Fleet Maintenance in Calgary
Fleet maintenance is one of the most essential things that fleet managers need to keep in mind. Keeping your vehicles in top shape and your drivers safe is crucial for a successful and profitable business.
Whether you have 10 trucks, or 100, your fleet must always be in the best shape possible. Thus, increasing fleet efficiency and performance will depend mainly on the diesel repair shop that you choose.
With that in mind, we’ve highlighted some tips on how to effectively manage and maintain a fleet of heavy trucks.
Choose Your Diesel Repair Shop in Calgary Carefully
Having a fleet is a huge investment, and they need to be appropriately maintained. Therefore, choosing a heavy-truck maintenance shop is our first tip. A world-class fleet should have a provider that knows the ins and outs of a diesel truck.
Not all shops are the same. Expediting repairs, minimizing downtime, and providing proper check-ups are vital components that you need to consider. If you are looking for a shop that uses the best-quality parts, fluids, and highly-trained technicians, the AMWI shop should be your go-to.
Accurate Mechanical & Welding diesel repair shop in Calgary can provide service and repair to all kinds of heavy trucks, trailers, and equipment sizes.
Practice Preventative Maintenance
Preventive maintenance is essential; this can include things like tire rotations, checking tire pressure and brakes, fluid changes, lights, wheel torque, and other general safety inspections. By practicing this, you can keep the fleet maintenance costs low.
These kinds of quick inspections and maintenance needs don’t take long. Moreover, it can save you a lot of money in the long run and prevent you from coming back to the shop later with more significant mechanical problems.
Some components in the truck are with a limited lifespan. Preventative maintenance can minimize potential complications and reduce unnecessary downtime considerably. With this proactive approach, you can stop problems before they happen.
Over 50% of mechanical issues can be avoided by doing preventive maintenance. A well-maintained truck will burn less fuel, will break down less often, and overall, will help you lower your operating cost.
Monitoring the Day-to-day Activities
Proper monitoring of the fleet’s day-to-day activities will allow you to optimize your fleet’s overall performance. Work cycle, maintenance frequency, fuel efficiency, and fleet routes have to be monitored on a day-to-day basis. This data will help fleet managers to prepare a smooth operation.
Monitoring your fleet can take many forms, but most often requires tracking your drivers and their habits. The driving speed, the tailgating tendencies, or how many big breaks your drivers have, having a clear picture of what kind of shape your company is in, is of great use.
Set Goals for Your Drivers
Having a fleet of vehicles also means you are managing a lot of people. First things first, make sure your drivers know the company’s policies and their responsibilities.
Teaching your drivers how to maintain their vehicles properly is also a great idea. Tasks like checking the tire pressure or the oil levels are always useful on the road. Explain why regular and preventive maintenance is essential or what to do if an accident can effectively save you vehicle downtime or expensive repairs.
Similarly, a fleet manager can offer some incentives to the drivers. For example, whoever has the highest fuel efficiency, the best driving performance, or the cleanest vehicle in the fleet, will get some reward.
Setting goals for your drivers or providing special training to handle a particular vehicle can be very productive long-term. Communication is critical. After all, the drivers are the most crucial part of your fleet.
Conclusion
Additionally, if you want to improve the efficiency of your fleet, consider upgrading. Old vehicles are less economical and more prone to breakdowns. Newer cars are more reliable and fuel-efficient.
To summarize things up, the best strategy for fleet maintenance is to build a relationship with a great diesel mechanic and repair shop that knows your vehicles, service requirements, and expectations. Make sure you find a shop that can manage and repair larger fleets. Keeping costs low through preventative maintenance is the first step in the right direction.