As the owner of a transportation company, keeping your fleet up and running is one of your main concerns, especially since minimizing downtime is key to maintaining high profit margins. To keep the wheels of your trucks rolling, proper and ongoing fleet maintenance is key, and as you develop a plan, you should consider these five things:
1. When it comes to fleet maintenance, or any type of maintenance for that matter, the cost of maintenance will always be less than repairs later on down the road. Considering the investment you made in your trucks, regular maintenance is one of the best ways to protect your interests.
2. Getting the oil changed in your trucks is a critical aspect of fleet maintenance, and these appointments are also an ideal time to rotate the tires, check the fluid levels, and inspect other aspects of your vehicles.
3. Your drivers are your first line of defense against costly repairs. Train them to know what to look for and implement a system that allows them to easily report issues, so you can get them taken care of right away.
4. Keep an eye on your fleet’s warranties. Do the math on the cost of ownership and determine if you want to squeeze as much life as possible out of each truck or sell your vehicles that have expired warranties.
5. Whenever you purchase new trucks for your fleet, make sure you purchase ones that meet the specifications of your operations. Otherwise, regular fleet maintenance could turn into regular repairs needed to keep your fleet operational.