Clark: Summer fleet survival: 8 essential maintenance steps you can’t skip

Summer brings its own set of challenges to fleet management. From horrific flash floods to scorching heat to unrelenting wildfires, these are the perils of summer. And hurricane season hasn’t really taken shape. The season demands vigilant upkeep of your trucks.

Every year, we post about winterizing your fleet, but summer is every bit as tough on your vehicles. With extreme weather already disrupting operations across the country, it’s critical not to wait. Joe Puff, NationaLease’s VP of truck technology and maintenance, emphasizes that these eight steps should be standard protocol for every truck in your fleet.

1. Summer brings increased heat and humidity increase, so it’s important to regularly check your fuel-water separator.
2. Test your coolant system for temperature protection and inhibitors.
3. As humidity increases, air systems become increasingly important for reliable operation. Drain air tanks daily, repair any air leaks, and perform air-dryer maintenance. Excessive water/moisture in air tanks is an indicator of a problem.
4. While general battery loads increase in the winter, heat degrades the batteries' longevity. Perform battery health checks.
5. Check tire pressures frequently. Tires low on air pressure will increase in temperature, wear faster, and can overheat and fail. Hot summer months are less forgiving.
6. Perform vehicle preventive maintenance.
7. Be prepared for severe weather such as hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, mudslides, etc. Drivers should have food, water, medications, and any essential items in case of an emergency. Keep cell phones charged.
8. Select a breakdown service provider that meets the routing requirements, urgency, and quality of service.

See also: Sharing the road with teen drivers: Prevent accidents during summer's 100 Deadliest Days

Weather also disrupts delivery routes

Keeping every vehicle road-ready and in tip-top shape is essential because extreme weather affects not only the trucks but also the roads and bridges they travel on. That makes logistics planning even more complex during summer because of frequent road closures, detours, and infrastructure damage caused by storms, floods, and excessive heat.

Wildfires can force highways to shut down with little warning, while flash floods may wash out roads entirely. Even routine construction work, more common in summer months, can add delays and reroute drivers unexpectedly. Fleet managers must stay informed and flexible, using real-time traffic and weather data to make adjustments on the fly.

Communication between dispatchers and drivers is key to navigating these disruptions and ensuring deliveries arrive safely and on time.

Prepare now to protect your fleet and drivers

You can’t control what happens to the roads traveled, but you can control how you maintain your fleet to confront these disruptions. While navigating through challenging times marked by natural disasters and extreme weather events, proactive fleet management remains paramount.

By following these steps, you not only protect your assets and ensure operational continuity but also prioritize the safety and well-being of your drivers. Stay ahead this summer by implementing these measures and reinforcing your fleet's resilience in the face of unpredictable conditions.