Preventative maintenance refers to the regular and routine maintenance required to keep a fleet of vehicles or equipment in peak working condition. It’s a necessary strategy to prevent unplanned downtime and the costs associated with unanticipated asset failure.
It requires careful planning and scheduling to ensure you identify problems early and keep accurate up-to-date records of all assets, including historical records of check-ups and services. When you’re busy with the day-to-day, preventative maintenance is an effective way to better manage your fleet no matter the size, complexity or the number of locations your business covers.
Telematics helps you collect data on all your assets at any given point to help you better manage preventative maintenance and keep your business running smoothly.
How is preventative maintenance helpful for your business?
Malfunctions and breakdowns are bound to happen from time to time. With preventative maintenance you can cut down on unexpected issues and increase the lifecycle of your assets. It means you’ll know how everything is faring and can plan effectively for future work and projects. When maintenance is planned ahead and scheduled regularly, per the manufacturer’s instructions, everything stays up-to-code and workflow is unaffected. Assets then keep for longer and you can better utilise them. Breakdowns become less frequent and you don’t need to upgrade your fleet as often. Further to this, preventative maintenance helps you maintain a back log of historical data and maintenance schedules to ensure compliance and safety throughout the business.
How can technology help with the process?
Technology such as GPS fleet tracking lets you monitor assets and instantly alerts you when it’s time for a check-up. Managers, drivers and admin staff can rely on the technology to help them keep track of vehicle conditions and keep up with schedules. Monitoring internals such as odometer values, engine hours, fluid levels and coolant temperatures via telematics lets you understand the state of your fleet at any time. With features such as instant alerting, up-to-the-minute reporting and maintenance scheduling, everyone in the business is always in the know.
Digital pre-trip checklists can be filled out by drivers on a portable in-cabin device to complete daily maintenance checks. Any issues can then be sent back to the office instantly where admin can order new parts or book an immediate maintenance check. It also means paperwork is easily updated across the entire fleet, so everyone has access to up-to-date information.
How does preventative maintenance make my fleet safer?
Preventative maintenance means assets are more reliable and staff can operate them with confidence. Assets that are regularly maintained and monitored are less likely to break down unexpectedly.
Operators aren’t at risk of injury from a piece of equipment collapsing onto them or being stranded in a remote location during a long inter-state journey. Your business gains peace of mind that your employees aren’t working in an unsafe environment.
Does preventative maintenance help cut down on costs?
Keeping up with maintenance schedules means you won’t be scrambling around for extra funds once a scheduled check-up rolls up. With telematics, you can identify behaviours such as harsh acceleration, idling and braking with real-time reporting and alerts. This helps to reduce the costs associated with excess fuel, oil usage and general wear and tear of assets. By tapping into telematics data your business doesn’t need to rely on reactive maintenance and fork out upkeep costs as they appear. You can cut back on unnecessary spending and never be out of pocket due to an unexpected breakdown.
Can preventative maintenance reduce the amount of admin time and paper work?
GPS equipment tracking takes automated and human-created data from all your assets, communicated in real-time, and develops it into event alerts and easy-to-read reports for greater visibility. These help you to better assess your assets and plan maintenance checks effectively. Digital forms and reports let drivers and admin staff compile and update data on either the office computer or an in-cabin device, where they can easily check if vehicles or equipment are fit for use and adhering to the maintenance schedule. Any faults or issues are made known to all parties as they’re recorded, and services can be booked or replacement parts ordered immediately. By compiling all necessary paperwork and data into one place, it’s accessible to everyone in the business so you’re better able to manage and maintain your assets.
Arming yourself with accurate information through a fleet management system lets you make the right decisions. Issues are addressed before they become a major concern and maintenance takes a more active role in your business. This keeps assets up to code and protects your workers and business from the unexpected.