Whatever business you own, whether you deliver goods, or provide onsite services, keeping your fleet running in its best condition is one of the most significant contributors to its success. And when one of your vehicles is out of commission, this prevents you from effectively providing services to your customers.
If you manage a fleet of commercial vehicles, you’d want to minimize the risk of unscheduled vehicle downtime. Read on to know the causes of lost work truck productivity and how regular fleet vehicle maintenance can help you avoid it.
The Cost Of Vehicle Downtime
When your fleet vehicles become unavailable because of a sudden breakdown, your entire business pays the price in more ways than one.
- You can’t deliver products or provide service to a customer on time
- You may have to replace the vehicle that broke down
- Having one less truck in your fleet will add more demand on your other fleet assets that are still in service, increasing wear and tear
- You may have to pay drivers for unplanned time off
- You may find yourself at the other end of a lawsuit if one of your improperly maintained vehicles results in an accident, causing a major injury or fatality
Moreover, research indicates that the cost of downtime can exceed up to eight times the allocated budget each year, and that’s not counting vehicle repair costs that will get your trucks back on the road. And because these costs are often higher than expected, they are much more challenging to manage.
Unscheduled vehicle downtimes always come at a price, and the challenge lies in managing them effectively. In solving this problem, a great place to start is by having a proactive approach to fleet vehicle maintenance.
The Solution
Preventive maintenance by reliable fleet maintenance companies can help you identify vehicle issues so that you can reduce the likelihood of downtime before major problems can even occur. Routine maintenance keeps your vehicles’ systems in optimal condition and helps you avoid potential breakdowns, through regular oil changes, tire rotation and inspection, and other routine safety checks. This can also include a plan to replace components when they reach the end of their life cycles, which is much better than waiting for a failure that can leave your drivers stranded by the side of the road.
In the end, effective planning and partnering with a quality fleet maintenance company can make a big difference to your bottom line.
Conclusion
It’s not always obvious when one of the vehicles in your fleet is already due for maintenance. Having a larger fleet makes that even more difficult, which is why utilizing the services of a credible fleet maintenance company can go a long way.
Bring your trucks to Truck N Trailer for your regular fleet vehicle maintenance. As one of the top fleet maintenance companies in Oklahoma, we are qualified to perform the required maintenance on your fleet vehicles so you can stay in compliance with your fleet maintenance agreement.
We’ll gladly assist you with your fleet vehicles, whatever make and model – Freightliner, International, Hino, Mitsubishi Fuso, Ford, GMC, and Chevrolet, to name a few.
