Trucking Maintenance Strategies to Avoid Serious Costs for Repairs

As a truck or fleet owner, you undoubtedly know the importance of regular trucking maintenance in Wytheville, VA. Preventative maintenance can go a long way toward saving you money on major repairs, yet plenty of fleet owners fail to plan for it. Setting aside regular time and money to complete preventative maintenance is a smart way to ensure that your fleet stays in top shape all year long.

What happens when you skip preventative maintenance?

There are probably a million things on your to-do list, but it’s still important to make sure preventative maintenance happens. If you skip your regular schedule, it’ll lead to increased costs. For example, preventative maintenance allows you to catch small problems before they develop into major, expensive ordeals. And since your truck never seems to break down at a convenient time, you could find yourself with delivery delays, angry customers and frustrated drivers.

Skipping preventative maintenance also means you’re at the mercy of unfamiliar mechanics when you’re on the road. Jack the Mechanic from Middle of Nowhere, Oklahoma might have five stellar Yelp reviews, but that’s no guarantee he’ll be able to repair your truck adequately or in a timely manner.

Finally, preventative maintenance helps reduce your company’s liability if something goes wrong on the road. If your drivers are in an accident due to a lack of maintenance, the other driver(s) could hold your company responsible. After all, it’s your duty to keep your fleet in good shape.

How to stay on top of preventative maintenance

Here are some tips to help ensure you’re keeping up with the fleet maintenance your trucks need:

• Get out your owner’s manuals and maintenance logs: To get started, pull out your manuals and maintenance logs for each truck in your fleet. When was the last time they underwent maintenance, and when does the manufacturer recommend regular maintenance? Keep a running log of these items.
• Create a regular schedule: After you’ve determined when your trucks need to be serviced, create a regular schedule for your entire fleet. For example, determine what needs to be done weekly, monthly, annually and so on.
• Set calendar reminders: When you’ve created a schedule, you should set calendar reminders well in advance. This will help you stay on top of scheduling truck maintenance appointments, especially if your favorite repair shop in Wytheville, VA doesn’t remind you on their own.
• Create a dedicated preventative maintenance budget: Figure out how much you can set aside for a preventative maintenance budget—and then make sure you use those funds. Always having money set aside for maintenance ensures you won’t be surprised by unaffordable major repairs.
• Find a local maintenance shop: Finally, find a local repair shop that can help you take care of all your fleet’s preventative maintenance needs. Developing a relationship with local shops will benefit you—your repair techs will get to know your individual vehicles and help you keep track of needed repairs.

When you need semi-truck repairs and preventative maintenance in Wytheville, VA, call the mechanics at Complete Truck Service, Inc. for help.

Categorised in: Fleet Maintenance

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