The Importance of Fleet Maintenance

Your fleet's vehicles stand as some of the most significant investments you have. Ensuring their proper upkeep is vital for effective business management. Neglecting fleet maintenance increases the chances of endangering your employees and incurring expenses for sudden fixes and unforeseen periods of inactivity. Hence, the well-being of your vehicles serves as a reliable gauge for your overall business health.

Image of a driver carrying out fleet maintenance vehicle checks.

How can fleet maintenance extend a vehicle’s lifespan?

Fleet maintenance plays a crucial role in extending a vehicle's lifespan through a combination of preventive measures like daily vehicle checks. Here's how you can avoid timely delays and unexpected expenses:

Daily walkaround checks: By law, you must ensure your vehicles are well maintained and safe to drive, a basic walkaround check includes:

  • Condition of the vehicle bodywork, windscreen, windows, and lights.
  • Condition of the tyres, pressure, and wear.
  • Brake and clutch fluid levels.
  • Function of the seatbelts.
  • Usability of horn.

Scheduled servicing: Following manufacturer-recommended maintenance schedules ensures that essential components such as:

  • Fluids,
  • Filters,
  • Belts,
  • And hoses are replaced or replenished at the right intervals. 

Record keeping: Keeping detailed maintenance records helps track the vehicle's history, making it easier to anticipate potential issues and schedule maintenance.

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Image of driver carrying out fleet maintenance checks

How can fleet maintenance reduce costs?

Routine maintenance can detect problems before they cause a vehicle to be out of action whilst saving your business money.

  • Preventive maintenance: By carrying out routine inspections and adhering to maintenance schedules, minor issues can be identified and addressed before they escalate into major, costly problems. This proactive approach helps prevent the need for expensive repairs later.
  • Early issue detection: Regular maintenance allows mechanics to spot potential problems early, enabling them to make timely repairs before they worsen. Addressing issues in their early stages is usually less expensive than waiting for them to cause more significant damage.
  • Reduced downtime: Scheduled maintenance means vehicles spend less time in the shop for emergency repairs. This keeps your fleet operational and minimises the loss of revenue due to vehicle downtime.
  • Driver safety: Well-maintained vehicles are safer to operate, as they are less likely to experience sudden mechanical failures. This reduces the risk of accidents and associated repair costs.
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What role do drivers play in fleet maintenance?

Given that drivers are the main individuals interacting with your vehicles, they hold a big responsibility in fleet maintenance. Creating a vehicle checklist template which each driver works from in the morning to carry out their check, ensures that drivers can simply open the daily vehicle check app and fill out the appropriate information and stay compliant in road safety.

Whilst it may seem like your drivers have a lot to check every day, it should be able to be completed quite quickly. Additionally, you can catch issues early on, saving you money in maintenance, making the small maintenance improvements over time will cost less than having to deal with large issues all at once.

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