Avoiding van downtime
Nine tips to help your LCV fleet cut downtime
Taking one of your light commercial vehicles (LCVs) off the road for repairs can be expensive, especially when replacement hire costs, decreased productivity and the potential loss of earnings from reduced operations are all taken into account. When off the road for longer, fees for replacement hire vehicles can add up alarmingly quickly, and then there's the impact on customers, whose service or delivery may be delayed while the LCV is fixed.
Nine top tips to reduce van fleet downtime
Lex Autolease engineers have shared their top tips to help you minimise vehicle downtime and push down maintenance costs.
Tip 1 - Daily vehicle checks
Your driver policy should require each driver to do a daily 'walk-round' check on their vehicle before using it and any reported defects need to be acted upon immediately.
Tip 2 - Frequent inspections
Regularly serviced and maintained vehicles should break down less often, but consider making these checks more often for vehicles that work off road, do a very high mileage or are subject to extreme conditions.
Tip 3 - Switch to newer vehicles
The older the vehicle, the more likely it is to break down, so switching to a newer fleet could mean reducing both maintenance and downtime.
Tip 4 - Train your drivers
Driver training schemes aim to make people drive smarter and safer - and safer driving will ultimately reduce downtime, as better trained drivers are less likely to have accidents.
Tip 5 - Check tyre wear
Tyre treads should be inspected thoroughly at least once a month to check for wear and damage. Bald tyres not only increase the likelihood of an accident but could also mean time off the road while a spare is sourced.
Tip 6 - Keep tyres inflated
Under-inflated tyres generate more heat from friction, which in turn causes more wear and tear on the tyres. This impacts fuel consumption. Over-inflated tyres cause premature wear on the centre of the tyre.
Tip 7 - Local servicing
When choosing a vehicle supplier, it's important to check the availability of local servicing options. Also consider a garage with 24/7 capabilities, ensuring your fleets are serviced when you don't need them on the road.
Tip 8 - Install speed limiters
Lower speeds mean less friction on the vehicle's moving parts. This should ensure less downtime for maintenance.
Tip 9 - Don't overload vehicles
Not only is loading an LCV above its weight limit illegal, it also causes excessive wear and tear on the van, and undue strain on tyres. This increases the risk of tyre failure and subsequent downtime for repair.
Talk to our specialists
For further help to avoid unnecessary downtime in your business, contact our specialists today.