3 Easy Ways to Improve Your Fleet Vehicle Maintenance

A 2019 survey found that 68% percent of vehicles have at least one problem that requires professional repairs. Of the 2,000 respondents, nearly a quarter said they don’t believe their vehicles could reliably run without issues.

Using vehicles with these risks isn’t an option for fleet managers. Unexpected breakdowns mean lost revenue, scheduling issues, and endless headaches as you address and make up for the problem.

If you want a fleet you can depend on, you have to prioritize vehicle maintenance. Keeping your fleet in top shape will make sure you can also perform at your best.

3 Easy Ways to Improve Your Fleet Vehicle Maintenance

1. Focus on preventative maintenance over reactive repairs

Oil changes, tire rotations, and maintenance checks are meant to catch problems before they become major issues. If you only send the vehicle to the shop when you think something’s wrong, small problems can easily become expensive repairs.

Preventative maintenance uses regular check-ins to keep your vehicles in peak condition. It also means following recommendations for replacing parts. The more you can do to prevent breakdowns, the better your fleet will run.

2. Set and follow a maintenance schedule

When you have numerous vehicles in your fleet, it’s hard to keep up with all of their maintenance needs. Leaving these tasks to your drivers, however, isn’t a reliable solution. 

Instead, create an annual maintenance schedule that includes all of your fleet vehicles. Set appointments for oil changes, tire replacements, and more throughout the year. Getting these events on the calendar increases the likelihood of sticking to them. You can also use your telematics solution to set maintenance reminders for future events.

More importantly, you can use an official schedule to prepare for vehicle downtime. Rather than being left without a vehicle you need, you can make sure it won’t be missed during its service appointments.

3. Rely on engine diagnostics

Vehicles, like all machines, sometimes break. Getting an alert as soon as something goes wrong can keep a minor issue from becoming worse. Telematics solutions with engine diagnostics tracking will send a notification if they detect any problems. If the Check Engine light comes on or the battery starts losing its charge, you can take immediate action. You can also use diagnostics reports to spot potential problems and plan for repairs.

Get more tips for managing your fleet and keeping drivers safe on our blog.