Keeping your Bus or Truck on the Road – Informational Blog Week of 2012.2.7

Keeping your Bus or Truck on the Road – Informational Blog Week of 2012.2.7

Whether your primary business is transporting passengers or goods, or your vehicle plays a supporting role, it is a critical part of the service that you provide to your customers.

What can you do to help limit downtime? First and foremost is to have an excellent preventative maintenance program. This will reduce unscheduled downtime and keep your vehicles safely on the road.

Secondly, perform basic daily checks of your vehicle. Doing daily checks will help you identify issues before they become major, or even catastrophic causing costly repairs. A minor repair is usually quicker to schedule and less expensive to complete, than a repair or replacement of a major system or component.

At some point your vehicle is going to need service, whether it’s routine maintenance or because you have a mechanical issue. When calling a service department generally they will request the following information:

1. VIN (Vehicle Identification Number)
2. What the current issue is with your vehicle?
3. When did you want to schedule the service or repair?

Some things to keep in mind when looking for a Service Department is to verify they have qualified (ASE Master or Factory Certified) technicians. These technicians have been trained and passed a series of tests on the systems in your vehicle. Their training can reduce your repair time and helps insure the work is done right the first time. Also, look for a Service Department that can help you in a fast, efficient and professional manner. This can make a difference in your overall satisfaction with the service provider and ultimately getting your vehicle back on the road.