Preventative Maintenance Programs Benefit Fleet Managers
Fleet Managers Find Many Benefits In Preventative Maintenance Programs
Fleet managers are turning to preventative maintenance programs to help them get a handle on fleet maintenance, reduce breakdowns, and improve vehicle safety. These programs consist of various maintenance activities such as vehicle inspections, servicing, repairs, adjustment, replacement of worn parts, testing, and oil changes.
There are many reasons fleet managers are concerned about keeping up with the preventative maintenance schedule for their fleet. One major reason is that preventative maintenance maximizes the availability of all of the vehicles. If employees do not have access to the company’s vehicles when they need them, productivity is drastically reduced because they are unable to do their job. In addition, if a vehicle does not receive regular preventative servicing, the vehicle’s lifespan can be greatly reduced.
From a safety standpoint, adhering to a preventative maintenance program improves drivers’ safety and helps prevent litigation. If vehicles are unsafe due to repairs not getting done or lack of maintenance, the fleet manager and business can be held liable for negligence entrustment. Vehicular negligence occurs when an employee is provided with a dangerous vehicle while the manager either knowingly or should have reasonably known that using the vehicle could cause harm or unreasonable risk to others.
Preventative maintenance previously had to be manually scheduled, which was a tedious and time consuming task for fleet managers. Their schedules are already hectic with many important issues on their mind like lowering fuel costs, trying to stay in budget and managing drivers while they are on the roads. It is easy to understand how preventative maintenance schedules often got forgotten or pushed to the side. Although many fleet managers had good intentions with strictly sticking to their preventative maintenance schedules, vehicle maintenance was more of a reactive occurrence than a proactive occurrence.
With many advances in technology, especially in the fleet management industry, fleet management software provides an affordable, efficient option for fleets of all sizes. These systems allow fleet managers to set up vehicle maintenance schedules easily based on the maintenance activity, engine hours, miles driven or time frame. Reminders can be sent directly to the user’s computer or email when the vehicle is due for maintenance. Customized reports can be printed out to detail maintenance histories, work orders, fuel usage, and accident claims. Fleet managers are now better able to manage their fleet and maintain fleet vehicles on a more efficient, proactive basis.
