Fleet Maintenance FAQS

How much does it cost to maintain a fleet?

The cost of maintaining your fleet will depend on the rates of your fleet maintainer and the number of vehicles you need to be maintained. Each vehicle will have maintenance costs around $0.12 to $0.19 per mile, according to HDT.

If you are using a fleet management company, they will also frequently be able to offer better per-vehicle rates when you commit to having more vehicles in your fleet. They will usually offer terms of service that make hiring them more attractive than in-house fleet maintenance.

Why is fleet maintenance important?

Fleet maintenance is important primarily because it keeps your fleet operating safely and consistently. It’s also important because it can help manage and project maintenance costs for budgetary planning. Having a mechanical repair partner that can act as your primary fleet maintenance location will simplify repair authorizations and billing.

Poor maintenance is one of the biggest causes of mechanical failure as well, so the importance of fleet maintenance is even greater than many realize. Proper fleet maintenance can ensure that fleet vehicles can be used when needed and that they are in a condition that keeps the driver safe on the road.

How often should fleet vehicles be serviced?

Fleet vehicles should be serviced on a similar timeline as personal vehicles. They should see routine maintenance at least every 3,000 to 5,000 miles. In some cases, this may mean once a month, in others it may mean every ten days or so. Service for fleet vehicles should include not only oil changes and other periodic routine maintenance but preventative maintenance, such as tune-ups, as well.

How can fleet management be improved?

There are many ways to improve fleet management, and most of them will take considerable effort from the fleet manager, as well as a potential financial investment. First and foremost, make sure you have GPS tracking on all large assets like vehicles and other equipment.

Make sure periodic inspections are scheduled so that the condition of your fleet can be closely monitored, and you can stay ahead of many unexpected repairs. Leverage a monitoring service that can give you insight into the activity and use of your fleet assets, as well as into any potentially dangerous or wasteful fleet operator behavior.

Additionally, make sure that any routes have been preplanned and optimized to reduce or eliminate driver-based inefficiencies. This can cut down on delays and fines by a significant amount. Finally, be sure that all timekeeping information can be verified so that accuracy in reporting can be maintained.