Are you a manager of fleet car services in Sydney, looking after a large mixed fleet of vehicles?
Effective fleet maintenance keeps the running costs down and improves the life expectancy of the vehicle. Here are 5 tips to keep your fleet and maintenance in the best possible shape:
Table of Contents
TIP # 1 ESTABLISH ACCOUNTABILITY FOR MAINTENANCE
Aim – The key aim is to ensure proper accountability for regular maintenance.
It is natural to overlook the routine maintenance of your fleet while you busy in running your business. Thus, delegate regular maintenance to a person or a committee that includes a representative each from the finance dept., the management and drivers. This will also ensure that the fleet complies and stays current on all regulations, laws and policies.
TIP # 2 CREATE A MAINTENANCE CHECKLIST
Aim – It aims to ensure peace of mind and a fleet that is ever ready.
It is critical that all vehicles undergo a bi-annual or quarterly car repair and maintenance services inspection. These will include an oil change and an 18-point-inspection of critical vehicle parts. The checklist includes actionable steps to be performed during scheduled maintenance. While a fleet checklist must be unique to a fleet’s needs, here are some important points to include
- Check all major engine components (engine, fuel system, brakes, exhaust, cooling systems, etc.)
- Check Belts and hoses
- Inspect electrical systems
- Check tires, wheels, rims
- Examine steering and suspension system
- Inspect Under-carriage and frame
- Check for Fluid Leaks
- Inspect Auxiliary systems like lights, safety systems, security systems, etc.
TIP # 3 SCHEDULE REGULAR PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE
Aim – Be proactive and not wait until a fleet vehicle breaks down
You may schedule preventive maintenance by tracking parameters like kilometres travelled, engine hours, fuel usage, calendar time, tows and emergency repairs. It helps to prevent, detect and repair on time, small problems before they escalate into serious or expensive issues.
TIP # 4 FOLLOW BEST PRACTICES
Aim –Run smarter, better and more efficient by following best practices in fleet maintenance
Best practices help you identify opportunities to control costs and improve the bottom line
Maintenance control and authorization
Establish a system to track request and escalations for repairs and the authority to approve or deny requests for repairs
Consolidated invoicing
Ensure all maintenance and repairs are consolidated onto one invoice to the company, broken down by the fleet, vehicle and service work performed
Driver kit
Each vehicle to be issued a driver kit to be kept in the glove box. It includes vehicle maintenance guide, vehicle maintenance schedule listing, and scheduled car services in Sydney with oil change intervals, fuel cards as also information on emergency roadside assistance.
Regular Maintenance processing Audit
Conduct regular audit of all the vehicle expenses, work and prices submitted by the driver and the repair shop.
Driver Education
Regular educational meetings to discuss aspects of fleet management programs and how to implement best practices
TIP # 5 SIMPLIFY RECORD KEEPING
Aim – Adopt the latest technology to automate fleet maintenance.
Explore the latest technologies like telematics to track your drivers and improve operational efficiency. Use cloud-based fleet management to automate vehicle maintenance and make it accessible.
Ready to get started?
Xclusive Automotive is a trusted fleet car repair & maintenance services partner for business and commercial vehicle operators across NSW. We offer fleet servicing program where our qualified car mechanics in Sydney work as your team to deliver substantial cost savings.
