SynX Blog

Maintenance logging software can really make a difference within your fleet for a number of reasons: the switch from paper logs to electronic saves on time, cuts down mistakes and speeds up the whole vehicles checks process, allowing fleet managers to easily keep tabs on servicing the whole fleet. We are quite sure that if you have already tried a great maintenance software package like SynX Maintain, you will probably never go back to paperwork, the spreadsheets, the massive emails and even those printed vehicle checklists.

While we can definitely say we understand your reasons for happily embracing the cutting edge technology—which come with a whole host of benefits—we also know that somebody in your team might not necessarily share the same view. Seasoned drivers particularly might be reluctant or simply struggle, even in an era like ours, where electronic devices are widespread in a variety of applications. So how can you help your drivers transition to maintenance logging software and pass on your enthusiasm for the new technology?

Here are a few suggestions on how you can make your drivers’ life easier:

#1 - The early bird catches the worm!

If you take the earliest opportunity to get started with maintenance logging software, you are not only receiving all of its benefits but you also might gain a competitive advantage over rivals. Do not postpone the implementation of technology because you fear your team might resist it, but rather try to be an early adopter to check it yourself and schedule adequate time for you team become familiar with it. Delaying the adoption of a reliable system for maintenance logging might also impact on your global compliance—something that you should certainly not overlook…

#2 - Focus on the benefits

Do not forget to encourage all of your drivers to look into (and eventually support) all the benefits of maintenance logging software. Dealing with a walkaround checks app especially benefits drivers as it will speed up the vehicle inspection process—drivers spend less time on processes that often involve the purchase or supply of paper checklists, sometimes at the behest of administration employees who are often busy with other tasks. The new system will also improve the accuracy of the information logged and mistakes will be reduced, including the type of errors that invariably crop up with handwritten checklists. The information provided by the driver will be more accurate as the upload of pictures will be a key feature, so drivers literally won’t have to spend additional time detailing precisely the defects detected (a picture is worth a thousand words). If they are able to see these types of benefits and the direct impact on their workload, they will surely be more welcoming of change.

#3 - Provide good training

Sometimes drivers might fight change because they do not know or understand how to use the technology. Providing training would ensure drivers learn how to use maintenance logging software for maximum benefit. Change might require some adjustment at the beginning, but with your positive attitude, drivers will understand just how the system makes their life easier.

If you either own or use a fleet of vehicles, their maintenance should be one of the top priorities: you have to make sure that vehicles are kept in a roadworthy condition at all times and that they are safe for vehicle users, passengers, other road users and pedestrians.

Far from being solely a “must-do” legal obligation—and this is particularly addressed to those who tend to treat maintenance reactively—maintaining your vehicles reduces the risks of incurring unplanned downtime, of them being impounded or suffering delays because of roadside inspections, which can all damage your business.

What then are the other business benefits you can get out of regularly maintaining your vehicles, and why should fleet maintenance be your primary focus?

#1 - Global cost reduction. Overall fleet costs can only decrease if you consistently practice maintenance as vehicles are less likely to suffer problems and consume fuel, and are obviously less subject to mechanical issues if you are regularly servicing.

#2 - Operating cost reduction. If fewer vehicles incur breakdowns or these happen less frequently, you will lower operating and replacement costs—something that may need to be calculated in when resources are stretched and you need to comply with deadlines and assignments—there is also a better chance for your business to grow if your fleet is operating at maximum capacity.

#3 - Improved fuel consumption. Vehicles kept in good shape are generally more fuel efficient.

#4 - Customer satisfaction. Consistent on-time deliveries can be reached only if your vehicles are properly maintained—and they have less risk of being pulled over for inspections.

#5 - Higher vehicle value. Though depreciation is always a factor, keeping vehicles in a roadworthy condition can only protect their integrity and enhance their residual value.

#6 - Reduced risks of long roadside checks. If your vehicles are regularly maintained, roadside checks won’t take as long and you won’t incur the risk of downtime due to failed compliance.

#7 - Improved working environment. Increasing the safety of your drivers will always be regarded as a plus and can only make them feel more secure in their job, and they are more likely to be in compliance with traffic laws.

When it comes to road safety and operating safe vehicles on the road, everyone needs to feel involved; and the bus sector, including school buses, has been the target, in recent years, of an enforcement campaign conducted on a European level.

According to the RSA of Ireland, school buses are considered to be particularly high-risk vehicles; they experience peak usage during the time of year when buses are hired for purposes other than conveying children to school.

The ROSPA (The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents) adds that some of the buses, especially those dedicated to voluntary activity, might not be fully fit for purpose. All coaches and minibuses registered on or after 1 October 2001 must have forward-facing or rearward-facing seat belts fitted (different for buses with an urban use). Older coaches and minibuses that are transporting three or more children must have a forward-facing seat belt, either three-point or a lap belt, fitted for each child. According to UK legislation, passengers aged 14 and over are personally responsible for belting up, but the driver is legally responsible for ensuring that younger children are using seat belts or appropriate child restraints.

These common issues, together with the increasing traffic at the times highlighted previously, can contribute to greater risks which have to be properly addressed. The reinforcement campaign targeting the bus sector and, particularly, school buses, is going to see an increase in roadside inspections and check-ups to be carried out at operators’ premises.

As regards to the reinforcement actions conducted in 2016 and currently in force, according to the RSA of Ireland, around 50% of the buses inspected at the roadside had defects—of these, one in five presented major faults. 1028 school bus operators’ premises were visited over the same period and less than half of them were found to be compliant. Inspections conducted on school buses since the start of the 2017/18 school year proved that more than half of them were defective.

The DVSA is also targeting school buses and increasing inspections with the aim of improving road safety and roadworthiness, especially after various cases of school buses were found to be faulty following cost-cutting attempts by operators or companies having their licence revoked due to "negligent" maintenance.

There are a number of measures you can actually put in place as a bus haulier to guarantee the roadworthiness of your vehicles, perform risk assessments to help protect your young passengers and to avoid roadside penalties or even more serious consequences. As the issues found in the school buses are indicative of operators posing risks to road safety (rather than merely a deterioration of the fleet’s operational ability), it is important to emphasize the importance of roadworthiness and safe vehicles. Non-compliance with legislation is unacceptable and safety systems should be strengthened. Technology and data provide a useful aid to keeping vehicles roadworthy: check out our maintenance and vehicle inspection software to prove just how useful!

After procuring a fleet, part of the operational and risk assessment actions needed to correctly manage a fleet falls upon proper fleet maintenance. If a fleet does not have a robust maintenance programme, it incurs risks and it could place other road users in dangerous situations. Such a maintenance programme does not only need to cater for actual maintenance work on the vehicles, but also to maintain control and administration work to ensure appropriate use of the fleet.

How then can companies ensure that fleets are properly maintained and which items should a robust maintenance programme include other than the strictly adhered-to maintenance calendars?

#1 - Appropriate processes in place—not only should a proper maintenance schedule exist, but also other procedures that deter general misuse of vehicles including the operation of vehicles that aren’t roadworthy: drivers should have access to specific vehicles, vehicle information should be shared with relevant staff, keys should only be given to authorised personnel and vehicles should undergo a procedure to be allocated for specific jobs.

#2 - HR, vehicle usage and fleet policies—anything related to the use of a vehicle, including rules outlining where it can be driven for personal use, should be established and shared so that staff are fully aware of fleet policy. Inappropriate use may mean that a vehicle is driven uninsured or could result in potential maintenance breaches.

#3 - Compliant maintenance facilities—both if maintenance is taken care of in-house or whether it is outsourced, maintenance facilities need to be reviewed on a regular basis to ensure maintenance operations are appropriate. Having an in-house facility or outsourcing might depend on the size of the company or on in-house capabilities or if the company has leased vehicles or not. In any case, it is best practice to ensure maintenance compliance is taken care of by the relevant party.

#4 - Fleet maintenance best practice sharing—it is essential for a fleet organisation to share best practices and gain expertise with the help of professional maintenance organisations. If you have an external maintenance facility or wish to get one, you could share it with another organisation that has proved to be particularly fluent in fleet maintenance practices.

#5 - Appropriate staff training—far from thinking about intensive training for drivers, who are not as specialised as maintenance experts and mechanics, appropriate training should focus on making sure drivers are suitably trained to use the vehicles they drive. Familiarising drivers with a vehicle in order to ensure standards are upheld and all new features and compliance regulations are integrated into their daily routine should be commonplace.

#6 - Appropriate information recording and maintenance monitoring—any organisation in charge of a fleet should keep a fleet asset register along with fleet maintenance and servicing records. This type of information should be preferably managed on a fleet management software app or some other application to guarantee global sharing of the information with stakeholders and ensure that issues are promptly addressed.

Priorities, challenges, concerns: whatever we wish to call the list of to-dos that fleet managers work through day in, day out are never quite completed, but rather only ever seem to lengthen.

Proper vehicle maintenance still firmly belongs on the list, with quite a lot of other tasks associated with a fleet operation (managing vehicles, keeping up with compliance processes connected to it, making sure it is performed for safety purposes etc.), but has more recently taken on an additional role beyond its traditional scope—the mobile maintenance system.

Managing a standard/traditional fleet vehicle maintenance system already requires a good deal of practice (getting the best servicing vendors and resources, establishing regular schedules and complying with them, integrating preventative practices to comply with regulations). But making it mobile, for whatever reason (considerable time savings in having an accessible system from anywhere, compliance reached in an easier way with automation, the need to share with multiple stakeholders such as external maintenance providers the fleet maintenance information, managing fleet maintenance from different areas and so on), might appear quite a challenge at first glance.

Many companies do indeed struggle to externalise their internal process to ensure that maintenance is carried out according to the same best practices rooted in their internal system or to work with a maintenance and servicing provider to guarantee their requirements are met—so what then are the challenges companies particularly struggle with in order to utilise mobile maintenance?

1. If companies are not using one yet, getting a mobile maintenance software on the cloud—and literally transposing all the data onto a mobile system—can be seen as difficult if you’re used to manual methods such as spreadsheets or work calendars. (However, if you are resistant to new technology and are reluctant to rely on it for personal reasons, not for other reasons—we can show you how easy and dependable it is!)
   
   
2. Time is often a factor if you want to externalise maintenance, as there is more to it than simply assigning tasks to an external provider. They should potentially know everything about your vehicles apart from doing what is strictly required according to job specification. Sometimes the challenge is having that knowledge available in order to perform maintenance services.
   
   
3. Repair of remote assets or vehicles located in different areas might be challenging enough when carried out by an internal provider already, but think about how that would be done by an external provider—the need for a reliable mobile maintenance system able to locate vehicles and record maintenance activity shared with everyone involved is quite obvious.
   
   
4. Assigning fleet maintenance to an external provider requires that communication is continuous—so we need to be kept up-to-date about costs, interventions and maintenance processes even if we outsource. This is where mobile maintenance systems can help. Ideally, fleet maintenance partners should also retain detailed, comprehensive records, keeping a close eye on what has already been serviced and when routine repairs are needed.
   
   

Mobile maintenance software can help you in sharing maintenance knowledge, outsource fleet maintenance or even just communicate any necessary information on your fleet to anyone that potentially needs to know. If you want to learn more about how we can tackle the challenges of mobile fleet maintenance, talk to us. Our integrated maintenance module can definitely be of service—starting with our free trial.

Setting up a preventative maintenance plan is not only about having your vehicles in working order and maximise their time on the road: though this is surely important, remember that having roadworthy vehicles is key for global fleet efficiency and cost controlling.

Our efficiency expert David Madden from Exchanger Hub has few more tips to share with us and you on how to build up a solid preventative maintenance plan, have a look at them and let us know what you think!

• Ask for Reports from Drivers — Your fleet operators are your greatest resource when maintaining and diagnosing issues with commercial trucks. Not only do they know the vehicles well, but they also have personal incentive to keep them in good working order. Have drivers implement a vehicle monitoring program where they record essential data, like wear and tear of tires and exterior components, as well as miscellaneous concerns that they might come across on the road. A good crew of drivers should be able to independently report and inspect fleet issues. You can also think about paperless checks via an app!
  

• Go Green — We’re just going to go ahead and say it: new commercial vehicles don’t require as much maintenance or fuel as their old gas-guzzling counterparts. Companies are quickly converting to partially green fleets. But you don’t have to scrap your entire fleet to get a cleaner-burning (and more efficient) vehicle. Consider the use of alternative fuels and fuel-saving upgrades to make your fleet more environmentally friendly. You can also maximize fuel efficiency by using fuel management systems that allow complete visibility on fuel purchased and fuel spent.
  

• Keep a Close Eye on Tyres — We don’t have to explain why tyre maintenance should go at the top of your list in terms of fleet maintenance. They’re definitely the components that get the brunt of the abuse, and keeping them well-maintained equals greater safety for your drivers. In fact, issues with tyres cause nearly half of all breakdowns. So, how do you make sure that your fleet’s tyres are always in good shape? It’s a good idea to ask service technicians and drivers to perform weekly tyre checks, not only to check tyre pressure, but also to assess treads and sidewalls. These facets can ensure that fleets are never at risk of accidents related to improper tire maintenance.
  

• Prepare for Seasonal Changes — Commercial vehicles don’t get to hibernate when the cold weather rolls in, which means that they should get some extra-special treatment to prepare for the winter months. Prepare your fleet for winter by topping off basic fluids — especially antifreeze, washer and hydraulic fluids — and test your fleet’s batteries to ensure that they hold a proper charge under certain weather conditions. This is also the time of year to invest in new windshield wiper blades and have heating components inspected to make sure that they’ll keep your drivers safe and comfortable during snow and sleet.

• Stay Up on Recalls — As previously mentioned, a smart preventative maintenance plan should prioritize driver safety, not only for the operators of your fleet, but also for others on the road. As part of your monthly maintenance program, make sure to check regularly to make sure that there are no current safety recalls affecting any vehicles in your fleet.

Your fleet of commercial vans is vital to ensuring that goods get where they need to go with minimal hiccups or (literal) roadblocks, hence why maintaining your fleet is key. These vehicles are constantly exposed to long hours and the stress of the road, which means developing a preventative maintenance plan is key to keeping them in good working order.

Not only that, but a good plan may help lower the costs that are often associated with operation and fuel, while continuing to boost worker productivity. And, of course, ensuring that every piece and part of a vehicle works properly helps reduce liability and keeps your drivers and others on the road safe.

There are two types of vehicle maintenance that you’ll probably come across when regularly dealing with a commercial fleet: proactive (scheduled and preventative maintenance) and reactive (unexpected breakdowns and repairs). While both are pretty much inevitable at some point or another, you can reduce the amount of reactive maintenance required when you implement a good proactive maintenance plan following these tips. Proper maintenance of commercial vehicles is one of the smartest things you can do to keep employees safe and maximize every single dollar spent on transport.

• Perform an Evaluation — The first step to developing a reliable fleet maintenance plan is to assess the status of your current fleet. Develop a checklist and report for monitoring various factors on each vehicle. Make note of leaks, tire tread, fuel levels, mileage, and other important aspects through a top-to-bottom inspection. After you’ve implemented your maintenance plan, you’ll be able to update these reports periodically and compare them to evaluate how much maintenance and overhead should go into maintaining your commercial vehicles annually, monthly, or quarterly.
  
  

• Make a Schedule (And Stick to It) — A solid preventative maintenance plan starts with a good schedule. Every month, be sure to perform duties, such as topping off the engine oil and filters and checking vital components like the cooling system, engine and transmission mounts, fuel system, exhaust system, undercarriage, frame, and lights. A monthly tune-up can go a long way in preventing unnecessary breakdowns that lead to downtime and disruptions in service. At the end of the day, your main goal is to make sure that the majority of fleet maintenance is scheduled rather than unscheduled.

• Lighten Up Your Load — Another good thing you can do to ensure that you’re not putting undue stress on your fleet is to make sure that you’re paying close attention to weight limits, not just so that you’re following the law, but also to increase efficiency. A lighter load can help prevent extra strain on a vehicle while simultaneously improving fuel efficiency. But you don’t necessarily have to limit the amount of goods you’re transporting to reduce weight, you might consider investing in lighter weight products, especially those that are more durable than wood or metal.

If you need extra help to schedule the maintenance of your fleet, make sure you let us know: we have what you need! SynX Maintain is the complete maintenance system integrated by a driver app created to speed up the walkaround checks process and make it paperless. You can start a free trial of Maintain by filling out our form at our Trial Page or contact us.

We at Transpoco know how difficult it could be to manage Fleet Compliance. We work with busy fleet managers that struggle to keep track of paperwork on their vehicles - and need to deal with multiple responsibilities.

We have built a user-friendly app which speeds up the daily vehicle walkaround checks process - quick, easy and paperless.

Logging of vehicle checks via an app saves time and minimises errors. Moreover, today our driver app also has a new, fresher layout!

What's in the new Synx Driver App?

• A new, easy way to do walkaround checks: you just have to try it out yourself - sign up for our 30-days-trial to see this!
  
  
• An offline mode to allow checks to be done when mobile signal is poor (checks done while offline will be automatically saved in the History section and can be submitted once the device gets good signal back):
  
• The ability to attach pictures/photos related to defects for each check in the defect details section:
  

• Recording of the location of checks and a vehicle's odometer value:
  
• A history section saving all checks performed by the driver:

• All checks are safely recorded in SynX Walkaround and defects can be easily actioned in SynX Maintain:
  

How can I get the new Synx Driver App?

The new SynX Driver App is included with all SynX Perform and SynX Maintain packages. If you do not have access to this, get back to us and we will inform you about all the advantages - you can also start a free Maintain trial.

What do you need to do?

If you are already a regular user and need to download the new app, this first new release will not auto-update. For IOS, you can download here. For Android here.

October has been chosen by TyreSafe  (a charity established in 2006 to raise awareness on the importance of correct tyre maintenance and the dangers of defective tyres) as the tyre safety month. This initiative comes in the beginning of autumn when the nights are drawing in and temperatures are dropping. October generally sees the weather take a turn for the worse as the country braces itself for the onset of winter; and while regular tyre checks are important all year round, Tyre Safety Month takes place each October to make drivers aware of the dangers of illegal tyres and help them prepare their vehicles for winter.

According to the data forwarded by TyreSafe, around two million vehicles fail an MOT test due to tyre related issues that could be avoided if vehicles had been properly checked. While the need to carry out regular tyre checks may seem obvious, an alarming number of motorists are replacing tyres only when they have already become dangerous. If they carried out tyre checks, this avoidable safety issue could be rectified.

Still, according to the data shared, a shocking 35% of tyres are being driven at least 8psi below the vehicle manufacturers’ recommendation. Tyre pressure is key for vehicles, as it influences the way vehicles accelerate, brake and corner, but it also has a bearing on wear and tear (for every 10% a tyre is under-inflated, its wear can increase by 10%) and fuel consumption (3% more fuel used when pressure is 6 psi below recommended inflation). It has been estimated that in the UK, £600 million (around €683 million) are wasted yearly on fuel costs by British motorists driving with under-inflated tyres.

With regards to safety, tyres that have been properly checked, have the correct air pressure, with little sign of damage or tear and are correctly aligned can reduce risks to you, your fleet, your passengers and all road users. Vehicles with worn tyres exhibit greatly increased braking distances than those with ample tread (a vehicle travelling at 30mph on a wet road with 3mm of tread will stop up to 8 metres shorter than the same vehicle with 1.6mm of tread). Moreover, over the past five years there have been 5,677 casualties as a result of tyre related incidents, of which 989 people were sadly killed; that’s nearly 200 deaths every year.

Last but not least, if you are caught driving on worn or damaged tyres deemed to be illegal, you could face a fine of up to £2500 (around  €2850) and penalty points for each offense.

The tyre safety month is a good opportunity to sensitize your team to the dangers of unsafe/illegal tyres, review your tyre checks procedures or establish a tyre maintenance programme. Safe tyres can really save lives.

Tyre maintenance is not only an essential aspect of fleet maintenance that improves roadworthiness and safety, but is also, if managed in the right way, about cutting down on your fuel bills. If you are a fleet manager, you are most probably already aware that checking the tyre pressure on your fleet’s vehicles increases the safety of your drivers, but you might not be fully aware that appropriate tyre maintenance also cuts fuel consumption.

However, many cars and vans are currently operating on underinflated tyres. They are not only ignoring the benefits of maintained tyres for fuel economy purposes, but also putting drivers and other road users at high risks. There is the continual risk that a roadside inspection can force a vehicle off the road with immediate effect. A recent survey from UK charity Tyresafe states that 57% of vehicles—cars and vans—are running on underinflated tyres. The impact of skipping tyre maintenance (checking tyre tread and pressure) has been calculated and is substantial: £600m/€678.9m is spent unnecessarily on fuel because of incorrect maintenance.

When vehicles are driven with tyres that are below the recommended pressure, the risks of incident increases sharply, as well as fuel consumption. As a matter of fact, the surface of the tyre in contact with the road is cut by half when the tyre pressure is 7psi below the recommended pressure. The study by Tyresafe found that more than a third of tyres are being driven 8psi and more under the recommended pressures. Dangers arise because the vehicle is more difficult to control, particularly in wet weather. An underinflated tyre increases roll resistance, reduces the tyre tread lifespan and increases fuel consumption. In extreme cases, the tyre could even burst.

These numbers show a lack of concern from drivers and fleets regarding the dangers and the costs of underinflated tyres. We advise your drivers to check tyre pressures regularly, before every long journey and especially if vehicles are under heavier load than usual. A proper tyre pressure will decrease the risks of incident for your drivers, thus increasing general roadworthiness and helping you save money on fuel. Remember that it is an essential part of the recommended daily walkaround checklist that are both recommended by RSA/HSA of Ireland and the UK’s DVSA—so its omission might interfere with the compliance of your fleet.

Recommendations from the DVSA regarding tyres daily walkaround checks include checking as much of your tyres and wheels as you can see. There must be

• a minimum tread depth of 1.6mm
• sufficient inflation of each tyre
• no deep cuts in the sidewall
• no cord visible anywhere on the tyre
• no missing or insecure wheel-nuts

You can get three penalty points on your licence for each tyre that isn’t safe and legal.

HSA/RSA recommend that tyres are checked for

• pressure
• damage
• correct inflation
• tread depth—the tread must not be worn to the extent that the tread indicator contacts the road surface. The legal minimum tyre tread depth is 1.6mm.
• deep cuts, cracks, bulges
• evidence of carcass failure
• separated or perished rubber

Make sure you communicate with your drivers on the importance of checking tyre pressures; and if you need to streamline your fleet maintenance and walkaround checks process, SynX can definitely help. We are now offering a free 30-day trial on our SynX Maintain compliance and maintenance software (with mobile app); you can fill in the form with your details on our dedicated page and one of our fleet management experts will be in touch to set up an account.