Every fleet manager can benefit from installing a regular vehicle maintenance program. Staying consistent and fulfilling maintenance recommendations set by the manufacturer has many benefits, and it is hard to stay on track by running out and checking odometer readings. Maintenance should be systematic, and that has many benefits.
Spot Problems Early
Many vehicle problems develop slowly and could be avoided if caught early and addressed. Poor alignment can lead to uneven tire wear and crease safety issues. A slow leak can ruin an engine, a transmission, or a refrigeration unit once the fluid reaches a critical level. Worn brakes can lead to wheels locking or failing to stop in an emergency. Rust can slowly erode the structural integrity of your undercarriage. Items like headlights and windshield wipers often feel like luxuries that do not need the same inspection and care of an engine, but having a wiper or headlight fail at the wrong time can cause a lot of headaches.
Improve Mileage
A lot of regular vehicle maintenance efforts can improve gas mileage. The most common example is tire inflation. Tires lose pressure over time and can cost you 3% of your mileage. For most fleet managers a 3% change in fuel costs is a big deal. The tires should be also rotated on a set schedule. Dirty air, fuel, and oil filters can also hold you back and those should be inspected and replaced regularly. Exhaust systems are also a challenge, as they have to be very complex to meet modern emissions standards, and problems with the sensors in that system can throw other vehicle systems out of whack.
Don’t Over Maintain
Many fleet owners make mistakes on the opposite end of the spectrum. Maybe they perform a tune up every spring, even though it is not actually needed based on vehicle usage. Or maybe they replace air and oil filters whenever the time seems right. This is often wasting money on unnecessary maintenance. A much better approach is to have a regular vehicle maintenance program in place that uses software tracking to schedule maintenance on a schedule that complies with the manufacturer’s recommendations.
A Complete Maintenance Management Solution
Zendu Maintenance is a complete maintenance management solution offered by ZenduIT. The program integrates with telematics in the the vehicles so it can track metrics like mileage, starts and stops, and hours running. That information is then linked to recommended maintenance schedules so that Zendu Maintenance can provide a regular vehicle maintenance schedule. Work orders can be quickly assigned to an appropriate technician either based on a schedule or in response to a report from a driver. Purchase orders can be readily assigned when parts or materials are needed, as well. Perhaps most importantly in today’s world, this can all be done wirelessly with mobile applications. Zendu Maintenance creates a wealth of data that allows fleet managers to easily review all their assets, their locations, and their upcoming maintenance needs.
