Heavy goods vehicles are some of the most important pieces of equipment for your business. They’re certainly not cheap to purchase, nor are they cheap to run, so every opportunity to keep them in good condition is important.
Maintaining heavy goods vehicles is something that’s worth doing, even if it can often be a hassle to upkeep. Here are some top tips to help maintain your heavy goods vehicles within the business.
Provide regular maintenance
You’ll want to provide regular maintenance to your vehicle in order to keep it in good working order. From regular services to changing the oil, checking and replacing the brake pads. These are all essential parts of the maintenance that are required to keep the vehicle in good shape.
It’s also worthwhile to understand what the manufacturers recommendations are to keep the vehicle in good condition.
While there’s a general sweeping attitude for maintenance, it’s good to know exactly what’s best for the vehicle you or your workforce are driving. From installing a PTO pump to ensuring the wheels are in good working order, it’s good to keep on top of everything.
Keep the trucks clean
You should look to keep the trucks clean both internally and externally as this can cause damage to the trucks over time.
Consider getting them professionally cleaned but be sure to put policies in place for your drivers so that they uphold a level of cleanliness when it comes to maintaining and looking after the vehicle they drive in on a regular basis.
Monitor your drivers at all times
When it comes to your drivers, it’s always a good idea to keep an eye on their driving so that you are aware of how safe they are on the road when they’re representing the business.
You can always implement a tracking system of sorts both for the safety and security of your drivers, for the vehicles and as insurance for your vehicles.
Monitoring your drivers is only going to benefit all parties involved, so it’s something that’s definitely worth implementing where possible.
Provide driver training where required
Drivers are always going to require training when it comes to driving vehicles for a business. We all pick up bad driving habits at some point in time. Whether it’s minimal or reckless, it’s important to iron out these kinks as a business.
Look at what driver training you could provide to your fleet and ensure everyone whose responsible for driving these heavy goods vehicles, is completing the training properly.
Make sure your vehicles aren’t overloaded
Overloaded vehicles are not ideal for driving on the road. They are a safety concern for the driver and other drivers on the road. It can also do significant damage to the vehicle over time if you allow it to continue.
Try to stay on top of load volume and ensure no vehicles are being overpacked with goods in order to save money.
Maintaining your heavy goods vehicles are an essential part when running your business, so use these tips to keep on top of them.
