• Vehicles under an effective PM program are less likely to have an accident, are more productive and require less unscheduled repairs, and are more likely to pass roadside inspections.
• Careful PM recordkeeping provides invaluable information that can be used to refine maintenance schedules for individual vehicles and predict maintenance needs.
• PM is widely used, not only because it reflects a modern attitude of conservation (using assets wisely) but because it saves money.

Current regulations require that every motor carrier must systematically inspect, repair, and maintain, or cause to be systematically inspected, repaired, and maintained, all motor vehicles subject to its control. (396.3)

Fewer accidents

Regulations are not the only reason to run an effective preventive maintenance (PM) program. A well-maintained vehicle is less likely to be involved in an accident. A Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) study discovered that non-driver-related defects discovered during roadside inspections had a higher relationship to crashes. The study, done as part of the Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA) enforcement tool update, discovered that when a carrier’s on-road violations were sorted into driver-inspection related and non-driver-inspection related categories, the carriers that had a higher percentage of non-driver-related violations had a crash rate of 6.61. This is compared to 5.90 for carriers that had a higher rate of driver-inspection-related violations. The non-driver related defects are ones that are tied to components that drivers do not — or cannot — normally check during a pretrip inspection. In other words, these are defects that are directly tied to a fleet’s PM program.

Productivity enhanced

Also, vehicles that are under a PM program will be more productive and require less unscheduled maintenance and repair, which is more expensive than PM. To sum it up, PM leads to less accidents, better customer relations, and a lower cost of operation.

Roadside inspections

Another strong incentive for a good PM program is the possibility that the vehicle will be pulled over for a roadside vehicle inspection. If the vehicle is found to have a mechanical condition that might result in a breakdown or an accident, it will be put out of service. The vehicle cannot resume its trip until the unsafe condition is corrected.

Conservation

PM is also an attitude, a commitment. It doesn’t mean simply getting a vehicle into the shop and fixing what you see. It means being constantly on the lookout for things that might go wrong. It means getting the best, most cost-effective equipment for the vehicle and then taking care of it. This is much like preventive medicine that stresses good eating habits and regular exercise as a continuing prescription for good health and long life.

The PM philosophy is widely used, not only because it reflects a modern attitude of conservation, of using what assets one has wisely, but because it saves money. No one can argue with the bottom line. As PM takes hold, the standard of excellence for a maintenance shop changes from getting the fastest repairs to getting the fewest repairs.

Recordkeeping requirements

PM also requires careful recordkeeping of what is done. In addition to complying with regulations, PM records have another use. Once reliable PM schedules are established, they are refined for the individual vehicle and can be used to predict maintenance. Fleets that do not use records for more than simple documentation are not taking advantage of the goldmine of information that’s there. And it’s quite likely that those fleets are not managing their vehicles, the vehicles are controlling them.

To sum it up!

Vehicles that are put out of service or break down will require unscheduled maintenance (repairs). Repairs done on the road can be very costly both in lost productivity time and additional repair costs (commercial shops tend to have a considerably higher cost) when compared to the cost of operating a PM program. Using a “we’ll fix it when it breaks” maintenance program can get very expensive.