As fleets and drivers transition out of winter conditions and move into the busier spring and summer months, trucks must also shift gears and undergo key maintenance checks to ensure they’re prepared for the rigors of the busy season ahead.

When OEMs improve and upgrade their product offerings, new diagnostic procedures are required. This means your truck technicians need to stay up-to-date on troubleshooting best practices. In our opinion, investing in ongoing technician training should be a part of any carrier’s training program.

The people shortage in the trucking industry doesn’t show up simply as a lack of truck drivers. All across the country, we’re experiencing a shortage of skilled labor and a definite lack of programs designed to attract job seekers to our industry as both drivers and technicians.

This summer is a scorcher with some parts of the country seeing weekly triple digit temperatures as the norm. Keeping yourself cool while also maintaining your truck’s health is of utmost importance. Just like cars, trucks can suffer from breakdowns when operating in extreme heat. So, what can you do to keep yourself and your truck cool in the face of heat waves?

Fun fact of the day: According to the American Transportation Research Institute, it costs a fleet roughly 15 cents per mile on average for maintenance and repair. That equates to approximately 10% of a fleet’s vehicle-based operating costs.

The industry’s top fleet maintenance managers and the North American Council for Freight Efficiency share their top tips on how preventive truck maintenance can help improve your fleet’s fuel economy and increase truck mileage.