Introduction
After enough time in trucking, you know one thing: When a truck is parked on the side of the highway waiting for a tow, time and money are being wasted. At some point, we will all experience these problems down the road, and it is never ideal. Backpedaling on deliveries, refunding late fees, and wondering why your customer is frustrated is not suitable for business. Making sure you are ahead of maintenance is not just “going to be nice”. It’s what keeps your business alive.
This matters even more in dry van trucking. These trailers transport a wide range of items, including food, clothing, electronics, and more, and shippers expect their freight to arrive safely and on time. A leaky roof on a trailer or a breakdown halfway through a route can erode months of hard work in developing trust with a client.
The good news? Most of these issues can be avoided simply by developing good habits and attending to small details. Here are 10 simple tips for maintaining dry van trucking fleets that can help you save money and keep drivers safe and on time for your business every day.
1. Treat Inspections Like Everyday Health Checks
Think of inspections the way you think of your own health. You wouldn’t ignore chest pain or skip yearly checkups. Trucks need the same care.
A walk-around inspection typically takes only a few minutes. Usually, drivers may notice a low tire, a burnt light, or a worn door seal, and they intervene if necessary. Whatever the extent of the observation, if done regularly, will catch a driver’s problems early enough that they’re likely not all headed towards a breakdown at 2 a.m. on I-40.
2. Don’t Take Tires for Granted
Tires are one of the most significant expenses for any fleet. They’re also one of the easiest things to neglect. Under-inflated or unevenly worn tires not only waste fuel but can also blow out, leaving a truck stranded on the shoulder.
Here’s the thing: checking tire pressure daily and rotating tires regularly might seem tedious, but it’s cheap insurance. Properly inflated and aligned tires last longer, save fuel, and keep your drivers safer.
3. Keep Trailers Clean and Sealed
Consider what’s inside your dry vans: clothes, groceries, and electronics. One small leak or crack in a wall can ruin an entire load. That’s money out of your pocket and a phone call you don’t want to make to a client.
Make it a habit to clean trailers out, check for leaks, and ensure doors close tightly. On the outside, wash them often. Salt, dirt, and grime don’t just look bad; they cause rust to form quickly. Plus, rolling up to a customer’s dock with a clean, well-kept trailer tells them you care about their cargo.
4. Don’t Ignore the Ride
Drivers know when a truck doesn’t feel right. When a suspension component wears out, you’ll feel it; the ride becomes rough, the car vibrates, or pulls to one side. That’s an annoyance at best, and outright dangerous at worst. Swapping out a $200 shock now is a lot better than dealing with a jackknifed trailer or lost load later.
5. Listen to Your Drivers
Drivers are your best early warning system. They spend more time with the trucks than anyone else. A squeak here, and a flickering light there; they’re noticing these things long before a mechanic does.
Provide drivers with an easy way to report their observations and take them seriously. When drivers understand they are part of the process, they’ll take even better care of the equipment. Ultimately, this approach saves you money and fosters pride in your fleet.
6. Watch Your Fluids Like a Hawk
Fluids are the lifeblood of your trucks. Oil, coolant, transmission fluid, and even washer fluid should be checked often. Ignore them, and you’re asking for trouble.
Always use high-quality oil and coolant, and never delay a change. And don’t forget about fuel. Bad diesel clogs filters and wrecks injectors. Replacing a fuel filter on time is cheap. Replacing an engine isn’t.
7. Let Data Do Some Heavy Lifting
Your guessing days are over. With telematics and apps, everything can be monitored, including how much fuel is being consumed and how the engine is performing.
Use that data. If it’s an issue with the truck, it’s probably time to change it. If you think there’s a fault with the road, consider changing your route. This is an area where the data will not lie; data takes the guesswork out of things and can help you make smarter (and more cost-effective) decisions.
8. Don’t Forget the Rules
Maintenance is about much more than just protecting your profits and preventing breakdowns; it’s also a legal requirement. That is why the Department of Transportation has established rules and regulations for the maintenance and inspection records of its fleets.
Then, the FMCSA has rules outlining what your fleet needs to do, as well as documents for maintenance and inspection, to help keep you compliant, keep your drivers safe, and avoid fines.
9. Respect the Seasons
Trucks handle summer and winter very differently. In the heat, cooling systems are pushed to their limits. In freezing weather, batteries deteriorate more quickly and fluids thicken.
Seasonal maintenance is like dressing for the weather. You wouldn’t wear shorts in a snowstorm. Don’t send a truck into January without checking the heater, antifreeze, and batteries. Likewise, don’t hit a July route without making sure the coolant system is ready to work overtime.
10. Be Prepared for the Unexpected
We all know that even well-maintained fleets can have a hard day from time to time. For this reason, it is best practice to equip all your trucks with an emergency kit, which should include tools, reflective triangles, spare parts, and tire repair kits.
Ensure that drivers are well-informed about the contact numbers and necessary follow-up procedures when they encounter vehicle trouble. A well-thought-out strategy can significantly help in swiftly resolving the issue, thereby minimizing delays in cargo delivery.
Conclusion
Fleet maintenance isn’t complicated. Success is often the result of small, seemingly insignificant actions taken consistently over time. It might involve inspecting a tire, changing a vehicle’s fluid, heeding drivers’ feedback, or carrying out some degree of advanced planning. Collectively, these ‘little’ things materially reduce the frequency of vehicle failures, enhance safety, and increase customer satisfaction.
When you practice these tips for maintaining dry van trucking fleets, you are doing more than avoiding problems – you are creating a reputation for reliability.
And if you’re ready to keep your fleet rolling strong with the support you need, start today by visiting UTB Logistics. Here’s to safe roads, happy drivers, and trucks that just keep on moving.
