Having your vehicle serviced ensures that it will stay safe and trouble-free on the road for a much longer period of time than if you never had to service it. Keep your owner’s manual on hand to help you find out about all the maintenance that has to be performed and when it should be performed, and you will be prepared.
Maintaining your commercial vehicles on a regular and proactive basis not only helps you meet regulatory requirements, but can also maximize the life of your vehicles, reduce the likelihood of expensive emergency repairs, and enhance the availability of your overall fleet. Plus, truck brake parts maintenance software will assist you in avoiding breakdowns and other frequent obstacles in fleet management.
Continue reading for tips on how to make a maintenance plan, apply relevant maintenance checklists, as well as keep a record of your routine preventive maintenance program.
What is preventative maintenance?
Performing preventive maintenance should not be limited to the commercial trucking industry. In fact, the majority of machines need to undergo some routine maintenance in order to retain their peak performance. For most trucks, preventive maintenance may involve numerous simple tasks including cleanings, lubrication, fluid level checks, or even basic visual check-ups. When it comes to vehicles specifically, preventive maintenance usually entails the regular replacement of parts that are considered to wear out as time goes on, including windshield wipers, brake pads, tires, and air filters.
Checking and changing fluids
Checking engine oil, coolant, transmission, brake, power steering, and other fluids in the engine compartment usually requires just a few minutes to complete and may be a simple way to prevent more serious problems from occurring. When you see a fluid level drop somewhere between checks it indicates that you may have a fuel consumption or leakage issue, which you can resolve in advance of it developing into a bigger problem.
Maintenance software helps you manage fleet maintenance
Truck maintenance software enables you to easily manage the scheduling and following up of any maintenance and repair services for your trucks and equipment. It even provides you with reminders to place orders and invoices on time, thereby preventing any operating delays effectively. Getting the proper truck maintenance software maintains warranties along with other records for you as well.
Make sure you check your tires every month
Many things rest on your tires in the same way that the whole vehicle does. The ones that are responsible for keeping your car on the road are your tires. As such, they must be properly inflated in order to keep doing their job and reduce the likelihood of a blowout. Chances are you might already be aware of how to properly add inflation to your tires. However, one thing you probably don’t know is what the proper tire pressure is, and it’s highly significant. Refer to a placard attached to the driver’s door jamb or in your owner’s manual for the ideal tire pressure.
Along with fuel and equipment, one of the most expensive factors in the trucking industry is maintenance. Sticking to a routine is difficult by itself, without needing to deal with costly unforeseen emergencies as well. In the long run, you’ll probably do yourself a favor by setting up a routine maintenance schedule with a professional, trustworthy truck maintenance and repair company. In addition to reducing the expenses that are directly connected to truck repair, having regular maintenance checks will help you achieve extra savings by preventing safety regulations violations as well as unwanted delays in reaching the next upcoming deadline.