Tips for Maintaining Your Business Vehicles

Whether you use a single van in your business, or you have a fleet of vehicles to look after, keeping them in top condition is very important. This is important not just for the safety of your drivers, but also for the reputation of your business and ongoing costs.

Keeping on top of the health of your vehicles requires a management strategy. Here are some tips on what to implement into your vehicle care plan…

Set Out Clear Standards

If you employ other people to drive your vehicles, then standards must be set out about the way in which company vehicles are treated. It is easy for vehicles to quickly fall into squalor and disrepair if standards are violated or not set. There must be an expectation for how to check vehicles, how to drive them responsibly and with the company reputation in mind, how to keep them clean, and how to return them in good condition. There should also be consequences for violating these standards. 

Implement Regular Checks

Your fleet should be subject to regular checks. These checks should be thorough, carried out by appropriately knowledgeable employees, and done consistently without fail. 

Train Your Staff

Ensure that your staff are appropriately trained in how to drive and care for the vehicles that they use. If your fleet includes specialist vehicles, make sure that those driving them are educated accordingly. Also, should you fleet be upgraded at any point, ensure that your staff are aware of, and comfortable with, any glaring differences in vehicle operation. 

Keep Vehicles Clean

Vehicles that are kept clean not only maintain a good image for your company, but also suffer fewer problems. Build ups of dirt, fluid and corrosive materials can lead to rust and other damage, costing your business more money than if your vehicles had simply been kept clean.  

Regular Maintenance

Your fleet should have regular maintenance carried out regardless of any issues they may be experiencing. Preventative maintenance is essential to the longevity of a fleet. Tyres and breaks, for example, must be kept in check. Minor wear in both instances can easily escalate to major wear if not caught early, which has caused many a serious accident in the past. Regular maintenance ensures that small problems do not turn into much larger more expensive problems, and that your driver are safe on the road.

FirstLink Auto Services

Here at FirstLink Auto, we can have any replacement part for you within 24 hours. We provide parts for a range of commercial vehicles, from small vans and trucks, to buses, coaches and HGVs.