Commercial fleets are typically concerned with uptime, maintenance costs, fuel efficiency, route completion percentages, asset utilization rates, and a variety of other performance-related metrics. One important performance factor that fleets often take for granted until something goes wrong is service coverage.
If you operate trucks, refuse trucks, municipal equipment, utility fleets, construction equipment, and other specialty heavy equipment realize the importance of having access to service and support when you need it most. If your truck can’t be fixed in a timely manner because thenearest service center is 100 miles away, it’s not generating revenue, completing routes, or supporting your bottom line.
That’s why regional service coverage has become so important to so many fleet managers. Whether your fleet operates locally, statewide, or across several states, quality service locations and service technicians can mean the difference between a quick hiccup and a long-term downtime issue.
Read on to learn more about how regional service coverage can impact your fleet’s performance.
Fleet Performance Depends on Vehicle Availability
If your commercial vehicle isn’t available to roll, it can’t perform under any circumstances.
Regardless of how many shiny new trucks you have sitting in your lot, they won’t do you any good if they aren’t available when you need them. Every hour a truck spends in a service facility instead of on the road is lost productivity.
Fleet managers understand the importance of uptime and work diligently to maximize time spent rolling and minimizing time spent in the shop. Through routine maintenance schedules, driver training programs, installing telematics, pre-trip vehicle inspections, and more, fleet managers can proactively keep trucks on the road. But, what happens when preventative maintenance measures fail and your truck needs a repair?
If you’re located in an area with poor service coverage, chances are those downtimes will increase as your trucks will have to travel farther for service or wait longer for a technician to become available.
Regional service coverage gives you the peace of mind that comes with knowing there are qualified service providers who can take care of your vehicles wherever and whenever the need arises.
The sooner your vehicle can get diagnosed, repaired, and back on the road the better your overall fleet performance will be.
The Hidden Costs of Downtime
When evaluating their fleet’s maintenance costs, many fleet managers look no further than their repair bills. However, there are hidden costs associated with downtime that can add up quickly and far exceed the cost of the repair.
Idle trucks can cause:
- Missed service calls
- Route disruptions
- Driver availability issues
- Rental truck expenses
- Overtime costs
- Lost productivity
- Unsatisfied customers
- Project delays
When a municipal vehicle is out of commission, public services go unattended. When a construction company truck is sidelined, project deadlines are jeopardized. When a waste hauler truck is in the shop, routes are interrupted and customers take notice. We could go on, but you get the idea.
These additional costs can add up quickly and are often much higher than the initial repair.
Excellent regional service coverage can alleviate a lot of these problems by ensuring your equipment spends less time out of commission.
Faster Response Times Improve Fleet Efficiency
One of the greatest benefits of regional service coverage is improved response times.
When your service provider has service facilities, technicians, and support staff spread out over an entire region, they are able to provide a much faster response when you need service.
Whether you’re experiencing an emergency breakdown, unexpected equipment failure, seasonal busy period, extreme weather conditions, or another situation where you simply can’t afford to wait several days for service, regional service providers have technicians who can often reach you faster.
Response time is critical when your fleet is on the line. Fleet managers who choose to prioritize service response often find that service accessibility is just as important as service quality.
Geographic Reach Matters for Growing Fleets
As fleets grow and add new trucks to their inventory, maintenance requirements can become much more complex.
While one local maintenance facility might be sufficient for managing the service needs of 10 trucks operating in one city, trucks operating in several counties, regions, or even states require service providers with wider geographic service coverage.
Expanding your fleet can present new service challenges including:
- Varying travel distances
- Diversified routes
- Additional operating locations
- More equipment types
- Larger service territories
Regional service coverage can help your growing fleet meet changing maintenance needs.
Instead of researching and qualifying different service providers in different areas, you can work with one service provider that offers regional service coverage to ensure your trucks are taken care of no matter where they’re located. Simplify your vendor management and gain operational efficiencies by choosing a service provider with a wide geographic reach.
Consistency Improves Maintenance Quality
Fleet standardization is important for a reason.
Standardized vehicles, maintenance procedures, safety protocols, and operating guidelines are proven methods for streamlining workflow and reducing inconsistencies.
Service is no different.
Providing service through a regional service network that has well-established procedures ensures that your vehicles will receive the same level of service no matter where they receive that service.
From repair standards to inspection documentation, your fleet maintenance program can greatly benefit from the consistency that comes with using a team of technicians that follow the same set of procedures across an entire region.
Preventive Maintenance Becomes Easier to Manage
Preventive maintenance is one of the best ways to keep your fleet performing at its best.
Fluid services, regular inspections, filter replacements, tire rotations, and other preventative maintenance tasks can help your fleet avoid unexpected equipment failures and keep your trucks rolling.
But, what good is a preventive maintenance program if your trucks can’t get to the shop to receive those services?
Regional service coverage allows you to spread your maintenance appointments out across multiple shops and offers greater flexibility when scheduling those appointments.
Fleet managers who take advantage of regional service coverage often experience:
- Little to no scheduling delays
- Increased maintenance program compliance
- Higher inspection completion rates
- Decreased risk of skipping service intervals
- Improved vehicle reliability
When your preferred service locations are conveniently located across your entire service region, preventive maintenance just becomes easier.
Emergency Repairs Are Inevitable
All fleets will experience downtime. There will always be unexpected repairs that come out of nowhere and disrupt a well-oiled machine.
But, how your fleet responds to those unexpected repairs can make the difference between your fleet rolling or sitting.
Having service partners with regional service coverage ensures that when those inevitable breakdowns occur, you’ve got the resources you need to minimize downtime.
From mobile technicians that can come to you, to emergency repair services, roadside assistance, parts delivery, and onboard diagnostics; regional service coverage gives your fleet the resources needed to recover faster.
Parts Availability Supports Faster Repairs
Technician availability is only half of the service equation. Parts availability plays a hugely important role in how long a repair takes.
If your technician knows what’s wrong but cannot order the part you need because it’s not in stock, your repair will be delayed. Not only will this impact your schedule, it also forces your service provider to order the part from possibly hundreds of miles away.
Regional service providers typically have larger parts inventory spread across their region.
Not only does this ensure higher parts availability, it also means the parts they don’t have in stock typically don’t take as long to order from their regional parts depot.
You’ll experience:
- Quicker repairs
- Decreased downtimes
- Improved service scheduling
- More efficient parts inventory management
- Increased fleet productivity
For fleets that operate specialized equipment, regional parts availability can be a lifesaver.
Specialized Equipment Requires Specialized Support
It’s no secret that heavy equipment and specialty trucks require specialized maintenance.
Refuse trucks, vacuum trucks, utility vehicles, sewer cleaning vehicles, construction equipment, street sweepers, and emergency response vehicles all require experienced technicians who are trained to service these unique machines.
Typically, these specialized vehicles are equipped with complex hydraulic systems, electrical systems, pneumatic systems, and mechanical systems. When something breaks down in one of these systems, you want to make sure the technician looking at your vehicle knows what they’re doing.
Regional service coverage means that no matter where your fleet operates, you have access to specialized service technicians who have the experience and training necessary to keep your equipment up and running.
Without regional service coverage catering to your specialized equipment, you’ll have a hard time finding service technicians that are qualified to repair your unique vehicles.
Municipal Fleets Face Unique Challenges
Municipal fleets can cover just about every size area imaginable. From densely populated metropolitans to rural towns, municipalities service large sections of communities.
These trucks provide services to the community such as:
- Waste collection
- Public works Water/sewer utilities
- Parks and recreation
- Roadway maintenance
- Emergency services
So, when one of these trucks are sidelined because of poor service coverage, your entire town can feel those effects. That’s why regional service coverage is so important for municipalities.
Keeping service locations spread out throughout your municipality ensures residents will continue to receive the services they’ve come to expect with little to no delay.
Regional service coverage allows municipalities to rest easy knowing that if one of their vehicles breaks down, there’s a trained technician with the proper parts ready to help nearby.
Seasonal Demand Can Stress Service Resources
Seasonal peaks are another hidden benefit of regional service coverage.
Trash haulers know it, municipalities know it, landscaping companies know it…seasons can be busy!
When seasons peak, service demand goes up. Preventive maintenance, rush repairs, emergency breakdowns; your service provider will be busy when mother nature makes her move.
Regional service coverage spreads that workload across multiple facilities and service departments.
If you’ve ever experienced long waits for repairs during your busy season, regional service providers can help alleviate that bottleneck.
Technician Expertise Impacts Repair Quality
Not all repairs are created equal.
Some are quick and painless while others take days to complete and cost hundreds, if not thousands of dollars.
Quality of repairs has a huge impact on your fleet’s performance. Bad repairs can cause vehicles to break down again, create additional downtime, cause safety issues, and even increase your maintenance budget.
That’s why technicians play such an important role in your fleet’s performance.
Regional service organizations cover large swaths of land and service dozens, if not hundreds of customers. To ensure they provide top-notch service to every single customer, they typically invest a lot of money and resources into their service technicians.
From factory sponsored training to new equipment certifications, regional service providers make sure their technicians are up-to-date on:
- New vehicle technology
- Diagnostic techniques
- Manufacturer updates
- Safety procedures
- Industry regulations
Fleet managers who work with regional service providers are putting their vehicles in the hands of the best technicians around.
Technology Is Changing Fleet Maintenance
Vehicle technology is constantly evolving. Telematics, complex electronic control systems, emissions technology, automated transmissions, driver-assist systems and advanced safety features are just a few examples of how vehicles have evolved over the years. We can even expect to see fully electric and hybrid vehicle drivetrains become more commonplace in heavy equipment moving forward.
These advanced technologies require specialized knowledge to service and maintain. Regional service providers have the ability to support large amounts of vehicles across wide regions, which means they typically have more capital to invest in the latest diagnostic equipment, ongoing technician training, and specialized factory certifications.
Partnering with a service provider that can support your fleet today and tomorrow is crucial to keeping your fleet performing at its best.
Data and Communication Improve Decision-Making
Omnitracs? VERIZON Connect? KeepTruckin? There are many fleet communication and telematics programs out there these days.
While many fleets utilize these platforms to better communicate with their drivers, service providers can use these tools to better service your fleet too.
Maintaining, reporting, service history, inspection reports, warranty management, and performance analysis are just a few ways your service provider can use fleet data to improve your bottom line.
Fleet managers that take advantage of detailed maintenance reports and historical data are able to make better informed decisions regarding their equipment. Access to historical maintenance data can help you identify maintenance trends, anticipate future maintenance needs, and even determine when it’s the right time to retire aging equipment.
Making thoughtful equipment replacement decisions and keeping your vehicles properly maintained will improve your overall fleet performance.
Fleet Expansion Requires Long- Term Planning
Running a fleet is no easy task. There’s a lot to think about on a day-to-day basis. From making sure your trucks are fueled up and ready to roll, to ensuring your drivers are trained properly, the list goes on.
But, just because your head is down and you’re working hard doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be planning for the future.
The reality is your fleet will grow. Maybe you’ll add more trucks, maybe your service territory will expand. But whatever the case may be, your fleet will grow.
Regional service coverage means your service provider can grow right along with you.
Partnering with a service provider that offers regional service coverage means you won’t have to overhaul your current maintenance strategies as your fleet grows.
From simplified growth plans, consistent service standards, less administrative work, and better operational consistency; you’ll have more time to focus on managing your fleet rather than managing your service providers.
Vendor Relationships Influence Operational Success
All of these vehicles you’re working so hard to manage require quality service from qualified vendors.
You can have the best fleet operation in the world, but if your service providers aren’t up to par your fleet’s performance will suffer.
Service providers who service fleets throughout a region and have done so for years take pride in their customer service.
Long-term service vendors know every detail about your fleet. How your operate, what equipment you use, maintenance schedules, and performance goals. They understand your business.
When you build lasting relationships with service providers who specialize in fleets like yours, you’ll experience:
- Better communication
- Quicker problem resolutions
- More effective planning
- Seamless service dispatch
- Greater peace of mind
Now, imagine when an emergency occurs or you’re in the middle of your busy season and need service ASAP. Having a service provider who truly cares about your fleet’s success can be the difference between sliding into a pit of downtime or getting back to business in no time.
Evaluating Service Coverage When Purchasing Equipment
When you’re ready to expand your fleet or replace an aging vehicle, customers typically focus on the vehicles themselves. Horsepower? Payload? Fuel efficiency? MPG? Price?
All of these things are definitely important when making the best decision for your fleet. But what about after the sale?
Has your service provider thought about how they’ll service your new equipment? Where will your trucks go for repairs? Who will perform routine maintenance services?
These are all important questions to consider when expanding your fleet.
Here are a few questions you should ask before making your next big purchase:
- How many service facilities does the provider have?
- How far apart are their service locations?
- Do they offer mobile service options?
- What’s their average response time?
- Do they provide specialized equipment services?
- How large is their parts inventory?
- How are their service technicians trained?
- What service certifications do their technicians have?
You get the idea. When you consider how these factors play into the long-term performance of your fleet, you’ll realize how important service coverage is.
Connection Between Service Coverage and Fleet Reliability
Every fleet manager wants their fleet to be reliable.
If your fleet is reliable, you’ll keep costs under control, finish more routes, keep customers happy, and experience less downtime.
But how do you improve your fleet’s reliability? Preventative maintenance? Driver training? Safety initiatives? All of the above!
But one of the most important factors that contribute to fleet reliability is service coverage.
Fleet reliability is affected by how well your vehicles are maintained. Regional service coverage gives you the ability to service your vehicles wherever they operate, ensure your vehicles are receiving quality maintenance from certified technicians, and give your fleet the service resources it needs to stay proactive with maintenance.
Being proactive with maintenance and having reliable service backups when the inevitable happens are what allows fleets to be reliable.
Regional Service Coverage Is an Investment in Performance
Some fleets look at service coverage as nothing more than a maintenance necessity. If your truck breaks down, you’ve got to take it to get fixed somewhere.
But why not take your fleet’s performance into consideration when evaluating service providers?
Regional service coverage can reduce downtime, increase maintenance program compliance, reduce repair times, increase technician availability, and help your fleet continue to grow.
Investing in a service provider that offers regional service coverage could mean the difference between your fleet rolling or sitting for hours on end.
Conclusion
Every aspect of your fleet plays a huge role in your fleet’s overall performance. If your trucks aren’t maintained properly, they’ll begin to experience more breakdowns and your maintenance costs will skyrocket. Throw poor service coverage into the mix and you’ll experience unhappy drivers, longer downtimes, violated service routes, and frustrated customers.
Regional service coverage can improve just about every aspect of your fleet’s performance. If you’ve got trucks, you’ll need quality service and support to keep those trucks rolling. Whether you’re managing a fleet of municipal trucks, trucks spread out across multiple counties, or specialized heavy equipment; service coverage will always play an important role in your fleet’s success.
Heavy duty vehicles are becoming more technologically advanced every year. As we continue to expect more from our equipment, service expectations will rise as well. Regional service coverage will continue to play a vital role in the overall operational success of fleets everywhere.
Keeping your fleet rolling takes a lot of time and effort. Don’t let sub-par service hinder your fleet’s success. Atlantic Heavy Duty prides themselves on providing quality fleet service, maintenance, parts support, and expertise to their customers throughout their entire service region. Contact Atlantic Heavy Duty today to see how they can keep your fleet working at its best, wherever they need to go.