Does your business depend on the reliability of your company vehicles? If so, you understand how important it is to keep your fleet in good working order. Regular maintenance is a must. Keeping your fleet running smoothly before problems arise is not only going to ensure your fleet stays on the road, but it will also reduce expensive repairs and costly downtime later on.
Planning, diagnostics, and service ensure reliability and efficiency. If you can anticipate what maintenance is needed, and what time frame, you can plan on scheduling time for each vehicle in your fleet to stay in tip-top shape. Most times last-minute repairs cost much more than regular maintenance of a vehicle.
Having a plan helps you make informed decisions about the care of your fleet. Your staff will be able to schedule around vehicles that need to be in the shop easier if it is planned. People get upset if workers don’t show up for service calls because it wastes your customer’s valuable time if you need to reschedule.
Some things to consider when planning your maintenance are:
- History of the vehicle ownership and care
- Maintenance history
- Accident history
- Mileage
- Type of use
- Current condition of the vehicle
- Type of vehicle
Other considerations are safety, penalties & fines, accidents, and the lifespan of your vehicles. If your vehicles are not well maintained you run the risk of unsafe vehicles. Keeping track of tire rotations, brakes, windshield wipers, and oil changes are basics that are easy to monitor but easy to overlook. Lack of maintenance opens you up for penalties and fines if checked by authorities. In the event of an accident, if you are able to prove regular maintenance you reduce chances of liability from a poorly maintained vehicle.
Steps to ensure your fleet is well maintained:
- Establish a checklist for your drivers to routinely check for problems
- Have official documentation for problems noticed by your drivers
- Contract a reputable company to service your fleet
- Establish a record-keeping system
- Have a baseline for newly purchased vehicles
- Determine appropriate intervals for your maintenance checks
- Consider purchasing software to help track your fleet’s maintenance
In addition to mechanical maintenance, you’ll want to keep your fleet looking clean and well taken care of. Appearances can boost your company’s reputation, especially if your logo is visible on your fleet. Keep your vehicles washed and clean on the inside. Watch for any fluids that might drip on your customer’s property when doing a service call.
Coach your drivers to notice noises and irregularities in their company vehicles. Encourage them to drive efficiency and to pay attention to what their ride is telling them. Instill a no-fault policy to lessen drivers not reporting problems.
Your trusted team at Stroebel Automotive is experienced in managing fleet maintenance. Contact us to learn more about our fleet maintenance program and see if it is right for you!
Further reading:
https://www.wilmarinc.com/blog/what-is-fleet-maintenance-management
https://blog.fleetcomplete.com/8-maintenance-tips-to-keep-your-fleet-running-smoothly