You’ve heard the saying: “There is no ‘I’ in team.” It’s a saying that is accurate across industries and holds true for those working in the trucking sector as well, especially if you are working in the shop. Because the fact is, operating a safe, effective, and efficient shop is most definitely a team effort. And this is true for both in-house shops and those working with third-party vendors. Why? Because running an effective shop will save you time and money in the long run.
Consider that every issue resolved in your shop – whether contracted or in-house – during routine maintenance is one that you did not have to deal with while your truck driver was on the road. Is your maintenance program running your costs into the red? Consider doing a comparison of in-house versus on-road repairs. You will find there really is no comparison.
Consider Your Maintenance Criteria
When you put a systematic and preventative maintenance program into place, you will catch problems before your vehicles break down on the road. You just need to make sure you have a policy in place to catch when a component is due for replacement.
When you evaluate the parts you need for routine maintenance, consider the following:
- How old is the vehicle?
- How much mileage is on the vehicle?
- Are there any known failure points, whether from prior experience or OEM recommendations?
- Have you received any indications of a potential failure?
- What is the present condition of the part?
You may also want to structure your maintenance program around your OEM’s recommendations. What are the regulatory minimum requirements? Is there a particular history with this vehicle and its maintenance records?
It is vital to gather all the necessary information to develop a maintenance schedule and checklist for each type of vehicle in your fleet. To properly gather and use this data, you may want to invest in an automated electronic system to track required maintenance and repairs.
Also keep in mind that you will need to set this up on your own. Don’t expect much help from the FMCSA. All they require is that you have a program in place, that your parts meet minimum requirements, and that you have a detailed history of all inspections, maintenance, and repair activity. For more information on the exact regulations, see section 396.3 of the FMCSRs.
Truck Drivers Are Key
No matter how thorough your maintenance program, if your truck drivers have not bought into it and are not participating, you are going to have a problem. The point of everything you do in the shop is to provide your truck drivers with a safe, compliant, and effectively operating commercial motor vehicle.
Once you have ensured your vehicles are ready, it is then up to your truck driver to take care of the vehicle they are using. You just need to make sure that your truck drivers are trained on conducting regular inspections. This is where pre-trip inspections come into play. Because before your truck driver begins operating their vehicle, they need to be comfortable that it is in safe operating condition.
Pre-trip inspections are critical to this effort. Per Section 392.7, truck drivers must check an approved list and all visible parts and components. And while truck drives do not have to complete a pre-trip form, many fleets consider this a best practice. The process of documenting the pre-trip check keeps truck drivers on top of it and keeps them accountable.
Don’t Forget En Route Inspections
It is important to remember that truck drivers must inspect their cargo while they are hauling it. The exact criteria should be to check their cargo securement within the first 50 miles of loading and then every three hours, or 150 miles, after that, or whichever comes first. There are exceptions to this, however. One is if the cargo is in a sealed compartment.
For truck drivers transporting hazardous cargo, rather than inspecting the cargo itself, the truck driver must inspect the vehicle’s tires, both at the beginning of the trip, end of the trip, and whenever the vehicle is parked. The best way to ensure this task gets done is to set up a “walk-around inspection” checklist.
Your checklist should include checkups on the following:
- Lights
- Tires
- Cargo Securement
- Mirrors
- General Condition
It is important to consider that the en route inspection does not need to be a huge, in-depth inspection. They are really just looking to make sure the vehicle is still road-worthy while on the road. Truck drivers can simply walk around the vehicle and take a short pause at each inspection point to check it. Again, there is no documentation requirement for en route inspections, but having one is a best practice.
Many fleets will have their truck drivers put a comment in a log, typically an ELD device now that paper logs are not acceptable. New ELDs have mandates that ensure truck drivers can place inspection notes just in case they are stopped by an enforcement official.
Operate by Inspections and Reports
Safe and effective trucking companies live their life by inspections and reports. Your truck drivers should be trained to conduct a post-trip inspection at the end of the day and report any defects. And while there are not extensive documentation requirements for pre-trip and en route inspections, the FMCSA does require documentation for post-trip inspections.
Truck drivers must also submit a DVIR if they do find any defects. The fleet manager must then sign the DVIR acknowledging the defect and the repair they undertook to address it. As it is with other inspections, motor carriers must have policies that go further than what is required by the FMCSA. You should never adhere to just the bare bones inspection or documentation regime.
Consider also operating by the ‘trust but verify’ method. It isn’t a bad idea to observe your operators at your facility doing pre- and post-trip inspections. You can also set up a program where truck drivers at a location where an en route inspection should be done are also observed. Motivational techniques include using incentives. Have you considered placing Amazon gift cards in areas of the vehicle where a truck driver should be consistently inspecting?
In the end, if inspections are not being completed, take the opportunity to encourage participation and awareness regarding your company policies. Make sure you have a consistent program in place to address inspection procedures and train on vehicle inspections. Keeping your truck drivers engaged regarding company policies, procedures, training, and vehicle inspections will ensure you don’t get hit with an audit.
The Case for Outsourcing
Many trucking companies outsource their maintenance needs, which prevents in-house problems. There has been an evolution of late away from in-house maintenance. As third-party maintenance vendors up their game, trucking companies are finding lots of synergies in utilizing them for their maintenance needs.
Third-party maintenance vendors survive by keeping relationships strong with their trucking partners. They have every incentive to get the job done right and save their partners time and money. And if you ask just about any fleet manager or shop technician, it is the time aspect of that equation that is most important.
Because if you can keep your truckers from having to deal with complex and time-consuming repairs, you are freeing them up to handle other tasks. In situations like these, it simply makes good business sense to have a third-party provider work on those vehicles. Repair shops and dealers, after all, specialize in this area. Why not rely on their expertise?
In the end, whether you keep it in-house or outsource your maintenance needs, make sure you have clear policies in place that support your truck drivers. As long as they understand the needs of the business and have buy-in, you can ensure you wont be caught with broken trucks or excessive downtime.