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Tips to Avoid Hot Weather Car Breakdowns

By June 18, 2024No Comments

Extreme summer heat can affect your car and have a direct impact on your business as a rideshare driver. Hot summers can cause vehicle breakdowns due to things like overheating, battery failure, air conditioning repairs, or tire replacements.

You can prepare by maintaining your car before and during the summer:

  1. Check your fluids. This includes things like coolant (which can cause overheating if too low), motor oil, transmission fluid, brake fluid, power steering fluid, and windshield wiper fluid. Make sure to have extra coolant in case you need it.
  2. Have your belts and hoses inspected. Intense heat can cause these to crack or blister, which would mean they need to be replaced right away.
  3. Monitor your tire pressure. Heat can cause your tires to expand, therefore checking to make sure they are at a proper pressure can prevent issues.
  4. Keep your interior cool. Before the heat hits too hard, it is important to inspect your AC to ensure it will work properly for the summer. Your riders will appreciate it, as well.
  5. Keep an emergency kit. Having things like jumper cables, a flashlight, road flares, water, nonperishable food items, and a first aid kit can be helpful if the heat ends up negatively affecting your car.
  6. Consider highways instead of side streets when you can. Highways are usually maintained better than regular streets, and are better equipped to handle extreme heat.

Roadside Assistance from the IDG

If you run into a dead battery or flat tire while on the road and end up needing a tow or professional assistance, the Independent Driver’s Guild has your back. They offer free roadside assistance to rideshare drivers who sign up and become dues-paying members.

To enroll and activate the IDG’s Roadside Assistance program, members can visit the website here. 

If you are already a dues paying member and need help from your Roadside Assistance program while on the road, simply:

  1. Call 1-800-559-0097.
  2. Tell the operator you have roadside assistance.
  3. Give them your Plan – Letter B, your driver ID number (the number on your TLC license), and the following 6-digit producer code – 106736.
  4. If they ask for the date you enrolled, it is always the 1st of the month.