The truck industry is essential for keeping suppliers and manufacturers working, and manufacturers connected to consumers. Without trucks, there would be a severe lack of supply to enormous demand. Therefore, supply chain business leaders need to ensure their fleets are well maintained. Many of the maintenance jobs can be carried out in-house, but several tasks will call for expert attention. Throughout this article, we will tell you how to keep your fleet functional.
Regular Servicing
Your fleet will need to be examined by professionals, which is why they need regular servicing. Throughout this assessment, a qualified mechanic will examine brakes, cooling systems, belts, electrical parts, and much more. This is essential and can help prevent tragedy on the road. For example, if the spring applied brakes are left to wear, your truck can fail to stop in emergencies. A regular service will reduce the likelihood of serious breakdowns on the road.
Check Exterior for Damage
There are many components on the exterior of a truck, and they can fall off during service if left in a state of disrepair. Therefore, you should regularly examine truck exteriors for aging parts; replacing a part ahead of failure is much cheaper than scrambling to replace it last minute. Maintaining the truck should be a team effort, so train fleet drivers how to check the exterior of their vehicles.
Check the tires
Truck tires come under considerable stress and are essential for smooth operation, which means they need to be checked regularly. A tire examination will consist of checking air pressure, the tread, and looking for any signs of ripping. Having defective tires can cause accidents on the road and will cost more fuel. Tire maintenance isn’t an easy task, so if you’re missing it out, the chances are you’re ignoring other responsibilities.
Examine Lights
Lights are essential for keeping your fleet moving at night, which is when a lot of transportation takes place. You should make sure your drivers are checking their lights, and reducing their schedules until issues are fixed. However, you need to be aware that many drivers will finish the job with dim lights because they need paying for it. As well as checking the exterior lights, you need to ensure the dashboard lights up properly.
Monitor Oil Levels
The primary responsibility of oil is to lubricate components and reduce the amount of friction, which left unchecked can result in engine failure. Further, oil prevents erosion, removes contaminants, and transfers heat to safe places. Understanding the importance of oil will help motivate you to keep on top of it. Oil levels can easily be checked and replenished in-house, and is a simple task that can save costly repairs in the future.
Trucks need to be well maintained to prevent accidents and keep the supply chain flowing. Maintenance tasks need a team effort, which means sufficient training for drivers. Also, you will need a regular service to let a professional examine the technical components. Having a well-maintained fleet will reduce repair costs and improve productivity across your business.
