Before sending your trucks on a cross-country voyage or leaving for one yourself in your own semi, it’s important to make sure your vehicles can hold up to the trials of the journey. While performing maintenance on your semi-trucks is always essential, you need your long-haul trucks to meet the demands of the constant road trip if you want to regulate your shipping schedule and keep drivers safe. Consider these top tips for long-haul truck maintenance before you task your drivers with an overnight or week-long transport job.
If It Could Go Bad During the Trip, Replace or Fix It
When looking over a fleet vehicle before its long-haul job, don’t leave any part or fluid level too close to a dangerous level of wear and tear. If you fear that a part may stop working in the middle of a job, replace it. Not only does a preventable vehicle breakdown put your employee (or yourself) at risk, but it also dips into your schedule and can cause an additional loss of income if the product is late or doesn’t arrive.
Perform a check on the following areas of the vehicle:
- Tires (Pressure and Tread)
- Engine
- Oil Levels
- Fuel Filter
- Air Filter
- Electrical System
- Brakes and Brake Pads
- Coolant
- Exterior Faults (Body, Lights, Cracked Windshield, etc.)
If the quality or levels aren’t above satisfactory, you may need to perform repairs or switch the vehicle that the driver takes.
Consider the Route
Different locations and climates come with their own sets of driving dangers and risks to your vehicle. Prepare the vehicle for any weather or risk that comes with any location the route passes through, even if the driver won’t stay for too long in a specific area. It’s wise to prepare for the worst-case scenario in any driving situation—pack the truck with chains, a winter front to keep the engine warm, and a bug screen to keep unwanted pests out from under the hood.
Truck bug screens are an essential tip for long-haul maintenance in any season and with any destination. Luckily, with Fia’s easy-to-install bug screens for semi-trucks, you won’t need to spend too much time worrying about bugs clogging up your engine or grille. Our Stick-A-Stud installation system doesn’t require tools and won’t damage your truck.
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