If you rely on a company-owned shipping fleet to deliver your products to your customers, then it’s important that each vehicle in that fleet be as reliable as possible. Otherwise, you will experience delays that could result in lost revenue and even lost customers. Therefore, it’s important to analyze your fleet, both individually and as a whole, to ensure it’s performing at its best. To help prevent breakdowns and interruptions, here are four tips for keeping your shipping fleet in top condition.
Ensure Good Equipment Matches
As your company’s needs change over time, the demands on your company’s fleet are likely to change, as well. It’s important, then, that you ensure the equipment you have is still a good match for the mission to prevent unnecessary wear and tear on the equipment. In other words, if a new need places a demand on a piece of equipment that it wasn’t designed for, then you need to either change the mission or change the equipment to help avoid a breakdown.
Maintain, Always
Preventative maintenance is one of the best ways to keep your shipping fleet in top condition. Without maintenance, you will quickly run into problems that are expensive and time-consuming to fix. Alongside maintenance is a requirement to perform truck repairs as soon as you notice the need for them rather than waiting for a time when it’s more convenient. By performing these repairs quickly, you’ll prevent more serious problems from occurring.
Utilize Mobile Technology
If a driver is far away from home, it can be difficult to communicate with them regarding the needs of their vehicle. If you deploy mobile technology on that vehicle, you will know the needs of the vehicle even before the driver does. By placing vehicle diagnostic technology in your fleet, you will ensure that you’re never caught by surprise when it comes to necessary maintenance or repairs. Plus, you’ll be able to track your drivers to ensure they’re staying on-task.
Turn it Off
One simple way to save money and reduce wear and tear on your fleet is to urge your drivers to turn their vehicles off whenever possible. In addition to wasting money by wasting gas, idling an engine, especially while running the air conditioner, can result in significant engine damage that is totally avoidable. Changing a bad habit like engine idling is unlikely to happen overnight. However, it’s worth the continued effort to help protect your company’s fleet.
The value of maintaining your company’s fleet can’t be argued. However, perhaps even more valuable is buying the correct equipment to begin with. By purchasing vehicles that are well-suited to the tasks they’re needed for, you’ll be able to improve the long-term sustainability and reliability of your fleet. Therefore, when purchasing a new vehicle, it’s important to do your research carefully so that you make a purchase that provides exceptional value to your company.
Anica is a professional content and copywriter who graduated from the University of San Francisco. She loves dogs, the ocean, and anything outdoor-related. You can connect with Anica on Twitter @AnicaOaks.
