What Is Fleet Maintenance?

If motor vehicles are directly connected to the profitability of your business operations, then they’re likely your most valuable assets — which is why you’ll want to conduct routine vehicle maintenance on them. After all, how can a delivery service function properly without its fleet operations in tip-top condition? 

The process of taking care of your fleet vehicles before a repair is needed is known as fleet maintenance. Whether you’re in charge of vehicle inspections for an entire airline or the owner of a trucking company, regular maintenance is a necessary part of the job.

3 Types of Fleet Maintenance to Consider 

So, why should you develop a fleet maintenance program in the first place? The proverb “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” may come to mind, but if there’s one thing it does not apply to, that’s massive, expensive, potentially dangerous motor vehicles. If a piece of machinery is running fine, it’s tempting to put off maintenance tasks until a warning light urges you otherwise. While this isn’t a great habit to get into with ordinary commuter vehicles, routine service is doubly important when your business relies on a fleet of cars, trucks, boats or aircraft to operate.

There are three types of maintenance for fleet maintenance teams to consider, depending on their budget and fleet size:

Reactive Maintenance

A reactive maintenance approach is exactly as it sounds in that it involves addressing a specific problem after it’s already happened. For instance, when an engine keeps overheating or refuses to turn over, reactive maintenance is in order to get it operational again. This approach is typically used with smaller maintenance teams that have a small budget for repair costs. It also may be an approach for fleet maintenance teams that have brand-new vehicles and feel that they can put off maintenance until that first issue arises. 

Preventive Maintenance

In comparison, preventative maintenance is proactive instead of reactive. It involves creating a regular maintenance schedule, according to metrics like mileage or even time.  For trucks, a preventive maintenance schedule might look something like this: 

• Perform a basic service, also known as “preventive dry maintenance,” on all trucks every 10,000 to 20,000 miles. Basic service consists of oil changes, fuel filter changes, air filter checks and lubricating all major components.
• Perform a more in-depth maintenance service every 25,000 to 50,000 miles, depending on manufacturer recommendations. This is known as wet preventative maintenance, which also includes oil and filter changes as well as a thorough inspection, fluid refills, grease job and tire pressure check. These tend to take longer than dry maintenance services, usually around three to four hours. 
• Take care of required inspections. For trucks, the mandated annual DOT-standard inspection takes about an hour and includes inspecting more than 50 vehicle parts, including small components like turn signals and headlights.

Predictive Maintenance

Predictive maintenance is the most data-driven maintenance approach in that it uses real-time vehicle data to predict potential problems for vehicles. It’s typically the most expensive because it requires the most technology and the most technological fleet service team. 

A more data-driven example would be reviewing the typical longevity of essential components and replacing them early. If a fleet manager determines that a particular model of battery lasts for about 40,000 to 50,000 miles, they may opt to replace it before the 40,000-mile mark to avoid breakdowns.

Fleet Maintenance vs. Fleet Maintenance Management 

Fleet maintenance is the more general term for a company’s approach to maintaining its fleet of vehicles. Fleet maintenance includes the initial selection and purchase of a vehicle, while fleet maintenance management is the specific process that ensures the vehicles are working properly. Choosing machinery that’s fuel-efficient and up-to-date is important, but keeping your fleet operating smoothly should carry just as much weight.

Trying to keep track of the maintenance schedules for an entire fleet using pen and paper is possible, but using a computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) software like Coast can streamline fleet management workflows. It makes it easier to keep track of vehicle maintenance information and scheduling to increase equipment uptime.

Vehicles That Could Benefit From Fleet Maintenance Management 

A fleet of trucks may be the first fleet that comes to mind, but myriad industries rely on motor vehicles. The following types of vehicles have widespread applications, and all can benefit from fleet maintenance management. 

• Aircraft: Planes and helicopters are used by commercial airlines, but aircraft are also essential for emergency services, defense and agriculture. Helicopters are necessary for medical evacuation flights, for example, and agricultural aircraft are used for spreading seeds and fertilizer. 
• Public transportation vehicles: Buses and trains need maintenance even more frequently than commuter vehicles due to heavy mileage. Preventive and predictive fleet maintenance keeps our public transportation system running smoothly.
• Boats and ships: The shipping industry is one of several industries that use watercraft. Many commuters travel from the islands of the Puget Sound in Washington State to Seattle every day, made possible by a fleet of ferries. Cruise lines and the commercial fishing industry would also fall apart without a well-maintained fleet.
• Trucks: The trucking industry is a no-brainer for fleet maintenance. Short-haul and long-haul trucking likely have slightly different maintenance needs, but keeping up with proactive maintenance safeguards freight companies from more costly repairs. 
• Cars: While cars are most commonly used by taxi cab companies, ride-share companies and car rental companies, lots of industries have company cars for their employees that all need to be tracked. 
• Motorcycles and e-bikes: Motorcycles, scooters and e-bikes have become popular in the tourism industry. An electric bike functions very differently than a semi-truck, but maintaining them is critical to rider safety. 

Different Kinds of Fleet Maintenance Workers 

Fleet maintenance is a team effort involving fleet managers, fleet mechanics and drivers themselves. Fleet managers are in charge of buying and selling vehicles, but they’re also tasked with designing maintenance plans and scheduling routine service and repairs. They have a vested interest in extending the lifespan of their fleet and retaining vehicle value as much as possible.

Drivers, however, also play a role. What person is better equipped to catch problems early than the one who uses the vehicle every week? Their responsibility is to inspect their vehicle prior to operation to ensure it’s safe to drive. Additionally, it’s up to them to inform fleet managers of any warning lights or malfunctioning parts as soon as they’re observed. 

Lastly, fleet mechanics are responsible for performing any necessary maintenance and repairs. Smaller companies typically contract a number of repair technicians to perform maintenance as needed. Larger organizations with large fleets may invest in an in-house fleet maintenance team instead.

Key Goals of Fleet Maintenance Management 

Before developing a fleet maintenance program, keep these three objectives in mind. 

1. Fleet inventory and tracking: Part of fleet management is keeping detailed records of the vehicles in a fleet, including their age, mileage, service history and other essential details.
2. Streamline work orders: While you could create and assign fleet maintenance work orders by using pen and paper or even a simple spreadsheet, picking a quality fleet management software for work orders is much more time efficient. 
3. Increase vehicle uptime: Staying ahead of vehicle breakdowns is not only cost effective in most cases, it will also increase the uptime of your vehicles, which means they’re operational for longer periods of time.

What Are the Benefits of Fleet Maintenance Management? 

While your fleet is a major investment, your valued employees are, by far, the greatest asset to your company. Take care of them by ensuring that company vehicles are as safe to operate as possible. It’s great for your conscience, but it’s good for your bottom line, too. 

Fleet maintenance is far less expensive than costly repair services. We recommend devoting approximately 80 percent of your fleet budget to proactive maintenance, leaving the remaining 20 percent for reactive repairs. The reason for this is simple: It’s much cheaper to replace a spark plug or cracked hose than to replace an entire engine. For comparison, replacing a spark plug in 2024 costs anywhere from $100 to $500. Rebuilding the engine of a semi-truck costs between $20,000 and 40,000. Replacing an engine runs even higher, easily climbing to $50,000.  

Fleet maintenance reduces operational costs as well. The more efficient your vehicles are, the cheaper they are to run. We usually think about fuel efficiency numbers as a fixed range, but how well a truck or car turns fuel into energy is heavily influenced by how well it’s cared for. Performing routine maintenance keeps your fleet running as efficiently as possible and your fuel costs down. In almost all cases, a well-maintained vehicle will outperform a rundown one. Additionally, fleet maintenance protects the value of your vehicles. Should you ever decide to sell your fleet, well-maintained vehicles sell for more than those with a laundry list of problems. 

Extended Equipment Lifespan Is Another Worthwhile Perk

How long does a vehicle last before it’s not safe to drive? One could ask the same about people. Is a 75-year-old still safe behind the wheel? What about an 85-year-old? If you have elderly family members, you know firsthand how much the answer varies. Longevity is heavily influenced by how well we take care of ourselves, and the same goes for vehicles. A well-maintained fleet will outlive a neglected one by a landslide. 

During regular fleet inspections, all of your vehicles’ fluids are monitored and replaced as needed. Vehicles can’t operate without fluids like engine oil, brake fluid, power steering fluid and coolant. If fluids are low or polluted, the performance and longevity of the vehicle will be compromised. Replacing filters can help optimize performance as well. The minimal cost of more frequent service pales in comparison to the cost of emergency repairs, which brings us to our next point. 

Fleet Maintenance Can Save You Money in the Long Run

It goes without saying that replacing vehicles that cost tens, or even hundreds, of thousands of dollars less often saves money. It is not, however, the only way in which preventive fleet maintenance can cut costs. 

The cost of preventive maintenance for a semi-truck extends well beyond the cost of replacing a filter or two. The annual maintenance cost of a semi weighs in around $15,000 a year. That’s not cheap, but it’s much less painful than the sting of replacing major vehicle components or the entire vehicle. 

Consider Inspections Passed

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regulates the safe operation of trucks in the U.S. A lackluster maintenance schedule opens the door to fines and other corrective action from inspecting agencies. 

Stick to a consistent maintenance schedule to avoid the potential headaches. 

What Are Some Disadvantages of Fleet Maintenance Management? 

The upsides of fleet maintenance management far outweigh the downsides. Team buy-in for a more technological maintenance software requires an initial time investment as drivers and fleet managers learn how to navigate the new program.

Once the training process is complete, however, CMMS software is simple to operate and maintain — basically as simple as using an app. As long as your team gets on board with it and uses it regularly to ensure the maintenance data is current and accurate, then you should be good to go.

Real-Life Example of Fleet Maintenance Management 

Let’s take the example of FedEx, which operates one of the largest fleets of vehicles in the world. Its fleet consists of everything from delivery vans to large freight trucks. Here are five key ways FedEx could (and does) benefit from a fleet maintenance management program: 

1. Cost savings: By undergoing regular inspections and preventive maintenance, FedEx can avoid potential issues and therefore minimize downtime of its vehicles, saving the company money in the long-run. 
2. Better vehicle performance: Routine maintenance also helps the vehicles maintain optimal conditions, making them more reliable for deliveries. 
3. Enhanced safety: Better vehicle conditions mean fewer risks of accidents due to mechanical issues, prioritizing safety of FedEx workers. 
4. Compliance: FedEx needs to meet regulatory standards worldwide, and fleet maintenance management can help in ensuring all vehicles are up to environmental emissions and safety standards. 
5. Data-driven decisions: Tracking vehicles can allow for better performance as well as optimize routes and operational efficiencies that can improve customer satisfaction.

Preventive Fleet Maintenance Doesn’t Have to Be Complicated 

If your organization uses multiple vehicles to perform daily operations, preventive fleet maintenance is for you. Trucking companies are an obvious example, but all companies that offer car rental services, perform deliveries or offer company vehicles for employees should also have a dedicated fleet maintenance strategy. 

There’s nothing wrong with planning fleet maintenance using traditional pen-and-paper records, but affordable fleet management solutions save valuable time that you can spend taking your business to the next level. Coast is a comprehensive platform designed to help fleet managers mitigate risk and prepare for failures with ease. 

Not sure if Coast is the right solution for you? Sign up for a free account to try it today.