13 questions you should be asking any maintenance provider

When 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?’