Companies that offer fleet rentals, like us, are masters of efficiency because they know how to maximize the output of their trucks. What’s their secret? Maintenance.

If there is one thing that you should do today to maximize your truck’s output, it would be maintenance.

Truck longevity starts with maintenance, which should include:

• Fluid changes
• Tune-ups
• Tire replacement

Connect with a repair shop that can help manage your truck’s maintenance, like our fleet maintenance options.

Properly maintained vehicles offer a lot of benefits:

• Improved safety: Accidents cost your business money in either repairs or full vehicle replacements. Properly maintained trucks are less likely to be in accidents. With over 4,800 large truck fatal crashes, it’s more important than ever to maintain your tires, brakes and other truck components.
• Increase your truck’s life span: Maintaining your truck’s fleet will extend the truck’s lifespan. Proper maintenance allows you to get more mileage out of your rig, reduces the risk of breakdowns and can prevent costly repairs from occurring.
• Less downtime: If a truck’s wheels are not rolling, you’re losing money. The less downtime you have, the better. Maintenance will keep your vehicle on the road, improving your output drastically.

On top of truck maintenance, you can also add features to reduce the wear and tear on your rig.

Liftgates improve truck efficiency. First, a liftgate will ensure:

• You can get more done with your rig than without a liftgate
• Safety improves, keeping truckers or loading teams from being injured
• Unloading time is kept to a minimum, allowing you to drive for more miles each day

When you add a lift gate, you also need to maintain it. A well-maintained life gate will continue operating at full capacity, but if it breaks down due to poor maintenance, it will reduce your truck’s output in the process.

Additional features, whether it be a liftgate or a backup camera, will work to save you time while maximizing truck output.

Employee safety also increases with the help of a liftgate. Fewer injuries mean that you or your employees can keep hauling goods without the added downtime.

Training drivers on how to operate trucks safely and efficiently can help maximize a truck’s output. Consider focusing your training on:

Speeding

To help improve safety and efficiency, train drivers to avoid speeding and excessive braking. Implementing speed limiters can help. Even if you’re using fleet rentals, consider setting the truck’s maximum speed at 60, 65 or 68 miles per hour.

The U.S. Department of Transportation estimates that setting a truck’s maximum speed to 60, 65 or even 68 miles per hour could save over $1 billion in fuel costs per year.

Idling

Idling wastes fuel and, in some cases, can violate the law. One hour of idling can waste about 0.8 gallons of fuel. Make sure that your drivers understand the local laws and regulations regarding idling and are following the best practices. Reducing idling can save on fuel costs and keep trucks running more efficiently for longer.

Generators or auxiliary power units can provide power for longer periods of time if drivers need it.

Braking and Acceleration

Being heavy on the brakes or accelerator can put excess strain on the truck and may even be dangerous.

• Hard braking will put your trucks in the shop more often for brake repairs.
• Rapid acceleration will waste more fuel and make the engine work harder.

Train drivers on the best practices when it comes to acceleration and braking, such as anticipating traffic lights and practicing defensive driving.

If your drivers regularly travel through steep or mountainous terrain, train them on how to apply brakes properly when going downhill or on a steep incline. Holding down the brakes for an extended period of time causes serious friction on the brake’s pad and shoes. Train drivers on the best practices for traveling on inclines, such as shifting into a lower gear and allowing the engine brake to do the work.

Tires

Just one underinflated tire can increase drag, waste more fuel and reduce the lifespan of the tire. Underinflated tires also increase the risk of blowouts and flats as well as accidents.

Make sure that your drivers understand how to check their truck’s tire pressure and inflate their tires as needed.

Warming the Truck

When temperatures dip down to near or below freezing, drivers should know how to warm their trucks properly to prevent excess wear and tear. Drivers should allow their trucks to heat up for several minutes before hitting the road.

Following these three tips can help improve your truck’s output, whether you’re using a truck rental or you own your fleet. Regular maintenance and driver training can go a long way in maximizing the lifespan of your trucks. Implementing helpful features like liftgates can further reduce wear and tear while improving efficiency.

Taking the time to maintain your fleet will help you get the most out of your investment.

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