• In-house maintenance: Make sure you look at all the factors

    There is much more involved in determining the true cost of maintenance and any productivity gains that might occur from doing it in-house.
    June 5, 2017
    2 min read

    A recent study came out that reported fleets are seeing productivity improvements by bringing maintenance in-house. That likely is true for large fleets that already have shop locations and technicians in areas where large quantities of their trucks are domiciled.

    But I have to wonder why fleets are looking at bringing maintenance in-house if they are really looking at the full picture. Are they accurately measuring the cost of doing maintenance and repair in-house? I caution them that whenever they perform a cost analysis they need to be certain to look at all the costs associated with having an in- house shop.

    This means they need to consider things other than technician wages and the cost of replacement parts. They also have to consider variables such as the need to rent vehicles to make up for downed vehicles that are out of service.  It also includes overhead like the cost of utilities used in the shop, administrative support staff salaries, insurance costs, etc.

    And there are also the harder to measure costs like driver dissatisfaction and loss of customer goodwill if a delivery is missed because a truck broke down between its scheduled maintenance services.

    There is much more involved in determining the true cost of maintenance and any productivity gains that might occur from doing it in-house. I’m not suggesting fleets forego in-house maintenance, but I am asking them to make sure their analysis is comprehensive, including all of the operation costs and not just the dollars to turn the wrench or replace parts.

    About the Author

    Jane Clark

    Senior VP of Operations

    Jane Clark is the senior vice president of operations for NationaLease. Prior to joining NationaLease, Jane served as the area vice president for Randstad, one of the nation’s largest recruitment agencies, and before that, she served in management posts with QPS Companies, Pro Staff, and Manpower, Inc.

    Voice your opinion!

    To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of FleetOwner, create an account today!

    Sign up for our free eNewsletters

    Latest from Maintenance

    Vitpho | Dreamstime.com
    truck driver repairs a semi truck at a rest area
    The new data resource, Truck Reliability and Usage Safety Tracker, shows fleets how their CSA scores and other safety data stack up against the best operations in the U.S.
    Stoneridge
    Stoneridge's MirrorEye system uses high-definition cameras and displays to offer commercial truck drivers a clearer display inside the cab that can adjust to adverse weather conditions and also adapt as a tractor-trailer turns.
    What does your fleet need to know about emerging mirrorless high-definition camera systems? How they work, what drivers need to know, and how to maintain the system.
    citgard_jan_blog_resize
    Sponsored
    As emissions regulations tighten, the PC-12 category is poised to deliver engine protection while improving fuel efficiency and environmental performance.