“By law, every employer must make sure that work equipment is maintained in an efficient state, in efficient working order and in good repair” – Health and Safety Executive
(The HSE also defines vehicles as “work equipment”)
The importance of inspections in maintenance is undeniable - they ensure the safety of drivers and road users across every journey.
With all fleet operations, maintenance is one of the most critical components in ensuring that fleets are kept in optimum condition in order to contribute to the profitability of the business.
When it comes to fleet maintenance, the well-known term “prevention is better than cure” fits seamlessly into running a successful fleet operation.
Vehicle inspections form an integral part of a fleet’s preventive maintenance and regular inspection checks help you identify major repairs much earlier before they escalate, decreasing the time vehicles spends off the road.
Over a period of time, adopting preventive maintenance measures helps to ensure safety and reduce a vehicle’s risk of breaking down leading to an increase in overall fleet performance, reduction in fleet cost and improved efficiency.
The benefits of undertaking preventative maintenance and vehicle inspections far outweigh reactive maintenance as well as the added advantage of helping to conform to regulatory requirements and compliance.
Here, we explore some of the areas where fleet inspections and maintenance can greatly improve the efficiency of running a fleet.
Increased vehicle lifespan
When it comes to the bigger picture, the most important thing for any fleet is that its vehicles operate to a high standard for the longest possible amount of time.
Ensuring vehicles undergo regular proactive inspections and maintenance processes, significantly reduces the risks of breakdowns and costly emergency repairs.
This, in turn, increases the lifespan of your vehicles and lowers capital costs needed to replace vehicles.
Reduced vehicle downtime
For any fleet manager, keeping your vehicles on the road is critical to the success of business operations and profitability. If left untreated over a period of time, minor issues can turn into more significant problems, meaning vehicles become unroadworthy which can severely affect business operations.
Regular preventive inspections will ensure that there is minimal risk of major emergency repairs, leading to more vehicles on the road and improved productivity.
Keeping vehicles on the road and safe is essential for keeping a business running smoothly.
Reduction in operational costs
The more efficiently a fleet runs, the less it will cost the business. Aside from repairs, vehicles incur a range of additional expenses, including fuel and insurance. Identifying an issue earlier on will always be the most cost-effective approach to vehicle maintenance. Regular maintenance from inspections will help your company avoid larger costs on repairs in the future, by addressing issues before they escalate into costly breakdowns.
Well maintained vehicles significantly reduce operational costs as they consume less fuel, demand minimal repairs also making them safer to drive leading to fewer accidents and ultimately repairs.
Enhanced safety
Every fleet manager prioritises the safety of their drivers and is responsible for ensuring that each vehicle in their fleet is roadworthy and meets all the required legal obligations that drivers are going to be safe while on the road.
As well as maintaining the safety of drivers, regular vehicle inspections also help ensure that other road users are kept safe too.
Increased safety is also an important element for driver satisfaction. Fleet inspections help to make employees feel more comfortable and confident while driving leading to greater trust within the business.
Keeping vehicles in the best possible condition, will allow them to maintain a higher value, and perform more efficiently. Regular, comprehensive inspections and maintenance of fleets is key to ensuring operational efficiency, reducing costs and meeting regulatory compliances.
How can Prolius Fleet management software help?
The Prolius Fleet platform allows you to carry out vehicle inspections digitally by collecting real-time information from drivers via an app before they set off on each journey.
Driver walk-around checks are conducted via a vehicle checklist to monitor the condition of the vehicles to ensure they are roadworthy and identify any defects reducing the need for time-consuming paperwork and enabling more effective maintenance processes.
With Prolius Fleet you can gain complete visibility and control of inspection and maintenance scheduling and planning across your entire fleet network to help reduce the time vehicles are off the road through simplified maintenance workflows.
Schedule a demo today to find out more.