As a representation of your business, you want to make sure your trucks are well-maintained and look good to your customers. This is especially true if you operate a complete fleet of trucks for your business and frequent construction sites. Your truck is just as important as any tool in your toolbelt, so it’s important to keep it maintained.
Here are 4 expert tips to keep in mind for maintaining your work truck.
1. Routine Oil Changes
Most contractors drive all of the city and can rack up 100+ miles in any given day. This leads to a lot of wear and tear on your truck and is why it needs to be regularly checked. You’ll want to change the oil in the truck every ~3,000 miles to keep it running as efficiently as it can. If you have a full fleet of trucks, plan to have a quarterly schedule of getting all trucks checked.
2. Pay Attention to Your Tires
Because you are likely driving a lot from site to site, you’re also putting a lot of miles on your tires. Be sure to check your tires on a routine basis and replace tires every 50,000 miles. While most shops will sell a variety of tires, it’s recommended to opt for the more expensive tires as they will ultimately last you longer. If you’re frequenting construction sites, be sure to check for loose nails or anything you could run over.
3. Check All of Your Lamps
The last thing you want is to get pulled over by highway patrol for a brake light that is out. Not only are broken lights a legal issue, they also pose as a safety hazard. Be sure to routinely check your headlights, brake lights, tail lights and any other lamps on your truck. Depending on the truck make and model, you should have no problem finding and replacing bulbs from your local AutoZone.
4. Wash the Truck Frequently
You have to remember that your truck (or trucks in a fleet) are a representation of your brand. For this reason, you need to keep your truck clean and presentable. It’s easy to accumulate a lot of dirt on the truck especially if you are working at a construction site. Stop by the local car wash at the end of the week, clean up your truck and make it look presentable to future customers.
Additional Tips
While these tips might seem straightforward, there are plenty of contractors and construction companies that don’t abide by them. Try to work in time to keep your oil changed, tires looking good and maintain vehicle safety essentials like brakes and headlamps. In addition to these tips, you should be concerned with emissions and pollutants your truck puts in the air too. You will need to pass an annual emission or smog check through a shop anyway, so it’s best to be mindful of what your truck is putting in the air. Lastly, if your check engine light comes on, be sure to stop by your local shop to run diagnostics. Many people choose to ignore the check engine light and end up with costly repairs later on.
