Do not overlook the technology elements in maintenance and repair
In many ways, medium duty trucks are becoming technology platforms. While their main purpose remains to carry goods for pick-up and delivery operations, as well as parts and supplies for a wide range of field service businesses, they are also increasingly equipped with systems that enhance safety, efficiency and productivity.
Among those systems are technologies specified on vehicles and installed by truck OEMs and body and equipment builders, as well as aftermarket solutions added by fleets. Examples include tracking systems; in-cab tablets, printers and scanners for workflow management; video monitoring systems; back-up cameras; tire inflation and monitoring systems; and onboard generators to name just a few.
Fleets spend a great deal of time evaluating and calculating the total cost of ownership (TCO) for technologies, says Deryk Powell, president and COO of technology deployment expert Velociti (www.velociti.com). “One area that is easy to overlook, however, is the maintenance of those systems, which can require special skills for technicians and replacement parts that aren’t generally stocked by in-house fleet maintenance operations.
“As the multitude of technologies become increasingly common in medium duty truck operations,” he continues, “businesses that operate fleets need to ensure they remain in working condition. A non-functioning technology is simply not able to provide its intended return on investment, improve process efficiency and productivity, enhance safety or help ensure compliance with driver Hours of Service and other regulations.”
DOWNTIME AND COSTS
When technologies aren’t operating correctly, they need to be hem repaired and returned to working order in a timely and effective manner. Otherwise, Powell says, fleets are looking at a higher TCO related to:
- Lost efficiency and productivity.
- Loss of revenue due to diminished customer confidence.
- Fines and penalties from non-compliance with governmental regulations.
“For fleets that rely on technologies, the cost equation changes the minute a truck has to be taken out of service for a period of hours or even days to facilitate often critical technology system repairs,” he says. “The availability of parts, the limited experience of in-house technicians and other hurdles can also easily extend the repair time frame.
“For medium duty fleets, like it is across all segments of the transportation industry, time is money. When a vehicle is taken out of service for a technology issue, it carries significant cost far beyond just the cost of the repair.”
OUTSOURCED VENDORS
From a TCO perspective, medium duty fleets need to consider more than the cost of the repair itself, says Powell. To help reduce downtime when repairs are needed, something that can be prohibitively expensive, fleets also need to factor in the time and expense of ordering, warehousing and managing spare inventory for a myriad of technologies on their vehicles.
To help control inevitable technology repair costs and reduce cycle time, he says “fleets should consider relying on outsourced vendors that specialize not only in the repair and maintenance of technology systems but in managing inventory as well.”
He recommends fleets look for an outside maintenance and repair partner that:
- Has with the ability to perform a wide variety of technology system repairs and maintenance options.
- Has the capability of managing a large inventory.
- Will work at the fleet’s location.
- Is able to offer flexible scheduling, such as working when the vehicle is scheduled to be off-duty.
“When it comes to the many technologies medium duty fleets are using on today’s vehicles, the ability to facilitate quick and effective repairs is among the key components of controlling TCO,” says Powell. When trucks are “out of service for a technology repair, the true cost is often much more than just the repair cost.”