Stop breakdowns in their tracks.
It was 7:30 a.m. on a crisp September morning. The tractor-trailer was loaded, pallets carefully stacked to prevent product damage. The driver closed the lift-gate and pulled the truck out of the loading dock to deliver the day’s orders. As he did, the supervisor ran through a quick mental checklist. Cube loaded with palletized
Everything that is, except a breakdown. The driver made the first three deliveries without incident. Then, after a series of loud sputtering noises, the engine ground to a halt. Within minutes, the driver was on the side of the road with an emergency breakdown. The remaining loads never made it to store shelves for the back-to-school rush. But that didn’t stop shoppers. They purchased the same products from a competitor. Like a row of dominoes tumbling, one after another, the breakdown led to missed deliveries, dissatisfied customers, lost sales, compromised brands and lost shelf space.
As an industry rule of thumb, large trucks and tractor trailers have one emergency breakdown a year. A simple breakdown can cost $1,000 or more per occurrence. Breakdowns don’t just compromise delivery schedules, customer commitments and product safety. They also expose idled drivers and vehicles to the dangers of drivers who are distracted or traveling at high speeds. So how do you keep breakdowns from toppling your best-laid delivery plans – and endangering your trucks and drivers?
5 Best Practices to Prevent Breakdowns
- Stay ahead of problems with Preventive Maintenance
The top reasons for breakdowns are tires, electrical systems, brake issues and running out of fuel. Regularly scheduled preventive maintenance can identify many of these problems before they create emergencies. Be sure to schedule preventive maintenance inspections at regular intervals – mileage-based, quarterly and annually. - Inspect, Inspect, Inspect
With a regular schedule of standard inspections, including multi-point vehicle inspections at service islands at every fuel stop and before and after every trip, you’ll find defects before they cause failures or require costly roadside repairs and downtime. Repairing a damaged tire at the terminal is faster and less expensive than a roadside service call. Have technicians check brakes, warning and fault indicator lights, test batteries for proper fluid levels and secure clamps and tires for air pressure, alignment and tread depth. - Check fuel and fluid levels
Making sure fluid levels are where they should be can help ensure deliveries are safe and uneventful. Before drivers leave the dock, check and top off all fluids, including oil, coolant, brake, transmission and power steering fluids. If fluid leakage is detected, bring the vehicle in for service. - Set your drivers up for success
Properly equipped drivers and trucks are better able to handle roadside emergencies. Make sure drivers know what to do and who to call in case of a breakdown. They should also know which simple repairs they can make themselves and when to call for assistance. Train them to:- At the first sign of trouble, turn the hazard lights on and move to the shoulder
- Come to a stop, set the brakes and keep the seat belt fastened
- Report the breakdown, vehicle location and problem if known
- Put on a reflective vest and set triangle reflectors 10 and 100 feet behind the vehicle
- Assess and respond to vehicle issues per company policy on driver-allowed repairs
- DO NOT stand near the roadside. Other drivers may not see the truck.
- Do a breakdown post-mortem
After a roadside breakdown is safely handled and the vehicle is back in service, review the underlying causes of the event and take action. Assess preventive maintenance procedures, driver training and vehicle equipment inventories to ensure that best practices are in place.
Planning for breakdowns can prevent business disruptions and dangerous situations. However, not every company has the resources to conduct regular inspections or preventive maintenance routines. Could you benefit from 24/7 roadside assistance, professional maintenance – or mobile maintenance that comes to you?
Written by: Mike Dennis, Group Director Maintenance Operations at Ryder. He is an operations professional with more than 20 years of experience in logistics, transportation and maintenance. Throughout his career, Mr. Dennis has played an active role in developing maintenance solutions.