What Should Fleet Managers Check for During Spring and Summer?

Fleet managers have the difficult responsibility of maintaining their fleet’s safety and efficiency. There are many factors to consider including vehicle age, driver behavior, road conditions, maintenance schedules and more. To help you keep your fleet in top shape this spring and summer season we put together a checklist for all the things that should be done ASAP!

Starting with Spring Maintenance for Fleets

In spring, maintenance for fleets starts with looking at the wear, tear and damage incurred during the fall and winter. Winter can be harsh on trucks and service vehicles of all kinds. Whether it’s the side effects of salted roadways or in 2021 the added wear and tear from increases in shipping and delivery volume thanks to the pandemic, spring is an important time to triage and repair your fleet vehicles.

Before you start working on your vehicles, the first step is a thorough wash: those winter chemicals can do a number on a lot of areas. Here are a few times to consider for your spring fleet maintenance checklist:

• Check the undercarriage and body for rust or corrosion from winter road treatments
• Check the tire tread on all wheels
• Inspect the health of the brakes
• Replace hoses and belts
• Replace windshield wipers as-needed

Another consideration is that vehicle theft and damages are higher in fall and winter (source: Bureau of Justice Statistics). If your fleet vehicles have incurred any issues due to tampering or theft, now is the time to address these issues and make any critical repairs. One key way to deal with loss prevention in fleet management is to set up geofences to monitor the movement of your assets.

For GPS Trackit customer Wes A., this has proven extremely valuable:
“The Geo-Fence feature is amazing. It lets us set up a custom area on the map that will trigger an alert when a truck has entered or left the area. This was extremely helpful to us since our staff could get notifications when our truck was in the area they should be.”

Summer Fleet Maintenance: Don’t Miss These Important Checks

Summer means more travel and traffic as well as seasonally higher fuel costs. That means it’s time to make sure your vehicles are ready for the harsh hot weather and the rising costs of fuel.

Keep check of these maintenance tasks as we move into summer:

• Ensure that the radiator and coolant are in good shape
• Check all fluids
• Make sure the air conditioning system is ship-shape

Beyond Seasonal Problems For Your Fleet Vehicles

Spring and summer are the most expensive times of year to own a fleet. Each season brings new challenges that can damage vehicles if they aren’t properly addressed. In spring, we deal with more potholes and winter weather salt damage than any other time of year, while in summer heat and humidity cause corrosion on metal parts like battery terminals — even when the asset is parked inside a garage!

With GPS Trackit, you’ll know exactly what’s going on with each one of your vehicles at all times so you can take action before an issue turns into a problem that costs money or downtime for your business.

 

If you’d like to learn more about how GPS Trackit can help to improve safety, increase productivity and reduce costs for your business, speak with one of our
knowledgeable Fleet Advisors at 866-320-5810 or get a quick Custom Quote.