By Juhlian Pimping from SafetyCulture
Whether you run a trucking company, a taxi company, or a car rental, you should not neglect proper fleet maintenance.
Fleet maintenance is the practice of keeping your service vehicles in good condition to avoid vehicular breakdowns. It is a systematic approach to preventive vehicle maintenance that involves planning, scheduling, analysis, and execution.
Here are the top 3 reasons why fleet maintenance is important:
Keeps your drivers safe
Driver safety is an important aspect of any operation. Management must take all of the necessary steps to ensure that the risk of preventable road accidents are reduced. Some of the leading causes of crashes include worn tires and blowouts, faulty brakes, and steering/suspension issues, all of which can be remedied by proper fleet maintenance.
Depending on your operational needs, preventive maintenance can be time-based (once every year), or after reaching a set mileage per vehicle.
Reduces operational cost
Preventive maintenance costs are significantly lower compared to reactive repairs. Paying for the repercussions of poor fleet maintenance costs even more than the two combined. According to OSHA, “motor vehicle crashes cost employers $60 billion annually in medical care, legal expenses, property damage, and lost productivity.”
Perform vehicle inspections to identify maintenance and repair opportunities before they become a serious problem to avoid downtimes and improve your adherence to operational schedules.
Boosts productivity and manages business downtime
Business downtimes can cause a domino effect that leaves your operation reeling. Trying to make up for a missed delivery or appointment because your fleet truck broke down can delay the fulfillment of succeeding obligations down the line. When you fail to deliver a product or service to an expectant client as scheduled, your reputation and brand trust suffers.
Keeping your fleet in good working condition all-year round helps you avoid operational delays and maximize your productivity.
As a business owner, there are many business variables that you cannot steer in your favor. Proper fleet maintenance is not one of them. It reduces the likelihood of accidents caused by vehicular malfunction and keeps your drivers safe. It saves you money by addressing the “little problems” before they turn into big ones. Ultimately, your business becomes more efficient overall with proper fleet maintenance.
A vehicle maintenance log can help you record the condition and repair work performed on an individual vehicle. This can help you manage preventive maintenance schedules, prioritize specific vehicles, and triage issues that need immediate resolution.
This article was written by Juhlian Pimping of SafetyCulture, a software company that enables businesses to perform inspections using digital checklists.