In an industry where time is money, one of the most important decisions a fleet owner can make is choosing the most efficient way to keep their fleet well-maintained while avoiding route interruptions or suffering costly downtime for a roadside repair that could have been prevented.
Outsourcing is a cost effective alternative that can relieve the stress that is placed on multiple departments throughout a fleet operation when maintenance is managed in-house.
When it comes to outsourcing, fleet owners have options. The first is outsourcing their traditional in-bay repairs and maintenance at a truck service facility. The fleet would establish a relationship with a traditional truck maintenance and repair provider who would perform all of the fleet’s required work at the provider’s own bays and facilities.
Maintenance providers such as TravelCenters of America (TA) Truck Service have the unique capability to further simplify the process by bringing technicians to work in a fleet’s bays or even bringing a fully equipped mobile maintenance truck to a fleet’s staging area or drop yard. With this “bay on wheels,” technicians can perform maintenance and repairs when the equipment is idle, waiting for its next route. This on-location service also cuts out travel time drivers may incur when taking the truck to and from a site to be serviced before they begin their route.
Breakdown management is another component that fleets can outsource. Whether it’s dispatching, doing the repair work or managing the entire process, beginning with that first driver phone call, fleets also have options in their breakdown programs.
Some choose to name a specific truck service provider as their designated breakdown specialist, while others hand over the entire process, having the breakdown provider take their drivers’ calls during specific time windows, or even 24/7, at the provider’s proprietary call center.
In whatever capacity a fleet chooses to implement outsourcing, there are clear cost benefits. Outsourcing allows fleets to take advantage of savings on parts inventory and cuts down on staffing costs at a time when quality technicians are at a premium. Fleets can ensure these technicians come with appropriate certifications, including ASE, TIA and specific warranty programs.
For fleets, deciding whether to outsource truck and trailer maintenance or bring it in-house is an important choice. While there are a number of benefits to seeking outside help when it comes to maintaining a fleet, it comes down to a matter of core focus.
Outsourcing allows the fleet to focus on what they do best - move freight safely and on time. Maintenance is not typically a core competency for most fleets and outsourcing to an organization focused on maintenance might make sense.
TA Truck Service provides heavy truck maintenance by trained technicians with ASE and TIA certifications, RoadSquad 24/7/365 emergency roadside service, OnSITE mobile maintenance and Commercial Tire Network wherever fleets are on the interstate.
