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The Importance of Vehicle Maintenance in Road Transport

Despite improvements, keeping trucks on the road still requires the ongoing attention of skilled maintenance services.

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Vast countries like Australia are often powered by the strength of their logistics and transport sectors. In Australia, our transport industry is worth over $100 billion per year and employs more than 500,000 people across the country. Keeping an industry like that moving is no simple task. Advances in technology have allowed manufacturers to produce trucks and other vehicles that are safe, reliable and more efficient than ever. Despite those improvements, keeping trucks on the road still requires the ongoing attention of skilled maintenance services. In this article we will explore how regular maintenance can affect vehicle longevity and strengthen Australia’s transport businesses.

1. Increase Vehicle Lifespan

Modern road transport vehicles are built tough. Trucks, semis, vans and other vehicles intended for commercial transport are often built to meet usage targets well over 1,000,000km. Compared to the average passenger vehicle that’s designed to last just 200,000km, transport vehicles are expected to spend far longer on the road. Regular maintenance extends the useful lifespan of a vehicle and allows it to meet or exceed the manufacturer’s expectations.

Fulfilling regular servicing schedules, encouraging drivers to report mechanical concerns and investing in preventative maintenance can all prolong the life of a vehicle. Not only does this help keep long-term maintenance costs under control, it reduces the need to retire and replace vehicles that are no longer economical to retain.

2. Reduce Lifetime Running Expenses

Road transport vehicles that are kept in good condition see an overall reduction in their lifetime maintenance and running costs. Engines, transmissions and drivetrain components rarely fail suddenly. There are warning signs ahead of time that let operators know it’s time to have their truck serviced. Ignoring these signals and waiting until a major component fails results in higher maintenance bills.

On the other hand, encouraging operators to report mechanical concerns means that you can have vehicles serviced before the failure occurs. Investing in maintenance from trusted workshops offers several major benefits to transport operators:

  • Reduced maintenance and repair expenses
  • Reduced roadside breakdowns
  • Reduced accident rates
  • Extend the life of steering, drive and trailer tyres
  • Brake and driveline components last longer
  • Customers get their deliveries on time and remain satisfied

3. Reduce Fuel Consumption

Well-maintained vehicles consume less fuel. In a time where the cost of diesel and petrol have risen to unprecedented levels, watching the fuel gauge has become more important than ever. Further exacerbating the problem, the Australian Government altering its fuel tax credit program has also hurt the bottom lines of road transport businesses.

Investing in vehicle maintenance is a good defense against the rising cost of fuels. While engine maintenance is important, looking after vehicle suspension and drivetrain should also be high on your list. A properly functioning drivetrain ensures maximum driving efficiency by delivering more power to the wheels and reducing the strain on the engine.

4. Improve Road Safety

The safety of your drivers and other road users is paramount. Spending long stretches of time behind the wheel means that road transport drivers are disproportionately likely to be involved or harmed in crashes. Despite making up just 2.4% of vehicle registration in Australia, heavy trucks are involved in approximately 16% of road crash fatalities, with truck occupants making up 7% of fatalities. While the drivers of heavy vehicles are often adequately protected by their vehicles, regularly servicing your trucks goes a long way to looking after the safety of other road users too. Maintaining the suspension, brakes, wheels and drivetrains of heavy vehicles contributes to lower accident rates, protecting your operators and other drivers on the road.

Need Maintenance to Support Your Road Transport Fleet? Contact Driveline Today!

Road transport keeps Australia moving. Trucks cross our continent day and night, making deliveries and providing the products we need to make our daily lives possible. Proper maintenance of trucks, vans and vehicle fleets is the key to prolonging the life of your vehicles, reducing expenses and protecting drivers on the road. For help with all your drivetrain and underbody maintenance needs, speak to Driveline today! Our workshop specialises in supplying the highest quality trucking components from across the world, working with all major American, Japanese and European trucking brands. Get in touch with us online to book a service including driveshaft or tailshaft repairs, or to find out more about our drivetrain, suspension and underbody specialists.

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