A commercial vehicle requires money and resources for its upkeep. Only when you have a vehicle running smoothly can you expect your clients to give you more business. To keep your commercial vehicles running and operating smoothly, you need to maintain them well.
If you were to ask any logistics providers who operate vehicles such as trucks for load, they would tell you that maintaining a fleet of commercial vehicles and rigs requires a lot of capital. A report by Road and Track puts a number to it by saying that the maintenance cost of one big rig could equal $185,000 annually. To reduce this cost as well as keep your fleet in proper conditions, here are five tips that will further your cause.
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- Frequent oil changes
If Ford is to be believed, an average car requires an oil change every six months or after every 5,000 miles it covers. However, since commercial vehicles travel longer and tougher distances, changing their oil should happen on a more frequent time interval. Some experts advise that getting the oil of a truck changed should be done every two months. This practice keeps the engine functioning smoothly as well as elongates its shelf-life. Due to regular oil changes, engines can send oil to parts that need it the most, meaning that the whole system gets much more efficient. Truck hiring companies will be better off by putting a regulatory policy in place that advocates this practice.
- Don’t tire the tyres
Indian roadways are the most overused and overstretched infrastructural assets. Though the roadways are the most connected medium to reach any destination, the seven corridors experiences the most traffic and congestion. Adding to the woes of truck drivers and truck hiring agencies is the lack of proper governmental initiatives to bring about change. The government too has its limitations as closing off roadways for repair and maintenance further worsen the congestion and add to the exiting pressure. The drawbacks are experienced most by trucks and their tyres. Potholes and uneven road surfaces cause tyres to wear out faster than normal. Rotating the tyres will give them the chance to last longer and even improve the truck’s overall performance.
- Perfecting the alignment
Commercial vehicles, especially truck for loads carry cargo that weigh in tonnes. Having the vehicles alignment to be proper if not perfect is crucial in ensuring that the weight does not cause the vehicle to tip over, especially in rough terrains. The gas mileage of the vehicle also takes a hit when the alignment is off, and unnecessary pressure is exerted on tyres as well. So, get the alignment of your vehicle be proper.
- Shift the responsibility
The driver is the person who spends the most amount of time with the commercial vehicle. As a good practice, truck hiring companies can mandate a checklist. Simple things such fuel levels, brakes in working condition, tail lights and headlight operating fine can be marked in a checklist before a trip is started and even after a trip is completed. This will help highlight errors, if any and cause them to be rectified before any major accidents or ill events. Needless to say, that it will also aid in the maintenance of the vehicle.
- Light matters
Commercial vehicles such as trucks for load are driven in some of the harshest of terrains and uneven road surfaces. Also, traffic congestion on highways and the need to deliver the cargo on schedule cause drivers to driven in a rash manner. The lights of the vehicle are one of the most common things that are damaged, both headlight and tail lights. And driving without proper lights and indicators is dangerous in many ways. Hence, the lights in a vehicle should also be regularly checked and if broken, repaired and fixed as soon as possible.
By following these tips, you are sure to leave your truck in trailblazing conditions fit to run and operate! If you have any additional tips, do share them with us.
