How Fleet Managers Can Improve Fleet Maintenance

Fleet maintenance is one of the largest expenses in the transport industry, and it’s easy to see why: if your vehicles aren’t running, they aren’t making a profit. You can’t complete haulage jobson time and reliably without a well maintained fleet.

It’s also crucial to stay on top of maintenance. The upfront costs of regular servicing are nothing compared to the hit you’ll take if you wait until repairs are desperately needed. Read on for some tips on how to make sure your fleet is always ready to run smoothly.

Scheduling

There’s a serious risk of managers becoming reactive when it comes to maintenance – of servicing vehicles only after problems become apparent. Instead, you should always seek to be proactive. The best way to do this is to set and stick to a schedule.

Planning maintenance well in advance also allows you to schedule haulage jobsaround it, which can ensure you’re not struggling to fill clients’ needs with vehicles unexpectedly out of operation.

Logging Data

Running and maintaining a fleet requires a lot of information, and the best managers are very careful about storing it. You can log maintenance data manually, of course, whether on paper or by computer. But in practice this can create a huge range of different tasks, including the following:

• Creating calendars
• Logging invoices
• Setting reminders

On top of this, you need to make sure that everyone who needs to can access the relevant information. This is time- and labour-intensive, and risks confusion.

Luckily, there is a better way. Integrated digital systems automatically store and update information, while some can even set reminders based on data gathered while vehicles are out on the road.

Keeping Track

Of course, even the smartest tools aren’t effective unless they’re used right. Managers should make sure datasets are constantly updated with relevant information. Track every inspection and encourage drivers to keep an eye out for changes after servicing. Seeing how well recently maintained vehicles perform while out on haulage jobsis a great way to identify unfinished repairs and unsolved problems.

Setting Standards

Without clear criteria to check progress against, it’s easy to lose track of your business’s end goals. Some of the best things to measure include speed and cost of repairs, quality and condition of parts, and improvements in other metrics once out on the road.

As your company is the one responsible for actually completing haulage jobs, you’re best placed to know which areas need the most maintenance and how often. Keeping track of on-the-road information, inspections and more will allow you to adjust your overall schedule and find the balance that works best for you.

Overall, managing maintenance is a lot like managing any other area of your business. Get as much information as possible and keep track of it, ensuring datasets are accessible and searchable. Encourage drivers to keep track of developments before and during haulage jobs, and keep an eye on any innovations that might give you an edge over the competition.

Author Plate

Norman Dulwich is a Correspondent for Haulage Exchange, the leading online trade network for the road transport industry. Connecting logistics professionals across the UK and Europe through their website, Haulage Exchange provides services for matching haulage jobs with available drivers. Over 5,400 member companies are networked together through the Exchange to fill empty capacity, get new clients and form long-lasting business relationships.