STEMCO on why fleets can't afford to cheap out on parts, PMs
Time may be undefeated, but fleets can still win by using quality parts and keeping a disciplined approach to maintenance that focuses on total cost of ownership, explained our latest guests on The Fleet Lead: STEMCO's Drew Cohen and Todd Damasio.
They explored the realities of maintaining an aging commercial vehicle fleet, explaining to host John Hitch that against the backdrop of a shifting freight market and rising asset costs, safety-conscious fleets are moving away from transactional price-shopping and toward premium brands.
Drew and Todd emphasize the importance of regular inspections and proper root-cause diagnosis over quick fixes. The episode also highlights solutions designed to combat technician turnover and improve equipment uptime. STEMCO breaks down the engineering behind their new "dummy-proof" auto torque nuts, their new 10-year wheel-end warranty, and their new respec thread repair kit.
Timestamps:
- 3:51 – Aging fleets are affecting repairs
- 5:32 – Regulatory crackdowns, focus on safety
- 9:28 – STEMCO's "systems approach"
- 13:05 – "Dummy-proofing" maintenance
- 20:42 – New 10-year warranty, thread repair kit
- 30:40 – AI and connected telematics
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About the Author
John HitchJohn Hitch
Editor-in-chief, Fleet Maintenance
John Hitch is the award-winning editor-in-chief of Fleet Maintenance, where his mission is to provide maintenance leaders and technicians with the the latest information on tools, strategies, and best practices to keep their fleets' commercial vehicles moving.
He is based out of Cleveland, Ohio, and has worked in the B2B journalism space for more than a decade. Hitch was previously senior editor for FleetOwner and before that was technology editor for IndustryWeek, and managing editor of New Equipment Digest.
Hitch graduated from Kent State University and was editor of the student magazine The Burr in 2009.
The former sonar technician served honorably aboard the fast-attack submarine USS Oklahoma City (SSN-723), where he participated in counter-drug ops, an under-ice expedition, and other missions he's not allowed to talk about for several more decades.