If you own a car, truck or SUV, you may have a go-to auto shop that takes care of all your basic maintenance needs and repairs. Keeping track of car maintenance is not too difficult when you own one or two daily driver vehicles, but what about a fleet of company vehicles? A fleet may consist of a number of vehicles, ranging from sedans to commercial vans to semi trucks, all of which require regular maintenance to keep them running well.
Understanding fleet maintenance
So, what is fleet maintenance in Flagstaff, AZ? It’s the process of keeping a company’s vehicles in good shape to ensure they are safe to use for business purposes. Your organization signs up for a fleet maintenance plan or program with a reputable service provider that focuses hard on preventative maintenance. The goal of this type of service is to prevent problems from occurring while the vehicles are in use.
There are many benefits associated with having a fleet maintenance program in place. One benefit is lower repair costs. If you look at how much it costs to have regularly scheduled fleet maintenance performed on the engines, the numbers may look high, but it’s not expensive compared to having to replace an entire engine or vehicle. Performing preventative maintenance on your fleet can also reduce operational costs. Vehicles that run great use less fuel, hold their value and can withstand many years of use. In addition to these benefits, fleet maintenance helps your vehicles pass regulated safety inspections and testing.
Fleet maintenance professionals
There are three main types of fleet maintenance professionals. These experts work together to ensure safety and efficiency:
- Fleet manager: This person is in charge of creating individualized maintenance plans and service scheduling for each company’s fleet. Every service need is written out by the fleet manager, including oil and other fluid changes, tune-ups, tire rotations, battery testing and more.
- Drivers: The drivers of the vehicles are responsible for reporting daily diagnoses based on dashboard warning lights, inspections, recent service and general intuition. Any problems or suspicions are reported to the manager.
- Mechanic: Some companies want to invest in a personal fleet mechanic—this person is responsible for the regular maintenance of the entire fleet.
Operations that use fleet maintenance
Companies that own and use company-owned vehicles on a regular basis are a part of fleet maintenance programs. Here are a few types of organizations that use them:
- Car rental services: Car rental companies cater to a wide range of customers with different driving styles and needs. For these reasons and to ensure driver safety, maintenance is done on each individual car in the rental fleet.
- Trucking companies: All types of commercial trucks receive regular maintenance, which is performed on-site or wherever the truck is located.
- Government vehicles: Many people who work for the government rely on general-use vehicles during work hours. Make sure your fleet is in tip-top shape!
- Farming industry: Did you know that all large engine-powered farm equipment—tractors, cranes, plows and more—can be maintained by fleet maintenance workers?
Call Maclin Truck & Trailer for more information about signing up for fleet maintenance in Flagstaff, AZ!