When managing multiple assets, keeping up with maintenance can be a challenge. Having a fleet preventive maintenance schedule in place ensures you identify issues quickly and stay current on routine service tasks.
The Benefits of a Fleet Preventive Maintenance Schedule
Excessive vehicle downtime is usually a sign of inefficient fleet maintenance processes and can result in a negative impact on your bottom line. A fleet preventive maintenance (PM) schedule allows you to combat downtime by taking a proactive approach to fleet maintenance.
To develop a preventive maintenance schedule, fleet managers should pay close attention to manufacturer service recommendations for their assets. Most manufacturers base their recommendations on mileage, which is more effective than a calendar schedule, as it takes asset utilization into account.
While many fleet managers make an honest effort to uphold preventive maintenance schedules, staying up to date with service tasks can prove challenging when using paper and spreadsheets. A disorganized system can cause vehicles to miss routine maintenance, leading to downtime and unplanned expenses.
To create a sustainable fleet preventive maintenance strategy, many organizations are turning to fleet management software to manage PM schedules. Fleet technology enables managers to set schedules and service reminders to track and manage routine maintenance tasks.
Using Odometers Readings to Set Service Reminders
Fleet managers are constantly multitasking, and preventive maintenance schedules help remind them when assets need service. Because most manufacturers recommend service based on mileage, it’s critical to keep track of odometer readings.
Companies that still use paper processes have a difficult time tracking odometers efficiently. Because drivers can only provide odometer updates when they’re in the office, managers receive infrequent updates, causing delays and back-ups in the maintenance process.
Fleet management software eliminates the information gap between the road and office by allowing managers to receive regular, accurate odometer updates through telematics integrations or electronic Daily Vehicle Inspection Reports (eDVIR) in real-time.
Setting service reminders in software allows managers to stay up to date with preventive maintenance tasks. Emails or push notifications are sent to managers when service is due to ensure your assets get to the shop on time.
By using software to manage preventive maintenance, fleet managers can both leverage and streamline current fleet practices to manage service reminders.
Telematics Integrations
While many fleets use telematics devices to track their vehicles, telematics can offer an extensive amount of vehicle data to improve fleet management processes. Telematics tools pull odometer readings in real-time, allowing fleets to stay aware of upcoming service.
Integrating your telematics system into Fleetio automatically imports and records odometer readings from the device. Real-time odometer updates trigger service reminders, allowing your team to promptly begin preventive maintenance.
eDVIR
An alternative to receiving odometer updates via telematics is receiving daily updates from drivers based on inspections. Since drivers record odometer readings in their Daily Vehicle Inspection Reports (DVIR), fleet managers can monitor mileage to manage preventive maintenance.
Though paper DVIR can’t provide real-time updates, electronic DVIR (eDVIR) allows drivers to perform inspections on a mobile app and send results to fleet managers in real-time. By receiving inspection results and odometer updates instantly, managers can adhere to their preventive maintenance schedules, as well as address any immediate issues.
Positively Impact Your Fleet’s Bottom Line
Maintenance is one of the largest ongoing costs for fleets, and managing maintenance costs is essential to maximizing return on investment. A strong preventive maintenance schedule minimizes unplanned maintenance and lengthens vehicle lifespan.
When developing your fleet’s PM schedule, it’s important to analyze maintenance costs by the asset. Ask yourself what larger repairs could have been avoided by performing proactive preventive maintenance beforehand.
Ongoing analysis of your fleet’s maintenance program ensures your fleet is constantly improving and operating smoothly. Consider calculating your fleet’s total cost of ownership (TCO) and generating fleet reports in Fleetio to measure performance and positively impact your bottom line.
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