The Importance of Fleet Maintenance for Heavy-Duty Trucks
Great fleet management starts by paying attention to the little things within your control, like maintenance. Every day won’t be perfect, and every year won’t be a smashing success. But if your vehicles are always running efficiently, then you’re already doing more than the competition.
What is Your Plan?
You have a fleet, but do you have a plan to secure the best international truck parts? When it is time to replace a part, you don’t want to spend hours googling for the right deal. Having a trusted source saves time, money and prevents you from getting ripped off. Reliability should always be the focus of your plan, especially when it comes to a business that is based on results. One truck out of commission for too long could cost you dearly.
Leadership
A fleet manager will make or break your business. If you don’t have one, then hire one ASAP to reap the benefits of their experience. The competence of a fleet manager is seen immediately when they react proactively to truck maintenance. Things that are easy to miss are taken care of before they become a true problem. Not all fleet managers understand vehicle maintenance, so be very thorough during the hiring process.
Tracking Software
GPS tracking software that provides analytical data is great for maintenance. You can check performance, do preventative work or even temporarily bench a truck before it gets too troublesome. Steady monitoring will reap great benefits when you set up custom alerts. Just like your fleet manager, make sure that the GPS tracker is reliable.
CBM
Condition-based maintenance relies on computer-generated reports to let you know when something is wrong. CBM combined with tracking software can pinpoint minor and major issues with how your fleet is running. Sometimes the sensor that helps track this data can malfunction. If you are not keeping up with truck maintenance, your driver will go several miles without collecting useful data. By the time you realize the sensor is dead, the damage to the truck will already be done.
PdM
Predictive maintenance is provided by the vehicle manufacturer. Think of it as a schedule that makes automated maintenance recommendations to help keep the truck optimized. Just like a consumer car has an oil change alert, your fleet of trucks will have even more advanced notifications. Even if you’re already keeping up with maintenance, PdM is still useful to gauge wear and tear.
Safety Protocols
What are your fleet safety protocols? This is part of preventative maintenance, so should never be ignored. The standards of your safety procedures have to be consistent across the board for all trucks. If your fleet manager or drivers get conflicting information, then your assets will never be fully protected. Follow uniform requirements for safety protocols to keep up with the competition.
It’s Your Fleet
Take care of your trucks if you want to make the most money. Companies come and go, but the ones that prioritize maintenance are still at the top. The fleet comes first, and it’s up to you to make that a reality.
