Why It Pays to Watch the Clock
Overtime is one of those costs that can feel necessary – but it adds up fast. When you make the extra effort to control it, you’re not just saving money – you’re keeping your team better balanced, your schedules tighter, and your operation running more smoothly and efficiently.

Keeping an eye on overtime is about keeping your propane business profitable and your drivers well-supported. You can keep your delivery team strong and efficient without pushing anyone too hard. This is accomplished by building solid habits around daily and weekly reviews, more intelligent routing, and active dispatcher involvement. That will result in better service for your customers and better control of your bottom line.