It stands to reason that when your truck is not on the road it is not generating any income or profits. A truck always needs to have a certain amount of downtime, for scheduled maintenance, for instance, but too much fleet downtime is going to hurt your bottom line.
Using a provider who delivers legendary semi truck service will definitely help keep fleet downtime to a minimum. This is just one of the ways to keep your truck on the road for as many days as possible each year.
Build planned downtime into your cash flow
It makes sense to accept the inevitability of having a certain amount of downtime and budget for this in your cash flow forecasts.
If you make allowances for vacation and maintenance time you can plan for these gaps and work out your cash flow based on planned downtime. Having this in your schedule and forecasts also makes it easier to keep up with required scheduled maintenance tasks.
Carry out inspections regularly
Small problems can become bigger problems when they go unchecked. That’s why it makes sense to be vigilant about truck inspections.
Check the vehicle and vital components regularly. This proactive approach ensures you avoid excessive downtime when you carry out minor rather than major repairs.
Think about a maintenance contract
If you have developed a good relationship with a good maintenance provider it can make sound financial sense to cement the relationship by negotiating a maintenance contract.
This approach allows you to budget and plan for downtime with greater ease and efficiency.
Take advantage of telematics
Technology makes it easier than ever before to gather vital intel on the condition and performance of your truck and the driver. This is achieved through the use of telematics.
As well as enhancing your fleet management system with more insightful data, you also get real-time alerts to potential issues. These can then be fixed before things get worse, which helps keep downtime to a minimum.
Find the right vehicle for your needs
It stands to reason that if you have a semi truck that aligns with your performance and load-carrying requirements it is more likely to cope with the demands you put on it.
Choosing the right size and type of vehicle can make a substantial difference to downtime by keeping repairs and maintenance tasks to a minimum.
Although the cost of a new truck might seem prohibitive compared to a used version that has higher mileage, the payback could be that you spend less on repairs and maintenance while also enjoying more time earning due to reduced downtime.
It is a fact of life that running a truck will inevitably involve a certain amount of downtime. However, you can minimize the impact of this downtime by adopting some of the suggestions provided.
Unplanned maintenance can be costly in so many ways. It doesn’t have to be that way. Think about how you can keep your truck on the road for as many days as possible and ensure that you follow a rigorous maintenance and inspection schedule to keep everything on track.
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The post Dealing With Fleet Downtime? Here Are 5 Survival Tips first appeared on Tales of a Ranting Ginger.