Peak prep · UPDATED 2026-10-14
Peak prep starts before the panic.
A practical way to get staffing, vans, coaching and handoffs ready before volume climbs.
Peak is rough even when a team has time to prepare. An accelerated ramp changes that. We have had to build routines while dealing with revolving staffing doors, unfamiliar delivery areas, and a daily need to complete the work. Waiting for a quiet day to get ready is not much of a plan.
Start with the next failure you can prevent Look at tomorrow’s roster, the actual vehicle-ready list, and the routes that will need support. These are connected. A great rescue plan needs available people. A roster needs people who show up. A route assignment needs a vehicle capable of doing the work.
Give preparation an owner A checklist only helps if somebody closes the loop. Choose who confirms staffing changes, who checks van readiness, who briefs unfamiliar areas, and who leaves the next shift a readable handoff. An unresolved issue should have an owner and a next action, rather than getting buried in a group chat.
Protect the coaching window I have built training and area references because frustration grows when people are sent into difficult stops without enough information. Coaches need time to teach. When everybody has to be on a route every day, that time can disappear. Identify the drivers who need support early and arrange it before their route becomes a recovery situation.
Build motivation into the plan Recognize preparation, safe choices, and improvement. Explain the purpose of a rescue. Thank the driver who leaves a helpful route note. Consistent expectations and specific praise give people a reason to keep trying. Public comparisons without context can do the opposite.
Use the free starter The Peak Hub on this site has a device-local checklist, a delivery-time worksheet, and a printable prep sheet. They introduce how I think about readiness. The full tools and operating methods stay in my product and development work.
OSHA’s holiday resources are a useful outside starting point for seasonal training and workplace safety. Use the guidance that fits your operation and your employer’s procedures. My goal for peak is a team that understands the plan, knows where to get help, and can leave a clean handoff.