Top 4 Tips for Effective Fleet Maintenance Planning

by Ryan Down

 Most fleet managers know that vehicle maintenance takes two forms: Scheduled and Unscheduled. In the same way that regularly scheduled health checkups can detect and fix minor medical problems before they become big ones, scheduled preventive maintenance can help prevent, detect, and repair small problems before they become serious and expensive issues.

On the other hand, unscheduled checkups - for both you and your vehicles - usually only happen after some sort of breakdown. They’re almost always more expensive than routine checkups, involve significant “down time,” and may have been prevented with routine, preventive maintenance. Developing and implementing an effective fleet maintenance plan can be easy. There are tools and technology available that can make it easier than ever before. But it will help save your company plenty of time, frustration, and money. To quote Benjamin Franklin, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” When developing your fleet’s maintenance plan, ask yourself these five questions:

- What should be covered in the preventive maintenance checkup?
- Who will be responsible for preventive maintenance service?
- When will the service take place?
- How can you simplify your recordkeeping?
- Where can you find more information?

Now, tap into these top 5 tips to keep your fleet and maintenance plan running smoothly.

What should be included in routine preventive maintenance service?

Tip #1: Develop a comprehensive maintenance checklist for your vehicles. Many checklists include these items, but you’ll want to edit yours based on your fleet’s needs.

- Engine oil and filter changes
- Transmission fluid
- Fuel system
- Cooling system
- Engine and transmission mounts
- Drive shafts or CV joints
- Belts and hoses
- Tune-ups
- Electrical system components
- Braking system
- Steering and suspension system
- Tires, wheels, and rims
- Exhaust system
- Undercarriage and frame
- Exterior and interior lights
- Body, glass, and mirrors
- Windshield wiper system
- Horn
- Seatbelts and seat structures
- Fluid leaks
- Auxiliary systems

Who will be responsible for preventive maintenance?

Tip #2: Make this a team effort between your drivers and your repair technicians. Your drivers are the first line of defense against unexpected breakdowns and repairs. It’s critical that they immediately report any vehicle problems to help keep your vehicles on the road. Drivers can and should be trained to monitor basic vehicle safety items (tires, brakes, steering, etc.); vehicle performance issues (including misfires and rough idling); and miscellaneous items (such as the heater or radio). Your repair technicians - whether in-house or outsourced - can perform more detailed inspections on each vehicle’s components and systems. If you outsource repairs, be sure to supply the vendor with your own preventive maintenance checklist. Shops may focus on breakdown maintenance, not preventive maintenance. When should preventive maintenance take place?

Tip #3: Examine both your routine and unscheduled maintenance data to develop a maintenance schedule that works for your fleet. Miles traveled, engine hours, fuel usage, and calendar time are the typical guides used to create a schedule. By also tracking the number of breakdowns, jumpstarts, tows, and emergency repairs, you might see patterns that require adjustments to your schedule.

How can you track and simplify record keeping?

Tip #4: Take advantage of technology. If you’re still entering and tracking data manually, seriously consider upgrading to a digital system. Manual systems can be tedious and time-consuming, no matter the fleet size. Computerized systems are a more efficient method for compiling reports, allowing you to make faster, better decisions. Letstrak allows you to examine your drivers’ performance, so you can offer important feedback and make recommendations. The technology you need is out there and it can be surprisingly affordable; a little research and legwork from you can make your job much easier.



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Article Source: http://www.articlesphere.com/Article/Top-4-Tips-for-Effective-Fleet-Maintenance-Planning/399019

When You Need To Purchase New Farm Equipment

 by Rachel Schwartz

 As a farmer, I spend hours every day working the land so I can look forward to a rich harvest after a few months. I run my own farm and I have hundreds of employees who help me do this. Manpower is very important when you are a farm owner like me. Aside from this, equipment like trucks and tractors are also necessary in making daily operations possible. These equipment are important in hauling materials like wood, hay, tools and machineries.

Tractors have an additional function of tilling the soil in preparation for planting. Just like any equipment, trucks and tractors depreciate over time. When they are no longer safe to use, I know it is time to purchase replacements. The kind and brand of equipment that I am to buy largely depends on my budget. I would definitely choose only the best equipment, knowing that it will perform well and will depreciate after long years.

Although running a farm business brings in huge amounts of profits, it also entails a lot of costs. Not only do I have to pay for my employees' salaries; I have operating expenses, utilities expense and others. Although I have cash, as per my experience, it is not wise to use it for buying new equipment. I should have enough money in case there are emergencies. So whenever I have to make a purchase, I don't jump right into it.

There was a time that I needed a new truck. What I did first is research using the best tool out there - the internet. It was a surprise to discover that there are actually forums discussing about farm trucks for sale. I saw recommendations of pre-owned and brand new trucks. Since it has been years since my last purchase, other farmers provided me information on the latest trucks for heavy-duty tasks.

Once I had an idea on the truck I wanted, I sat down with my wife and we discussed if we could afford it. With careful planning, we decided to get a truck loan for this purchase. Like I said, although it is important equipment, it's not worth spending our savings on it. Because of my readings online, I learned that there are companies that specialize on truck loans. So I immediately narrowed down my choices to a few companies who offered the best deals.

I'm not really into buying on credit since I like a simpler way of life; therefore, I had no credit history. It's a good thing that the company who offered a truck loan is a bad credit loan company. This means that even with no credit history, I was approved in a short period of time - within 24 hours.
With the money I got from the loan, I was actually able to secure a brand new truck for my farm. I tested the engine and everything was working well. The company even threw in insurance and a few years of free maintenance services.

So to the farmers out there, I would say:

- Check to see if you need new equipment
- Research on the specific type you need
- Look into your budget whether you can afford pre-owned or brand new
- Look for a good way to finance it, most likely a loan
- Purchase your new equipment and make sure it's running well



Rachel Schwartz is the Marketing Manager of BHM Financial - one of the most trusted names in the bad credit loan industry. This company may be able to help you reach your financial goals. Please visit our Bad Credit Loan website or our Blog and find out today.

Article Source: http://www.articlesphere.com/Article/When-You-Need-To-Purchase-New-Farm-Equipment/266190