If you are trying to figure out how to get the most life out of your fleet we are here to help you understand everything there is to know about fleet maintenance. Your fleet is more than likely one of the biggest investments in your business, so learning how to take care of your largest investment will help your business stay profitable.
Keep reading to learn what exactly fleet maintenance is and things you should know.
What Is Fleet Maintenance?
Let’s clear up exactly what fleet maintenance is to make sure we are on the same page. Fleet maintenance is when all of your business vehicles are kept in safe and working order in order to be used effectively and reliably.
When you develop a maintenance program to prevent issues you will not only lower your costs but also improve your vehicle inspections when the time comes.
How Will Maintenance Help Your Equipment?
Proper fleet maintenance will extend your vehicle’s longevity. For example, if you are on top of rotating and having the right pressure in your tires this will increase how long they last. A good guide for when to service your vehicle is looking at what the manufacturer recommends.
Keep in mind that your fleet’s needs might vary depending on what they are used for. Only use the manufacturer’s recommendations as your starting guide.
Regular maintenance is also going to boost your return of investment on each vehicle because the vehicles will stay in working order for longer periods of time when they are being maintained regularly.
Save Some Money
When you incorporate a regular fleet maintenance routine you are going to also save money in the long run. You might be under the impression that regular maintenance is going to drain your budget but this is not true. You are going to catch problems before they become really serious.
If you wait until the last minute to get something fixed you are also putting that vehicle out of commission which means losing money during unplanned downtime. When you catch problems early on you can plan and account for that vehicle’s downtime instead of being forced to take the vehicle out of service last minute.
If you are not taking care of your equipment you are also going to spend more money on things like fuel. An engine that is not maintained properly is going to cost more fuel over time. A vehicle that does not have its tires maintained regularly can also contribute to fuel waste and fewer miles on those tires.
Vehicle Inspections
Your vehicles have to go through intense inspections to make sure they are up to par to be out on the open road. When you fail your inspections you are going to end up spending more money. One way to make sure you pass inspections easier? That’s right fleet maintenance.
You want to be on the good side of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration also known as FMCSA. Many of the violations they find can be things that with regular maintenance can be prevented.
You do not want your company to have a record for constantly not passing safety inspections. Eventually, this negligence on your part of maintaining safe vehicles will catch up to you and your business.
Fleet Maintenance Workers
There is more than one person involved when it comes to maintaining your fleet. You have fleet managers, the fleet drivers, and the fleet mechanics. Everyone plays an important part in ensuring that your fleet is up to par.
Fleet Manager
The entire fleet should be overseen by a fleet manager. Fleet managers are the central hub for service schedules for each vehicle and also the maintenance plans for each one. The fleet manager is responsible for making sure that there is not only a regular schedule to be followed but to make the schedule as well.
A fleet manager should always have a goal of making sure that each vehicle holds its value as much as possible. Because a manager also deals with buying and selling the fleet vehicles for the company, it is in their best interest to sell current fleet vehicles for as much as possible.
Fleet Drivers
Most of the time spent with the vehicle is by the drivers themselves. Drivers not only have the responsibility of making sure that they are driving safely and performing their job as safely as possible, but they also are responsible for checking the condition of their vehicle on a daily basis.
As soon as the drivers notice a funny sound, or a light not working they are responsible for informing the fleet manager as soon as possible.
Fleet Mechanics
If you have a larger fleet you might want to consider hiring a dedicated fleet mechanic. They will become familiar with your vehicles ensuring that they can always catch something on time instead of waiting.
They can be responsible for doing regular maintenance on each vehicle and taking care of any problems as soon as they arise. If this makes sense to have for your entire fleet then opt for a dedicated mechanic.
Ready to Ensure Your Fleet Is Well Taken Care of?
Now that you know more about what fleet maintenance is and how it will help you, you can make sure that your company is doing its best to maintain your fleet. More than likely you spent a pretty penny to have your current fleet and want to get as much life of each vehicle as possible.
With a regular fleet maintenance routine in place, you will be able to achieve this.
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