In your line of work, do you use trucks or trailers for various purposes? If you do, you already know that if a fleet is not operating consistently, it becomes unreliable and may cause your business to suffer. If any one of those trucks or trailers stops working without prior warning, major issues may arise. For this reason, effective truck and trailer maintenance is not only important, it is absolutely necessary.
On a consistent basis, your truck and trailer can meet your needs through the use of diagnostic services and proper upkeep. You want your customers to know that they can rely on you rather than turning to a competitor who is more dependable. Late or missed deliveries can spell the end for delivery services.
With all of that said, let’s take a look at the development of a fleet maintenance plan and some good trailer maintenance practices that can be helpful for your business.
Schedule Regular Truck and Trailer Maintenance Services
To promote optimal truck fleet condition, the “checkpoints” below are a good start. Your team of truck drivers and general maintenance personnel may not be qualified or equipped with the right tools to check each and every truck system that needs attention. Hence, qualified truck maintenance services will come in handy when the need arises. Brakes, hoses, belts, electrical components, cooling systems, and more are part of the systems and parts that need to be checked and assessed on a regular basis.
Regularly Replacing Certain Components
Once you have a reliable truck and trailer service center that is capable of performing repairs, replacements, checks, and so on, have the service team assist you in putting together maintenance plans for your fleet of vehicles. To keep your fleet in tip top condition, the service team will be aware of the steps that need to be taken. For example, ask them for a list of parts that frequently wear out as compared to others. Their answer can help you closely monitor them and enable you to prepare replacement parts early.
Check Lighting Systems
At night or when the day gets dark due to changing weather conditions, transport vehicles depend largely on their headlights. Not only will a driver not be able to see up front without headlights, other road users will barely see them too. The moment their headlights go out or lose power, the lighting system needs to be assessed. The risks of an accident increase if headlights are not operating as they need to.
Check for Signs of Damage on Truck Exterior
As important as checking the oil and tires are, signs of damage on the exterior of your trucks need to be closely monitored too. Do not wait until metal pieces start falling off of your truck to start replacing the damaged parts. Having metal pieces fall while you are driving is a hazard to other drivers. Additionally, a dilapidated-looking truck makes your business look just as unprofessional.
Regularly Checking Oil Levels and Tires
Without oil, your truck is not even able to operate. Truck and car engines make use of oil for lubrication which makes it an essential for every engine part to function properly. Engines are far more likely to overheat without clean oil as it helps to remove contaminants, prevent corrosion and in-heat transfer.
To keep your vehicle fully functioning, tires must be kept in good condition. Worn or underinflated tires are a safety hazard which also causes an adverse impact onto the truck’s mileage. Check for wear and tear, proper poundage, and more. Uneven wear on tires may cause problems with alignment and others.
Mickey Can Help with Trailer Maintenance
Not only do we deal in the sale of delivery and transport vehicles, we can help maintain your fleet even if it consists of just a single vehicle. We sell used transport equipment that is dependable and has been assessed by our team of experts. Whether you need to buy a new vehicle or have an existing one that needs servicing, look no further than Mickey.
If you have already gotten someone that does your maintenance, but you need parts, come to us. If we receive your order by 2 PM Eastern Standard Time for items that are in stock, we will ship it out on the very same day. Parts that are out of stock will be expedited. Contact one of our knowledgeable representatives today if you would like to purchase from Mickey Genuine Parts, or for any inquiries at all.