Maintenance Costs

How to Reduce Driver Impact on Truck Fleet Maintenance Costs

Truck fleet drivers have a significant impact on a fleet’s maintenance costs. Ensure drivers are involved in truck maintenance and spell out fleet policies.

Severe Skilled Technician Shortage Triggering Higher Shop Labor Rates

The vehicle maintenance and repair industries are experiencing a skilled labor shortage as technicians in the Baby Boomer demographic retire in greater numbers than those replacing them. The skilled labor shortage requires shops to pay more for skilled technicians, which translates into higher shop labor rates.

Fleets Concerned About Rising Operating Costs

Higher fuel prices and maintenance costs, along with upward pressure on maintenance labor rates are a few of the factors increasing fleet operating costs.

Upward Pricing Pressuring Fixed and Operating Costs

Fleets are being impacted by a variety of inflationary pressures ranging from higher acquisition prices due to the proliferation of onboard safety equipment, to increased material costs pushing up pricing on parts, upfits, and replacement tires.

Labor Shortage Increases But Economic Uncertainty Emerges

The robust economy is creating record numbers of new jobs and a subsequent labor shortage that is being exacerbated by the large wave of Baby Boomer retirements, but some see uncertainty of future market conditions.

Synthetic Oils, Higher Labor Rates Increase Preventive Maintenance Costs

On average, PM costs have increased due to higher labor rates, expansion of models requiring synthetic motor oil, and more expensive cartridge oil filters. One offset is that longer lasting synthetics have extended oil-drain intervals.

Replacement Tire Costs Increased 8% in 2018

Upward cost pressures on replacement tires have emerged in 2018, due to higher cost for the commodities used to manufacture tires and the trend to larger diameter 17- to 18-inch wheels, which are more expensive to replace.

Higher Motor Oil Prices Nudge Preventive Maintenance Costs Up

Citing the higher cost of crude oil, many major manufacturers of finished lubricant products increased prices from 5% to 8% in CY-2018. Plus, each model-year, more OEMs require the use of more expensive synthetic motor oils.