5 Tips for Conquering Business Traveling by Car

5 Tips for Conquering Business Traveling by Car What is your preferred method of business travel? Do you enjoy taking a plane? Would you rather travel by car, when possible? If you find yourself traveling to a business meeting by car, it’s important to take the right steps at the right time. In other words, there are things you have to do before you hit the road. There are also things to do once you’re behind the wheel. Unless you’ll be taking your own vehicle, it’s important to compare rental car companies. This makes it easy to not only find the right vehicle, but to also book the best possible deal. Once you find a rental car company nearby that you enjoy doing business with, you can rely on them time and time again. This makes it much easier to book a car when you need it (even if you’re on a tight schedule). Now, let’s take a look at five tips to follow when traveling to a business meeting by car: Choose the Right Size Vehicle. Are you traveling alone? If so, it’s safe to assume that you don’t need much space (unless you’ll be hauling a lot of equipment with you). For this reason, a compact or midsize car may be perfect. However, if you’re traveling with other people, such as a couple co-workers, you don’t want to skimp on space. There’s nothing worse than being crammed into a small car for an extended period of time. Note: you should also take fuel economy into consideration. A fuel efficient vehicle can go a long way in saving you money on the cost of gas. Map Your Route Even if you’ll have access to a GPS system, it’s important to map your route in advance. If you’re having a difficult time with this, turn to the internet for help. For example, use Expedia to find the address as well as any landmarks that are nearby (and on your route). This type of information may be just what you need to feel better about the route you are taking, as well as where you can (and should) stop along the way. When you neglect to map your route, you may find yourself on the road longer than necessary. Even worse, you could become lost, meaning that you don’t make it to your final destination on time. Leave Plenty of Time There is nothing worse than being in a rush on your way to a business meeting. This is even more stressful if you’re stuck behind the wheel and have no idea of where you are going (or you are stuck in traffic). Do yourself a favor and plan for the worst. If everything goes as planned, good for you. You’ll arrive with plenty of time to get prepared. Conversely, if something goes wrong, such as an accident that holds you up, you’ll have enough time to get back on track. Visit Your Hotel First Are you staying the night once you reach your destination? If so, it makes good sense to visit your hotel before you head to your business meeting. Of course, this all comes down to one thing: leaving yourself enough time. To improve your chance of this happening, book a hotel that is close to the location you’ll be visiting upon arrival. In big cities like Boston, you’ll have access to quite a few hotels. Your goal is to find the right hotel, in the right part of town, at the right price. Yes, this sounds like a challenge, but it’s more than possible when you spend the appropriate amount of time on your search. Don’t Take Risks It doesn’t matter if you’re traveling for business or pleasure, you never want to take risks on the road. Instead, you need to follow safety tips that will allow you to reach your destination without incident. An example of a risk would be driving in excess of the speed limit because you are running behind. Yes, you need to make up time so you don’t miss your meeting, but you shouldn’t risk your life in order to do so. There are things you should always do from a safety perspective, such as following the rules of the road, carrying an emergency kit, and knowing who to contact if something goes wrong with your vehicle. Conclusion Even if you prefer to fly to every business meeting, there may come a time when this doesn’t make the most sense. In this case, it won’t be long before you find yourself behind the wheel and in full control of every move you make. With the above tips in mind, you’ll find it much easier to travel to your next business meeting by car. At first, you may not be comfortable with this mode of transportation. Over time, however, things will begin to make more sense. In fact, you may soon find yourself enjoying this approach to business travel. Do you often travel for business? Do you have a preferred mode of transportation? Do you have any additional tips to share for people traveling by car? Don’t hesitate to leave your advice and feedback in the comment section below. With your words of wisdom, other business travelers may find it easier to get behind the wheel and hit the road.