Whether you like it or not, your fleet will experience downtime at some point or another. Unless you or your trucks have a flawless system, this is bound to happen. Preparation is everything especially if you plan on countering the effects of unexpected downtime. Here are some things that you need to know in order to be better prepared for the unexpected.

Reducing Breakdowns

Breakdowns are oftentimes inevitable and they are often times the leading cause of VOR (vehicles off road) time. The way to counter this is by making the necessary updates as soon as possible. Those fleets that are staying current with their repairs and maintenance are much less likely to run into VOR time. Sometimes replacing the vehicle altogether is the best option for business. You have to factor in all of the costs and sometimes that is the best way to keep your fleet running.

Minimizing Stress

Truck drivers will always feel the pressure of getting things in by deadline. While some stress is healthy and can be motivating, they shouldn’t be stressing even more about the operation of the vehicle. Many are deciding to switch to automatic transmissions, speed/rev limiters and more easily repairable vehicle specifications in order to make operation and maintenance easier for truck drivers. This is a good way to keep your drivers and trucks safe and moving.

Reducing Accidents

Accidents can be one of the biggest costs for a fleet manager. The down time will be much longer than the usual breakdown and it soon adds up. Fleet managers need to track downtime in detail. Accidents are sometimes going to happen but when you maintain your vehicles and the stress levels of your drivers, you can be sure they will be much less frequent.

Make sure you are running your fleet with optimal efficiency by tracking downtime in detail and finding where your bottlenecks are.