The Benefits of 24/7 Roadside Assistance
Truck drivers log 2,000 – 3,000+ miles per week, and even when you plan out your route, maintain your truck, and start the day early, setbacks will still occur. Sometimes you may hit traffic or a detour that slows delivery time – not much anyone can do about that – but other times you could breakdown on the side of the road where your truck becomes useless. Roadside assistance helps make these breakdowns less impactful.
If you breakdown without 24/7 roadside assistance, you risk:
- Delivering loads late
- Downtime
- Lost revenue
- Potential business loss
Whether it’s a flat tire that needs a change or the rare accident that immobilizes your vehicle, roadside assistance can be a godsend when you need it most, helping you reduce potential business and revenue loss – as well as stress.
What 24/7 Roadside Assistance Offers
Fleet maintenance keeps your rig running well, but there are always unexpected issues that can derail your day. A random tire blowout or accident isn’t something that even the best maintenance in the world can prevent.
In fact, roadside assistance can help you in many ways, including:
Avoiding Tow Bills
Towing a big rig is expensive. An 18-wheeler requires a lot more than a regular vehicle to tow, and it’s not uncommon for tow bills to be thousands of dollars. A few of the costs you can expect to pay when being towed are:
- Costs per mile
- Fuel surcharge
- Hourly fees
- Hook-up fees
- More
When you have roadside assistance, a qualified technician comes to your truck to help try and repair your vehicle at its location. While some breakdowns may still end up with you being towed, most can be fixed to help you get back on the road as soon as possible.
Getting Back on the Road Quickly
Trucking fleets need to keep moving. Every hour stuck on the side of the road or being towed leads to a loss in revenue. If you have 24/7 roadside assistance, you can get back on the road as quickly as possible to:
- Reduce lost revenue
- Maintain business relationships
- Keep loads on-time
Roadside assistance is your key to getting rigs back on the road as quickly as possible if there’s a breakdown.
Diagnosing Issues Rapidly
Even in the event that the mechanic cannot perform a quick fix, they still come out to your location and offer a rapid diagnosis of the problem. Technicians will always make any necessary repairs that they can make on the side of the road.
However, when the repair is extensive, their diagnosis of the issue allows the trucker to:
- Plan out their next moves
- Call dispatch to have another rig sent to the locations
- Make arrangements to get the rig repaired
Otherwise, without the help of a technician, you’ll need to be towed to a repair shop, wait for a diagnosis of the problem, and then consider your repair options. Unfortunately, all of these steps take time and lose you money.
Comprehensive Assistance When You Need It Most
Roadside assistance saves fleets from downtime and helps truckers get back on the road quickly. However, assistance services go well beyond just repairs. Sometimes, other unexpected issues occur that can keep your truck from delivering loads, such as:
- Assisting with any locksmith services to help you get back in your truck
- Battery boosting services that allow you to get your rig running again
- Fuel delivery in the event that the rig runs out of fuel due to any unforeseen issue, such as being stuck in traffic
- Fluid delivery services may be offered, such as delivering oil or antifreeze to the rig
- Tire repair and assistance
- Winch services (depending on the service), if the truck is stuck in a ditch or somewhere else and assistance is required
- So much more
Every roadside assistance program is different, but some services do offer discounts on hotels and potential financing for more expensive repairs.
When truckers have someone to contact 24/7, they can be confident that any unforeseen issue on the road can be rapidly resolved with the help of a service professional.
Work to Avoid Breakdowns with Fleet Maintenance
Every fleet manager and owner-operator should have 24/7 roadside assistance. You never know when a random breakdown will cause you to be stuck on the side of the road and cost you money.
And while roadside assistance is a 100% necessity, you should start taking fleet maintenance seriously, too.
The right maintenance reduces the risk of needing roadside assistance, keeps loads moving smoothly and maximizes your income. Ongoing maintenance programs, such as our fleet maintenance programs, help:
- Reduce the risk of breakdowns
- Maximize fuel efficiency
- Improve overall truck safety
At Suppose U Drive, we offer flexible maintenance programs:
- PEG Maintenance: A bumper-to-bumper program with 24-hour roadside service, maintenance, and predictable monthly expenses.
- PM+ Maintenance: A preventative maintenance plan with discounts on parts and labor.
- Time & Materials: Our no-frills maintenance program for professional truck drivers.
Preventive maintenance is essential when you want to keep your fleet running smoothly and reduce the risk of breaking down. Combining both 24/7 roadside assistance for emergencies and maintenance provides you peace of mind that your fleet’s risk of downtime is minimal.
Get More Fleet Maintenance Insights
Do you want to learn more about fleet maintenance, roadside assistance, and other great trucking insights? Click here to sign up for our free Suppose U Drive newsletter.