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To operate a successful trucking business, your fleet drivers must perform specific tasks each day. Whether delivering items to clients or hauling freight hundreds of miles away, your drivers know what to do to ensure they complete their jobs on time. One of the best ways to help your drivers improve safety and efficiency is by creating a pre-inspection checklist.
Establishing a vehicle maintenance program is essential for your commercial trucking business and can help prevent delays or interruptions in daily operations. When creating your checklists, you may wish to consider the following three fundamentals:
A preventative commercial truck maintenance plan helps your business get the most value and service out of your vehicles by anticipating and fixing issues. Ideally, a preventative maintenance plan should include manufacturer recommendations for repair timelines. Some typical items to feature on a maintenance checklist for trucks include:
Your demand maintenance plan can include fixing certain parts only when they break down or after an inspection. A typical demand maintenance plan consists of the following:
While you may wish to avoid crisis maintenance as much as possible, it is vital to have a plan in place if a truck breaks down due to sudden equipment failure. Your crisis checklist should include factors like:
Regularly examining your fleet can prevent breakdowns and ensure that your vehicle operates securely. Your maintenance checklist form should identify all aspects of the car and include items such as:
Start your inspection with these mechanical components:
Check all fluids, including the following:
A brake inspection includes:
Be sure you check all your lights, including:
Inspect all parts of your wheels and rims:
You’ll also want to inspect the vehicle’s interior, including:
Lastly, check windows and mirrors:
To ensure your maintenance checklist is successful, you must conform to best practices. The following tips can help you make the most out of your maintenance checklist:
When determining the tasks you need to include in your fleet maintenance checklist, ensure you account for all components of your vehicle. For example, if your commercial fleet contains larger tractor-trailers, ensure your list includes elements from the tractors and trailers. Not examining a particular part may cause your vehicle to be under-maintained and at a greater risk of breaking down.
While you want to ensure you do not miss any parts of your commercial truck during the inspection, specific tasks may not be necessary and can be costly. For example, replacing tires is often more efficient than rotating them. A few ways to determine which duties are essential and which are unnecessary is to ask:
Determining who should perform each task is just as important as deciding which items to include on your maintenance checklist. Your drivers can handle many tasks themselves, while other jobs may require a professional. For example, drivers can complete a daily vehicle inspection report (DVIR), but more complex maintenance requires a technician. Regardless of who performs each task, having a designated checklist will aid in the process and ensure they do not miss any crucial aspects.
Each task has its own timeline for completion, which may help you organize your checklists by frequency. For example, daily checks will have a separate list from weekly commercial truck maintenance. Additionally, you can do some jobs together, such as checking the transmission fluid and the oil simultaneously, to save time during inspections.
While you may think of preventative maintenance as a recurring task you perform throughout the life span of your vehicle, it is also vital to inspect new and used trucks when they arrive in your lot. Creating a pre-service checklist can help you detect any issues with your vehicle before they’re on the road and log important vehicle information to speed up the process of ordering replacements later.
Regular maintenance ensures your business transports goods, services, and products as planned. Having a required maintenance checklist also ensures drivers and personnel can verify their commercial truck meets safety standards set by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
Some of the business benefits of a checklist for commercial truck maintenance include the following:
You will also experience safety benefits such as:
At Thomson Truck Source, we help your company stay productive with comprehensive vehicle maintenance. From essential care to a complete engine replacement, our expert technicians can diagnose problems faster to help you get your trucks back on the road. To learn more about our parts or service offerings, please contact our team at 205-583-0839 or complete our online contact form!