Common Fleet Maintenance Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

A vehicle fleet is a crucial part of a business or an organization’s operations since it contributes significantly to its overall success. While transport companies keep expanding their fleet, they often need to pay more attention to common maintenance mistakes. The problem is that they are mostly unaware of the most common errors and thus cannot address the issues themselves. Proper maintenance of a fleet ensures vehicle reliability, safety, and cost-effectiveness.

Some common fleet management mistakes made by companies are listed below:

Confusing preventive maintenance with periodical maintenance

Fleet managers must understand that solely relying on periodical fleet maintenance is not enough. While scheduled maintenance programs are essential, fleet managers should incorporate predictive and reliability-centered maintenance strategies. This will help them maintain a competitive advantage, saving them money, time, and energy. This can be done by leveraging data-driven insights and closely monitoring vehicles during planned fleet maintenance programs. By adding advanced technological methods to their fleet management checklist, companies can ensure their fleets operate at peak efficiency.

Using low-quality fluids or parts

It is tempting to opt for cheaper alternatives for vehicle parts or fluids like engine oil, coolant, and brake fluid. However, in an attempt to save some cash in the short term, companies tend to compromise the efficiency and longevity of the vehicles in the long run. Using cheap parts that do not meet the original equipment manufacturer's (OEM) specifications can affect the fleet's safety and reliability, too. Thus, it is imperative to use original parts and superior-quality fluids. If the company opts for an aftermarket option, it should ensure that the parts meet or exceed the original specifications.

Fleet managers can count on Caltex India for premium quality lubricants for their fleet. Caltex Delo’s range of lubricants is specially formulated with ISOSYN Technology for heavy-duty vehicles. It offers fuel efficiency, performance, and dependability while extending the vehicle's lifespan.

Limited driver training

Drivers are the primary operators of fleet vehicles, and they spend the maximum time with them. Thus, drivers must be well-trained to operate vehicles smoothly and handle minor issues independently. They should also be able to identify problems and suggest preventive maintenance practices. Training and upskilling drivers regularly form a crucial component of fleet maintenance’s best practices.

Fleet managers should also take driver feedback regarding vehicle performance or issues seriously. They should encourage a system for drivers to report problems quickly and openly to ensure that the feedback is acted upon as soon as possible. A delay in resolution could affect vehicle health in the long run.

Cost-benefit analysis

Another significant point in the fleet vehicle maintenance checklist should be a periodic cost-benefit analysis. Companies should be able to determine whether it will be more economical to maintain a vehicle in the fleet or replace it with a new one. For aging vehicles, fleet managers should consider factors such as age, overall condition, and long-term repair and maintenance costs. An analysis of these factors will help them figure out if getting a new and more efficient vehicle would be a better decision than maintaining the exact old vehicle.