13 questions you should be asking any maintenance provider

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Channellock 830 Adjustable WrenchWhen considering a third-party maintenance provider, Rick Tapp, maintenance manager for Paccar Leasing Company (PacLease), suggests asking vendors these questions:

  • What current technology is employed in your shop to service the brand of vehicle being operated?
  • Do you have qualified technicians and service facilities that match up well to the distribution centers where we have trucks domiciled?
  • Can I experience the expected service on a trial basis?
  • Does your shop hours fit my schedule for when I am on the road and when my trucks are available for service?
  • What other services can you provide – fuel tax reporting, fuel purchasing, over-the-road emergency repairs, tire programs?
  • What experience do you have working on my truck models and brands of equipment?
  • What are your technician training levels and tenure?
  • Do you have factory training and certifications, or ASE certifications?
  • Do you have mandatory training requirements?
  • What diagnostic tools do you have available in your shops?
  • What are my expected wait times to get into the shop for diagnosis or repairs for scheduled and unscheduled repairs?
  • Do you track when my services are due and notify me or do I need to contact you?
  • What are your standard service intervals and how does that coincide with the schedules and duty cycles of my equipment?’
Jason Cannon has written about trucking and transportation for more than a decade and serves as Chief Editor of Commercial Carrier Journal. A Class A CDL holder, Jason is a graduate of the Porsche Sport Driving School, an honorary Duckmaster at The Peabody in Memphis, Tennessee, and a purple belt in Brazilian jiu jitsu. Reach him at [email protected].Â