We have fully discussed various aspects relating to vehicle downtime and fleet maintenance in our blog, but we have not provided real examples of how proper, frequent maintenance actually benefits fleets and companies where driving plays a significant role in their business.
The RSA (Road Safety Authority) of Ireland, in its 2010 Guide to keeping your commercial vehicle roadworthy, has focused on three concrete examples that really demonstrate the effectiveness of preventative maintenance.
#1 – Brake pads issue for a small operator
The first example underlines just how important an efficient maintenance programme is (in terms of cost and safety), no matter how big your fleet might be.
A small operator with only two vehicles in service did not schedule maintenance according to a set procedure carried out on a regular basis, but only during quieter business times or when tests were approaching.
During a busy period, brake pads wore down on the front brakes on one of the vehicles but this was not noticed until the driver heard a grinding noise when braking.
This kind of problem could have been spotted earlier if the company had had a preventative maintenance programme already in place. The issue was eventually solved but only by replacing the actual brake discs, and at significant cost; notwithstanding the fact that a vehicle was being driven (at some risk) with defective brakes for a period of time before the problem was finally detected.
#2 – Wheel misalignment programme
This second example provided by the RSA of Ireland concerns a large operator who decided to start a wheel-alignment programme to see if it could reduce fuel consumption, tyre wear and other vehicle wear and tear.
The results demonstrated some noticeable benefits with this specific kind of vehicle maintenance, once it was put in place and adhered to:
- - fuel savings of 3.8%-18.6% on articulated lorries
- - fuel savings of 3%-11% on rigid lorries
- - 22% increase in tyre life on steered axles
- - 10% increase in tyre life on drive axles
- - lower reported driver fatigue.
#3 – Minimising breakdowns figures
The third example refers to an operator, in the field of domestic and commercial waste collection, employing a hundred vehicles processing 166,000 tonnes of waste per year who experienced excessive breakdowns and decided to set up this maintenance programme:
- - A sticker in each vehicle reminding drivers what vehicle checks to carry-out before setting off.
- - A report-sheet system was introduced to document defects.
- - Routine inspections every two-three weeks.
- - Full maintenance service every three-four months.
- - Computer files log the dates, mileage, service provider and costs.
- - Incentive schemes introduced that reward drivers who keep vehicles tidy, have low accident rates and receive positive customer feedback.
As a result, breakdowns fell 40%—minimising costs and improving overall customer satisfaction.
