Five ways to help your fuel driver

December 13, 2021

By Brian Gray

We may be biased, but we think Energy Co-op fuel truck drivers are the best in the business. They're out there every day in all weather conditions making sure your family stays warm and comfortable throughout the long Vermont winter.

Clear a path to your tank – Remove snow, ice, and any obstacles that block the route to your heating oil fill pipe. Aim to keep at least an 18-inch path clear. It also helps to mark the location of your fill pipes with a flag tall enough to rise above fallen or drifting snow.
Shovel and salt/sand your driveway – We're not allowed to deliver your fuel if it's not safe to do so. If your driveway is covered with snow or ice, you may miss a critical delivery opportunity. Be sure to keep your driveway clear and sand or salt it. Our delivery vehicles need a 9-foot to 10-foot-wide clear path in your driveway to allow enough room to maneuver. It also helps if you mark the borders of your driveway if the snow has covered them.
Be sure the gate is unlocked or open - If the fill pipe is behind an access gate, it is important that your delivery driver can easily and safely get in and out. So, if you typically lock the gate, be sure to unlock it and shovel so the gate opens freely when you are expecting a delivery.
Be accessible and available - On the day of a scheduled delivery or before, we may need to notify you of an emergency or other incident. Be sure that we have your most accessible contact number on file (preferably mobile) so we may reach you quickly if necessary. Even if everything goes smoothly, the delivery driver may want to confirm arrival and the completion of the job, which makes a contact number quite useful.
Plan in advance – It's best to place your order BEFORE your heating oil reaches the one-quarter mark (one-half is best) – especially when temperatures are frigid. Doing this will give us enough notice to schedule a delivery before you run out of fuel. If you want to avoid the hassle of calling altogether, sign up for our free automatic delivery service and we'll keep track of your tank level for you!

Our goal is to help you avoid running out of fuel or incurring extra delivery charges for emergency or after-hours service. Taking these five steps will keep our drivers happy and your home safe and warm!