Your truck is at the heart of your business, your income and your livelihood. So naturally it is important that it is running properly and on the road. And when a maintenance problem presents itself, you will be concerned with the downtime that the repairs will require. Ensuring that your company and drivers take a preventive approach to truck maintenance can not only result in less downtime but also increase highway safety and save you money in the long run.
Driver inspections are a must!
Driver inspections and reports are a requirement by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), and are outlined in Section 396.11 and Section 396.13 of the Code of Federal Regulations. Besides meeting FMCSA regulations, driver inspections are the best way to spot a potential maintenance problem developing. This is why it’s important to make sure that your drivers are trained on how to inspect their trucks properly, are provided with the correct forms to complete reports, and perform thorough pre and post-trip inspections. Company-wide enforcement of driver inspections and reports can reduce repair costs and help to prevent truck failure caused accidents!
“No commercial motor vehicle shall be driven unless the driver is satisfied that the following parts and accessories are in good working order, nor shall any driver fail to use or make use of such parts and accessories when and as needed:” (FMSCA Code Section 392.7)
Preventive maintenance increases highway safety!
In a 3 year study, the FMSCA determined that 10% of all crashes are caused by the truck, as opposed to driver error. The Department of Transportation reports that brake failures and defective tires are the leading factors. By pairing driver inspections with a preventive maintenance schedule, trucking companies can be alerted to deterioration of these parts and replace them before they can cause an accident. This reduces the downtime of the truck for maintenance, lowers repair expenses and can even increase fuel efficiency. Preventive maintenance is pro-active step to lowering the chances of truck-caused accidents!
