Tips for improving vocational fleet ROI

1. Be sure a vehicle is properly spec’ed for its work. Each has a particular job to do, so it has to be spec’ed and built for that work. A properly spec’ed vehicle may cost more at the outset, but it performs better and has a higher ROI than one that’s not.
   
   
2. Determine the optimal life cycle for your MD/HD vehicles. Longer life cycles typically outweigh maintenance costs, provided the vehicle’s age doesn’t result in long periods of downtime, performance problems and higher overall costs.
   
   
3. If you purchase large quantities of vehicles in any given year, be sure to budget in advance for tire replacement costs, same-type repairs, etc., when all come due at the same time, to keep from getting caught short.
   
   
4. Match vehicles to routes. Put gas-powered vehicles on low mileage, flat routes, and diesel vehicles in high mileage, high idle time or high weight applications.To extend their working lives, you can then rotate lower mileage vehicles onto higher mileage routes and vice versa.
   
   
5. It pays to audit drivers’ files from time to time to ensure they have proper documents and comply with Department of Transportation  regulations. Focus on eye testing, traffic violations and physical examinations.
   
   
6. Refurbishing an older vehicle vs. buying a new one is risky business, so look at the tradeoffs and choose carefully. Caveats include technological obsolescence, lower fuel economy due to advances in engine electronics, and Internal Revenue Service depreciation guidelines—all can have negative impact on a refurb.
   
   
7. Conduct cause-of-breakdown analyses to discover the top five maintenance offenders (tires, brakes), then adjust your PM program so it targets those factors.
   
   
8. For vehicles operating in weather or driving extremes, quality synthetic lubricants are a good maintenance choice because they resist heat and oxidation much longer than petroleum oils, thus cutting vehicle downtime and extending drain intervals and component life.They can also improve fuel economy and ultimately lower overall life-cycle cost.
   
   
9. Motor oil analysis can cut back on major failures of MD/HD engines. For these tests, use an independent, certified laboratory that does spectral analysis.
   
   
10. To extend the life of your retreads, check air pressure regularly with a calibrated tire gauge. Be sure to maintain the same correct pressure in each dual wheel position tire, to keep both within acceptable diameter range and help eliminate the danger of a double failure. Also check vehicle alignment on a regular basis. A properly-done front-end alignment doesn’t cost—it pays.