Follow these five tips to effectively coach your drivers and reduce downtime and unplanned maintenance expenses.
Tom Bray - Sr. Industry Business Advisor - J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc.
April 23 , 2021
Vehicle Inspections in the Palm of Your Hand
The Encompass® DVIR App offers a standalone solution for managing vehicle maintenance & upkeep. The app requires no ELD hardware and is ideal for mixed fleets and non-regulated drivers.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) requires that motor carriers have a systematic maintenance program that ensures vehicles are always in good condition. And while they leave maintenance program specifics up to the company, the best way to keep vehicles running smoothly and in good operating condition is to require drivers to conduct daily vehicle inspections.
If you are a fleet manager, the next step in an effective maintenance program is verifying driver inspections occur according to company policies and procedures and are documented. These practices allow you to proactively monitor maintenance, reduce downtime and unplanned expenses, and coach drivers effectively. Consider employing these five tips:
Your maintenance program will fail if drivers are not doing the inspections you require. Instead of smooth operations, you'll have a fleet of unreliable and dangerous vehicles, FMCSA violations and fines, and out-of-service orders. Or worse, litigation resulting from a crash in which a vehicle could not respond effectively in an emergency.
Scrutinize your roadside inspection results. As vehicle violations are usually the hardest to keep to a minimum, you need to pay close attention to them. If you see a trend in vehicle violations, review your maintenance practices and driver inspections, and determine how you can improve.
It's a good idea to review your Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA) data every month and look for "bad" data impacting your scores, such as a violation that isn't accurate or an inspection that doesn't belong to you. Challenge incorrect data with the online DataQs system to get it off your record. This is especially important for small fleets as each inspection will weigh more heavily on your scores.
*2020 FMCSA Audit Violations
A vehicle maintenance program and recordkeeping are an FMCSA requirement and a best business practice. The Encompass® Platform can help you ensure your maintenance program is compliant and delivers all the data you need. Talk with a compliance specialist at 855-693-5338 or request a conversation.
blog
Electronic DOT Recordkeeping — The Foundation of Compliant Fleet Management
In today's world of off-site DOT audits and nuclear verdicts, you must maintain your records to the highest standards, and that means switching to electronic recordkeeping.
read
Canada's ELD Mandate: Get Started with Compliance Today
The Canadian ELD mandate has a new enforcement date. Here's what you need to know so you're prepared for January 1, 2023.
Encompass — A Journey of Compliance Innovation
The J. J. Keller® Encompass® Fleet Management System is celebrating 20 years of fleet management in 2022! Take a look at our exciting new enhancements.