Talking to truckers, we always hear how important it is to keep your truck in prime condition. The reality is that sometime truckers don’t have the money on hand to pay for it. No one ever says they love truck maintenance.
But there’s no doubt it’s the difference between success and failure in the trucking industry.
Truck Maintenance
That’s obvious. If your equipment isn’t running properly, you can’t haul freight. You don’t make money.
But there are drivers out there who struggle to manage the costs to keep their equipment in good shape.
Machines break down – usually at the worst possible moment.
Nobody loves truck maintenance, but we all have to do it. The question is – when do we do it?
Scheduled Truck Maintenance
When do you schedule maintenance? As soon as you buy your equipment.
Just bought your tires? Those should be examined every day. But you probably know how far you drive in a year. How many miles do you expect to get from these tires? Do some math and put it on your calendar. Oil change? Again, it depends on how many miles you travel.
What’s important is that you schedule the maintenance. And you pay attention to that schedule.
How much does a breakdown on the road cost?
More that you want to afford, that’s for sure. So regular inspections and knowledge about what you’re looking at is invaluable. If a trucker takes the time to examine all the wheels, not just a few of the tires, The suspension gets a regular check up just like the oil.
The number one way to prevent emergency breakdowns is to schedule regular visits with the technicians of your choice. They’ll find the problems before they force you off the road.
Emergency Funds for Truck Maintenance
Smart truckers have an emergency fund to cover the costs of a breakdown. We used to say have a debit card with $5,000 that will only be used for that dire emergency. I think we’d raise that limit now. It’s hard to think about saving $10,000 just in case of a breakdown, but in the long run, it may be cheaper to keep that much in an account to cover costs. By making a monthly deposit, you might find that the little bit adds up.
CVSA is coming
Yep, the annual inspection dates for 2025 have already been announced. Don’t risk being that trucker pulled off the road for a mechanical problem and being forced to put together the money for a repair that you can take care of now.
It’s about safety for yourself and others on the road. Nobody loves truck maintenance, but think of it as a Valentine to your rig. Taking care of it is as important as taking care of the people you love.
So, take a break and clean out your cab. Get rid of the clutter – except those pictures of your kids and the ones they drew for you. Keep those and sweep out the trash from the last few months. A mid-winter clean-out will make everyone feel better.
Clean up your truck and your trucking business this month.
And consider updating your trucking software and ELD this month. TruckingOffice PRO has an offer for you – three months for the price of one! Check it out today!
TruckingOffice PRO makes your life easier and managing your business smoother by helping you handle your tasks better and faster:
- dispatches
- routing
- invoice generation and tracking
- expense management
- IFTA and IRP
- maintenance
- Trucker Stats™– reports to show the state of your trucking business.
Combined with the TruckingOffice ELD, you’ve got everything you need to build a successful trucking business – even from the cab of your truck.
Contact us today to learn how TruckingOffice PRO can help you avoid loads that cost you money to deliver and to discover what equipment is the most profitable for you.
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