Tips For Preventing Common Trucking Breakdowns
Is your company reliant on a commercial vehicle fleet? Breakdowns are an inevitable aspect of operating a commercial trucking fleet, and they are a reality of day-to-day operations that every company will face at some time. Breakdowns in commercial trucks may be highly costly. There's not just the expense of fixing the vehicle and replacing damaged components, but the missed productivity and money that a vehicle out of commission creates for your company. Here are some valuable tips that you will need to keep in mind to stay away from trucking breakdowns.
Take preventive maintenance seriously
While some faults are inevitable, many may be prevented by following a rigorous preventative maintenance program. Although a preventive maintenance program has certain upfront expenditures, it may save your company money in the long run by lowering the frequency of failures and the severity of those that do occur.
Understanding your trucks is essential to running a PM program. Pay attention to the manufacturer's recommended preventative maintenance intervals for each vehicle and ensure your business vehicles get full service when needed. Preventive maintenance is especially crucial if your fleet is continuously on the move and under intensive use. To generate a reminder that each service date is coming, it's often ideal for planning PM servicing before it's necessary.
Avoid putting off vehicle maintenance
Many organizations postpone maintenance, pushing expenditures to the following month or quarter for financial reasons. While this may work in the short term, it increases the chance of your trucks developing reliability and performance difficulties in the long run.
The significant advantage of preventative maintenance is that it lowers the danger of failures and allows your staff to notice any problems. You could get better numbers in the short term if you put off maintenance, but "minor" issues can morph into considerable difficulties that go unreported until they result in a damaged or broken down truck at the worst possible moment.
Before every journey, double-check the "little things."
A lack of preventative maintenance causes not all failures. A modest, isolated problem, such as a slightly underinflated tire, may sometimes escalate fast, ending in a blowout at the most inconvenient moment.
Environmental conditions may often have a rapid and unexpected influence on your truck, changing tire pressure, coolant, etc. These "little" faults may have significant ramifications on the road, so it's critical to be aware of them when they occur.
The easiest method to remain on top of these minor issues is to check before every trip thoroughly. Staying on top of the "little" things that may go wrong, such as brakes, electronics, tire pressure, oil, and engine coolant, helps prevent significant problems much more straightforwardly.
Final words
Last but not least, it's critical to maintain your business fleet up to date. A well-maintained vehicle might suffer dependability concerns over time due to wear and tear on its components, chassis, and engine.
