How to
CONTROL REPAIR COSTS, REDUCE
VEHICLE DOWNTIME AND STREAMLINE
YOUR MAINTENANCE PROCESS
eBook
How to
CONTROL REPAIR COSTS, REDUCE
VEHICLE DOWNTIME AND STREAMLINE
YOUR MAINTENANCE PROCESS
Fleet Maintenance Management
A well-maintained fleet is a safer and more efficient fleet. And with today’s sophisticated GPS
vehicle tracking and engine diagnostic systems, keeping your fleet in good condition is easier and
more cost-effective than ever.
Imagine receiving an automatic alert every time one of your vehicles has a potential transmission
malfunction or engine problem. Instead of suffering an expensive roadside breakdown, you can
immediately take the vehicle in for proactive testing or repairs. Or envision instant access to a
complete online maintenance and repair history of every vehicle in your fleet. Armed with this data,
you can keep preventive maintenance schedules up to date, more accurately predict maintenance
costs, and make informed decisions about when to replace older, inefficient vehicles.
Finally, imagine the ability to track and monitor the exact location, speed and engine performance
of every vehicle in your fleet – any time, anywhere. That’s the power of a wireless fleet management
system.
OVERCOMING FLEET MAINTENANCE CHALLENGES
Keeping a fleet of vehicles well-maintained requires discipline, attention to detail, and a systematic
approach to maintenance – all of which can benefit from a GPS fleet management system. Potential
problems, such as engine malfunctions or bad brakes, can be difficult to spot between regularly
scheduled maintenance. Drivers often hesitate to report problems for fear their vehicle will be
taken out of service. And tight budgets and limited resources can make it difficult to keep up with
preventive maintenance and needed repairs. A fleet tracking system helps you address these
challenges with a comprehensive array of vehicle performance and engine diagnostic capabilities
enabling you to:
• Eliminate paperwork via online vehicle service tracking and intuitive data maintenance
management features.
• Set proactive reminders for oil changes, tune-ups, and other preventive maintenance activities.
• Control repair costs and help extend the life of vehicles by automatically tracking all service
records, including maintenance performed, date of completion, and the service technician.
• Monitor automatic engine diagnostic alerts to identify minor problems before they become major
ones, helping reduce expensive roadside repairs.
• Analyze comprehensive service record reports to improve fleet health and lifecycle maintenance
management.
You save time and money – including reduced overtime caused by unexpected breakdowns and
repairs – while operating your entire fleet more efficiently and safely.
SIX STEPS TO MORE EFFICIENT FLEET MAINTENANCE
1. Monitor Engine Diagnostic Alerts
Cost-effective fleet maintenance starts with knowing the operating condition of your vehicles
at all times – especially the engine. That’s where a telematics fleet management solution with
engine diagnostic capabilities gives you a notable advantage. Not only does the system continually
track the health of your engines, it also automatically notifies fleet managers of potential engine
problems by sending diagnostic trouble code (DTC) alerts via e-mail. These alerts, which range
from cylinder misfires to incorrect air/fuel mixtures and more, provide a precise description of the
problem, allowing managers to take appropriate action to get the vehicle functioning properly and
back on the road as quickly as possible.
Keeping a fleet
of vehicles well-
maintained requires
discipline, attention
to detail, and a
systematic approach
to maintenance – all
of which can benefit
from a GPS fleet
management system.
eBook
Excessive idle time
is one of the leading
causes of fuel waste,
with heavy-duty
vehicles burning up to
one gallon of diesel
fuel for each hour
they idle.
Armed with this kind of engine diagnostic information, managers can determine whether a vehicle
needs to be taken off the road for immediate service. This helps prevent roadside breakdowns that
can lead to costlier repairs. And technicians don’t have to spend time diagnosing the problem, which
helps reduce vehicle downtime.
2. Streamline Maintenance Scheduling
Almost all preventive maintenance procedures are based on a vehicle’s mileage. In many fleets,
drivers manually record odometer readings at the fuel pump, which can lead to errors that delay
needed maintenance. A fleet tracking system automates this process by calculating mileage based
on data from the vehicle’s engine computer, thereby eliminating the need to manually collect the
data from the vehicle’s odometer.
The system also provides daily odometer updates, and notifies users by e-mail when vehicles have
reached pre-set maintenance intervals. This way, you can establish custom maintenance alert
schedules and know precisely when vehicles are due for maintenance based on mileage or other
criteria. These alert schedules enable timely regular maintenance and repairs that keep your fleet
running efficiently.
3. Reduce Unnecessary Driving
Driving fewer miles puts less wear and tear on vehicles, helping extend their operational life and
reduce labor and repair costs. A wireless fleet management system helps reduce both unnecessary
and unauthorized driving by routing vehicles more efficiently, tracking their locations, and
monitoring off-hours usage. Many systems also come with Garmin connection capabilities, which
can further reduce vehicle mileage by providing drivers with accurate directions.
To accomplish these goals, GPS vehicle tracking systems offer a variety of customizable reports
that show:
• The daily start and end location of every vehicle. With this data, you can confidently allow drivers
to take their vehicles home at night, knowing you can easily identify any unauthorized use.
• Vehicle usage outside of normal business hours. Tracking odd-hours can help reduce theft and
unauthorized employee use.
• Vehicles entering or exiting an “off-limits” area. Access to this information helps deter
unauthorized trips, such as going home for lunch or running personal errands.
Fleet managers can also use data from the system to verify daily route and stop locations, and
analyze driving patterns to help reduce unnecessary vehicle use.
4. Reduce Fleet Idle Times
Excessive idle time is one of the leading causes of fuel waste, with heavy-duty vehicles burning
up to one gallon of diesel fuel for each hour they idle1. It also contributes to engine wear and
tear, and increases maintenance costs. By monitoring vehicle idle times around the clock you can
set thresholds that automatically identify vehicles with excessive idle times. You can also use
customizable alert notices and reporting features to acquire the data you need to set goals for
reducing idle time and coaching drivers to achieve the desired results.
5. Continuously Monitor Vehicle Emissions
High emission levels often signal deeper problems with a vehicle’s engine. Continuous monitoring
of emissions using a diagnostics-based system helps identify engine problems in their early stages
rather than waiting for a regular emissions test. This saves the time and expense of performing
larger, more complex repairs, and reduces wear and tear on the engine’s emissions control system.
6. Keep An Online Maintenance History
Vehicle tracking systems help eliminate the problem of lost or inaccurate maintenance paperwork by
providing a complete online service history of every vehicle in your fleet. You can quickly and easily
enter or update service records online. The system provides a number of reports – such as Service
Records, Smog Check, and Sensors – that provide the data needed to analyze fleet maintenance
problems and identify areas for improvement. Reviewing historic maintenance costs allows you to
identify the mechanics and outside service providers that deliver the best service at the best prices.
And many systems will even provide automatic vehicle recall notices from manufacturers, allowing
you to immediately pull vehicles off the road (if necessary) and schedule the appropriate repairs in a
timely manner.
Custom maintenance
alert schedules
enable timely regular
maintenance and
repairs that keep
your fleet running
efficiently.
Cost-effective fleet
maintenance starts
with knowing the
operating condition
of your vehicles at all
times – especially the
engine.
FLEET MAINTENANCE SIMPLIFIED
With the right fleet management system, you can:
• Streamline maintenance processes and procedures
• Reduce vehicle downtime
• Identify and reduce duplicate work by mechanics and vendors
• Make maintenance decisions based on facts rather than guesswork
• Identify problem drivers and vehicles
As you begin to see these kinds of results, you’ll notice that more work involves scheduled
maintenance and less work involves emergency or unexpected repairs. At the same time, more of
your vehicles will go from one scheduled maintenance session to the next without a breakdown. If
you maintain and service your own vehicles, you may also notice that labor overtime decreases as
vehicle breakdowns and unexpected repairs decline.
Achieving these results requires a proactive approach to fleet maintenance. If you wait until your
vehicles break down, it will cost more, reduce fleet efficiency, and put the safety of your drivers at
risk. A GPS vehicle tracking system, on the other hand, provides the tools you need to improve your
entire maintenance process and operate your fleet more safely, efficiently, and cost-effectively.
THE VERIZON NETWORKFLEET SOLUTION
With Verizon Networkfleet’s innovative GPS vehicle tracking technology, you can control
maintenance and repair costs. Its engine diagnostic features can also help you improve operational
efficiencies, vehicle reliability, driver safety, and more. To discover how Networkfleet® can improve
your fleet maintenance process and keep your vehicles on the go, visit networkfleet.com or contact
us at 1.866.869.1353.
1 EPA: Idling; http://www.epa.gov/region1/eco/diesel/idling.html
A wireless fleet
management
system helps reduce
unnecessary and
unauthorized driving
by routing vehicles
more efficiently and
monitoring off-hours
usage.
Vehicle tracking
systems help
eliminate the problem
of lost or inaccurate
maintenance
paperwork by
providing a complete
online service history
of every vehicle in
your fleet.
networkfleet.com
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CONTACT US
E-mail: [email protected]
Call: 866.869.1353
Web: networkfleet.com
Control Repair Costs, Reduce Vehicle Downtime and Streamline Your Maintenance Process
A well-maintained fleet is a safer and more efficient fleet. And with today’s sophisticated GPS vehicle tracking and engine diagnostic systems, keeping your fleet in good condition is easier and more cost-effective than ever.