So 2021 has come and is nearly gone. Good riddance to ya, I say. Time to turn the page on everything that has plagued this decade so far: A nation more divided, a global supply chain more severed, and an insidious coronavirus more embedded in our every day lives. Everything everywhere seemed broken.
And that must be particularly frustrating to those in the field of commercial vehicle maintenance, who are hardwired to fix and diagnose, to promote health, and foster productivity. At a basic level, maintaining trucks and vans to keep them running, and fixing them when they aren’t—all so the country can keep on keeping on—is what gets you out of bed in the morning.
If the negative stuff is getting to you, my advice (for what it’s worth) is to focus on all those things you can fix, rather than the things it seems nobody can, or worse, that some want to stay broken. There are plenty of ways anyone involved in commercial vehicle maintenance, from the new technician to seasoned supervisor, can make things work better.
In the fleet world, a technician going above and beyond, or even just doing a job the right way, scales any good deed via the butterfly effect to one or more companies, from plants to end users, and all the people depending on that chain for goods and livelihoods.
Maybe today you’ll troubleshoot the controls for a refuse truck’s automated arm, change out the brakes on a delivery van, or run a series of engine oil analyses for a large carrier. None of those tasks seem all that world-changing, but who wants garbage piling up on their streets? And how would several people’s world change if that van failed to brake in time when a kid ran out into the street? And those engine oil tests could spur fleet-wide changes to improve overall fuel efficiency and engine life, which could scale up to benefit the planet via substantial emission reductions, or at the very least, could help your company save money.
The point is, what you do matters, even though you don’t always see it. It’s not just work; it’s personal. I can’t tell you how many times as a struggling college student or new parent that a mechanic, usually my best friend, bailed me out by finding me an aftermarket muffler and installing it for basically nothing, just so I could get to work. Even the folks at local car parts stores who take a minute to clear a gas cap fault code so you can pass an emissions check are heroes in my book. If you have ever gotten a ticket (and drained bank account) due to an expired vehicle registration—renewal hinges on a passing e-check score—you know what I mean.
By my experience, this is a trade full of way more good people than bad and the sector as a whole is all about promoting the freedom of movement and unabated transport of goods. These attributes surely provide a net benefit and are why I’m optimistic about this industry heading into the new year, even as parts experts tell me supply chain disruptions are likely to last through 2022. The people responsible for maintaining the health of its assets are problem-solvers and doers and add value in nearly every action they undertake.
And we here at Fleet Maintenance hope we’ve provided you with some valuable content, ways to set your team for success in 2022 and beyond. A few recent highlights include how to improve your tire procurement and maintenance strategies, as well as how to make your oil and lubrication program more efficient. There’s also a compelling instructional guide on calibrating advanced driver-assistance systems to increase road safety.
One other positive is that the long-awaited infrastructure bill was passed, providing $1.2 trillion over several years to fix the road, bridges, and other parts of the country that have been neglected.
So as we close the book on 2021, let’s remember to stay positive about our roles in improving the country and the people we interact with. Fix what you can, when you can, and the world will end up being a little less broken every day.
Wishing you all happy holidays and a happy New Year!
