It’s said that by failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail. This holds true across all industries, but especially for the heavy trucking industry. Along with preparing your fleet for emergencies or industry changes, it’s important that you are prepared to deal with maintenance issues, even before they happen. Read on to learn more about how you can plan ahead and save yourself many headaches down the road.

Make a maintenance schedule – and stick to it.

Does your fleet have a regular maintenance schedule? If not, that needs to be your first order of business. Even if you do have a maintenance schedule, it’s still a good idea to review it with your technicians and drivers to make sure it is updated with the latest requirements and trends.

Part of making a maintenance schedule and anticipating the needs of your fleet will involve knowing which parts are mostly like to need maintenance or to be replaced first. Things like brakes, trailer lights, tires, and other components that get a lot of heavy use will need to be closely inspected on a regular basis to ensure they are meeting safety standards.

It’s also important to ensure that each of your team members has a system and process through which to log inspections and report necessary updates. This process also needs to abide by a schedule for everyone to check in and acknowledge reports or issues in a timely manner. Working with your team to make a schedule that works for everyone is the key to success for creating your plan.

Get your parts from a company that stands by their product.

We have already discussed the best way to replace or update parts is to get them from a company you can trust. This means that you need to take the time to do your research and find a company you can trust. Look for reviews online, and check out their social media to see what their reputation is in their own community. You should also ask other fleet managers to see if they have any recommendations (or warnings) for any companies in the area.

One key factor to look for is a company that offers a guarantee for every part it sells. This means that if the part fails within the parameters the company sets, they will make it right. More importantly, this means the company has likely spent extra time and effort on making each of their products the highest quality, so the odds of one of their parts failing is low.

Listen to your team members.

One of the best ways to succeed at preventative maintenance is to get input from your team members. Your drivers are out on the road every day, and your techs are the ones who see the full range of issues your trucks experience, so listen to their ideas and concerns for ways to make your preventative maintenance plan the most effective.

This is also another opportunity to speak with experts in your field. For instance, talk to the company that supplies your truck parts, and ask them if they notice a trend with certain parts wearing out faster, or if they replace certain parts more often than others. This will give you a good idea of what problems you will need to keep an eye out for in your own fleet.

Prevention is key to success for your fleet. You want to be a dependable, reliable resource for your clients, so you need dependable, reliable trucks – and that means keeping them maintained on a regular schedule. Don’t wait until your fleet experiences issues. Take the initiative and make a plan for preventative maintenance today.

About Automann USA

For over 25 years, Automann has evolved into a leader in the heavy duty aftermarket. With strategic locations across the United States and Canada, Automann offers a wide variety of products, ranging from air brake and wheel components to steering products, and everything in between. The Automann brand on your part means you will benefit from the highest levels of quality, service, and value every day. Being “Automann Assured” means committing to a simple, streamlined ordering process, including superb catalogs, rapid turnaround time, and professional, knowledgeable customer service. Find out how your trucks can benefit from being Automann Assured today: www.automann.com.