Taking care of your commercial fleet can be challenging because you have to concern yourself with not just one truck, but many. If you can do the following two things, this big job can be made more simple.
Keep Good Records
It's important for you to know what's going on with you trucks at any given time. Every crack and funny noise needs to be noted, and you need to track the mileage of every trip. It's smart to do periodic walk-arounds to get a feel for how each truck is doing. However, it's not enough for you to do inspections and keep good records if your drivers aren't doing the same. Have a formal meeting for all your drivers so they understand why it's so essential that they keep the proper mileage records and note whether anything unusual is happening when they operate a particular truck. When a truck needs to be repaired or is going in for routine service, these records will prove very helpful to the technicians working on it.
Be Proactive About Fleet Repairs and Body Work
Eventually you'll have to get some commercial fleet repair done or have some body work completed. Instead of hastily comparing prices and shops when something happens, it's smart to spend some time doing those things before there is an emergency situation. Searching for the best service in a leisurely manner allows you to ask more good questions about what each shop offers and gives you more time to mull over different considerations before you decide on the shops that you'll use for your commercial fleet.
Having the business of an entire fleet is an attractive opportunity for local mechanics and body work shops, so they are likely to do everything they can to show you that they're the best choice for the work you'll be giving them. Remember to check for references from other truck companies before signing any contracts or agreements.
Once you've got specific truck repair and body work shops in mind, you may want to work out an agreement that allows the companies to assess your trucks regularly to perform oil changes, chip repair and other routine tasks. It is important to have this regular service because not doing so could lead to serious problems that put your trucks out of commission.
A functional commercial truck fleet is vital to the success of your thriving business. Remember the advice laid out in this article so you can use it to maintain your entire fleet properly. If you want more information on fleet maintenance, check it out here.
