Tech Tips
Maintaining a Safe and Efficient Fleet of Trucks
Preventable repairs can cost your trucking business a lot of money. They can also cost you your reputation, if they are negatively effecting the safety of your drivers and employees. If you get ahead of problems before they arise, your wallet will thank you later. This will also help to prevent accidents, which means you won’t need to make as many insurance claims. This being said, many accidents are out of your control and are often the fault of other roads users, so it’s vital you look for comprehensive Truck Insurance for Small Businesses to ensure you’re fully covered at all times. But what can you do to stop accidents from happening in the first place?
Create a Schedule
A good jumping off point is to consult the manufacturer’s recommended maintenance schedule for your trucks. Try to rotate vehicles so they do not all require maintenance at the same time. Your schedule should also be adjusted to accommodate how your trucks are used. You should consider more frequent maintenance if your use your vehicles in the following circumstances:
- Towing or hauling
- Rough or dusty terrain
- Frequent starting and stopping
- Excessive idling
Train Your Workers
During the training process, include instruction on how to recognize irregular sounds, smells and warning lights. Go over vital systems, like the fuel air separation systems, with a tour of what they look like and how they should run. A simple and easy reporting procedure should be made available to your employees so that they feel comfortable reporting even the slightest issue with their vehicle. Drivers will be able to notice a decline in performance well before you will, so think of them as your first line of defense.
Integrate Technology
Software exists to help you keep track of mileage, maintenance schedules, maintenance records and totals costs for each vehicle. It can make it easy to spot which trucks are road-ready, and can even include GPS tracking. These commercial management systems can be tailored to fit your fleet and your company’s needs specifically, helping to further minimize cost and increase efficiency.
Simply staying on top of your maintenance schedule and cultivating an awareness of risk factors can go a long way to minimize cost and danger in your trucking fleet. Keeping your workers and vehicles happy will also keep your business happy!