Heavy-duty trucks undergo the severities of traveling through the harshest climatic conditions on the most challenging terrain. This situation requires that each truck in a fleet must be in optimum operating condition before every trip. The reactive method of ‘if it’s not broken, don’t fix it’ doesn’t apply to trucks as they are the backbone of every fleet. General maintenance determines the lifespan of a heavy-duty truck.
However, since your trucks and fleets operate daily, you must perform regular preventative maintenance. Preventive maintenance is regular truck maintenance that ensures proper functioning while on the road. By completing this maintenance on your trucks, you reduce the risk of downtime and keep making money, as your vehicle will be on the road.
It has a difference in cleaning systems as it involves various tasks like checking the fluid levels, tire quality, tire pressure, air filter, and proper electrical system connections. Checking these things is crucial as they lead to the following benefits.
1. Avoid On-Road Breakdown
Breakdowns on the road by heavy-duty trucks can be a very disastrous situation. Although this may seem like an obvious benefit, it will not only affect the ETA (Estimated Time of Arrival) for deliveries but can be tricky to rectify at the exact location. Truckers operate on a tight schedule, so an on-the-road breakdown can be a significant setback that is costly. Some situations might require towing, affecting the smooth traffic flow and creating dangerous conditions.
2. Enhance Truck And Driver Safety
The safety of your truck depends on regular preventative maintenance. Poor maintenance can lead to an accident that can put people in danger and cause injuries or even the deaths of other drivers. It could also damage the items being ferried on your truck. The outcome could be a string of lawsuits that require complex analysis, are expensive, and this might affect your company’s reputation.
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3. Guarantee Fuel Efficiency
Preventative maintenance can positively affect your fuel mileage. Regular maintenance of components such as greasing pivots and movable joints prevents them from wearing out and, in turn, saves you on fuel. Preventative maintenance also detects fuel-loss issues like dirty air filters, improperly adjusted breaks, inflated tires, clogged radiators, and fuel filters. Checking out all these parts will save you a lot of fuel.
4. Save The Cost Of Replacement
It is always best with heavy-duty trucks to prevent a breakdown than bearing the cost of a service or repair on the road. The repair and replacement costs for heavy-duty truck parts require a lot of money. Sometimes the parts that a truck needs may not be available at the location where the truck broke down. It is always best to be prepared before the breakdown happens, and preventative maintenance can help identify what might soon require replacement.
5. Lower Overall Maintenance Costs
Preventative maintenance lowers the cost of general maintenance when something breaks and needs to be repaired. It will cost you less to thoroughly check your truck before a trip than to fix a major issue on the road. Thoroughly checking your vehicle will cost you a little extra money and some extra time, but in the long run, you will save a lot of money.
6. You Will Save Time
Taking a little time for preventative maintenance will save you valuable time and frustration later on. Securing your trailer, straps, winches, and other equipment could mean the difference between one hour and a few extra days. It is essential to ensure that everything is in good working order before you leave for your trip for the safety of the truck, your safety, and the load you are hauling.
7. Lengthen Asset Lifespan
One of the most crucial benefits of preventative maintenance is lengthening the lifespan of your valuable assets. Keeping your trucks in good condition allows them to run longer, lowering costs. The mean time between failures is the standard KPI (key performance indicator) fleet managers use to make informed decisions on maintenance. Tracking this will enable one to plan preventative maintenance like filter changes and greasing before a breakdown occurs.
8. Increase Efficiency
Giving your trucks routine preventative maintenance will last longer and run more efficiently. Ensuring that your trucks are always running efficiently saves you money and increases revenue, but it also creates a strong brand image and boosts customer satisfaction. In fleet management, preventative maintenance avoids breakdowns and maintains the quality of services, strengthening the brand image.
Conclusion
As discussed in the article, practising preventative measures will help you prevent more significant issues. Keeping your trucks and all the equipment in perfect shape will also enable you to save a lot of time and money. By using your best judgment, save yourself from frustration and headache while ensuring your safety and that of the loads you are shipping.
