Benefits of Proactive Maintenance

Your vehicles are the core of your fleet. Your employees use them day in and out to travel to new jobsites, meet with customers, and make supply runs. Without your fleet vehicles, your operations would quickly come to a halt, so vehicle maintenance is an important part of your fleet management.

Whether you have hundreds of vehicles or just one, you know how easy it is to let regular maintenance get lost in the daily grind. Oil changes, tire rotations, and brake checks are important, but are often delayed far past a what’s safe.

As a fleet manager or owner, effective budgeting and driver safety are your top priorities. If you want to save money and protect your drivers, read through these benefits of proactive maintenance.

1. Save Money

Though more frequent maintenance may cost more upfront, it can help you save thousands of dollars in repairs and replacements. The average oil change, for instance, can cost anywhere from $25 to $80, depending on the oil you use. The average American drives 13,000 per year. If you were to change your oil every 4,000 miles, you would pay, at most, $240 annually. If you neglected to get regular oil changes, however, you can face complete engine failure. And, when you’re paying $2,000-4,000 for an engine replacement, you’ll likely never neglect an oil replacement again. By proactively keeping up with your vehicles’ maintenance, you can catch small issues before they become dangerous, expensive damages. Plus, the better maintained your vehicles are, the longer they will last. As your fleet ages slowly, you’ll be able to save the money you would have spent on new vehicles, upgrades, and repairs.

2. Save Time

Fleet management comes with a heavy responsibility load. All of your vehicles have different maintenance schedules, so keeping track of what needs to be done, and when, can quickly overwhelm even the most diligent manager. To save time and most effectively manage regular care, many telematics devices offer maintenance reminders and alerts. With these features, you will know exactly when your vehicles need to go to the shop. You’ll no longer need to need track maintenance schedules, leaving your time and energy for more important tasks.

3. Improve Safety

Tires with worn tread require more distance to stop when braking than well-maintained tires. Broken and dim lights significantly reduce visibility when driving at night. Each part of a vehicle’s maintenance is designed to improve performance and maintain safety, so vehicles with regular care are safer than those without. Every time your drivers climb into one of your vehicles, their safety becomes your responsibility. Do your best to protect them from accidents and injury by keeping your vehicles in their best shape.

How do you manage your fleet vehicles’ maintenance?