Why You Need to Take Truck Maintenance Seriously (And Six Reasons Why You Should Work with a Professional to Maintain Your Fleet)
Driving a well-maintained truck assures safety not only for the driver but also for other road users. Take a look at this tragic story concerning heavy truck maintenance that may have you take the matter seriously from now on.
In February 2015, a terrible truck accident happened that resulted in four deaths. And one of the casualties was a four-year-old girl.
The reason?
The brakes failed when the driver tried to stop the truck.
A 20-year-old man was driving behind a colleague when the latter stopped his vehicle. The accident happened after the driver attempted to do the same – he had to swerve to avoid hitting his colleague as a result of his truck failing to brake.
Consequently, he hit two pedestrians crossing the street, the young girl and her grandma, and a car with four male passengers. Only two of those who were injured survived.
The saddest part is that the tragedy could have been avoided if the truck’s defective brakes had been discovered during routine truck maintenance. As it turned out, the trucking company skipped the recommended brake efficiency tests on that particular vehicle.
The court would later describe the vehicle as “an accident waiting to happen”, further noting that the company was without an operating transport manager at the time.
This is just one of many stories that serve as cautionary tales about the importance of undergoing regular truck and car repair and maintenance services. And both trucking companies and truck drivers would be wise to take heed.
This article will highlight six compelling reasons for ensuring regular truck maintenance.
The Six Reasons
Besides being a matter of life and death, there are plenty of other reasons for keeping your truck or trucks constantly well-maintained by professionals.
Reason #1 – Pros Can Catch Issues That You Might Not Spot
Even if you consider yourself a highly competent part-time mechanic, you might find that the professionals who do this day in and day out are on another level.
A professional mechanic would know exactly what to look for when inspecting your brakes, clutches, transmissions, engine, cylinder heads, and such.
If you manage a variety of trucks, it’s always better to hire a team of skilled mechanics for all your heavy vehicle maintenance needs. They can inspect each vehicle in more detail – it’s their expertise after all.
Reason #2 – They Have Specific Expertise in Maintenance
A professional mechanic will make sure that your vehicles are in perfect working condition. The technical expertise and long years of experience will also come with all the tools and systems needed to look for faults in your trucks.
When you take a vehicle to an auto repair shop, especially one that specialises in trucks, they will first determine your truck’s overall condition. Only then will they conduct the necessary safety checks and, if needed, give you a summary of all the parts that need replacing or repairing.
The whole process is relatively straightforward, yet essential for the safe operation of heavy trucks.
Reason #3 – Value for Money
Sending your trucks to the pros can save you a lot of money in the long term. Regular heavy vehicle maintenance checks will keep your vehicles in the best possible condition to service your company, drivers, and customers for longer.
You’ll also find regular maintenance costs to be much less than if something is to happen to your trucks. As the previous story showed us, you could be liable for far more than the value of your vehicle in the worst-case scenario.
Reason #4 – Your Drivers Feel Safer
The drivers of your fleet are the ones that keep your business going. And ensuring their road safety is the least that you can do in return.
As mentioned in the previous point, any accident that happens as the result of an ill-maintained company vehicle can be exceedingly costly, perhaps even threatening the survival of your company.
Since your drivers will be spending most of their working hours in the trucks, they’ll feel much safer knowing that everything is in order. This can only improve their job performance and satisfaction.
Reason #5 – Problems Get Detected Early
Like any other vehicle, truck issues take time to develop – you may not be aware of a mechanical problem until it’s too late. At that point, things usually get more expensive and may even affect other parts.
By contrast, investing in regular heavy truck maintenance lets you quickly address those problems that often go undetected for some time, such as leaking fuel lines, stuck brakes, and so on.
With this quick action, it can severely reduce the probability of your truck being involved in an accident, which is a boon for your business, your drivers, and the general public.
Reason #6 – Reduced Road Downtime
Regular truck maintenance helps minimise truck downtime. Not only that, your drivers should be far less likely to be left stranded as a result of a broken truck mid-journey.
Some mechanical issues may keep the trucks in the garage for much longer if they’re not discovered early. By investing in all the scheduled maintenance, you’ll ensure the smooth operation of your trucking business, keeping unnecessary interruptions to a minimum.
Drive Safe, Invest in Truck Maintenance
Regular check-ups on any vehicle, and especially heavy trucks, could potentially save lives, but the scope is in fact much broader.
An experienced mechanic can often find issues that may evade regular truck drivers. Also, you might actually save money by investing in regular truck check-ups, as compared to the potential costs of accidents and sharp rises in insurance premiums in the aftermath.
Ultimately, the truck drivers in your employ will feel safer and the early discovery of potential truck problems will help to minimise downtime, costs, and margins for error.
Nothing ensures road safety like a properly maintained truck. Whether you’re a truck driver or the manager or owner of a fleet of trucks, you wouldn’t want to miss the regular maintenance checks that will keep your vehicles in top shape.
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