Truck drivers across the country rely on their equipment to get them from Point-A to Point-B. Without properly maintained truck driving equipment, drivers wouldn’t be able to trust their trucks (and the tools that make them run) to perform at the highest levels of safety and efficiency.
Trucking equipment is a crucial, but sometimes unseen, pillar of the truck driving lifestyle and we must maintain and prioritize it accordingly. Commercial truck drivers are undoubtedly familiar with the importance of vehicle maintenance, but that doesn’t mean reiterating that importance is unnecessary.
Prioritizing Maintenance = Prioritizing Safety
When you prioritize the continued maintenance of your vehicle, you’re also prioritizing the safety of yourself and everyone you share the road with.
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), drivers should “complete a daily written post-trip inspection report at the end of each driving day.” This strategy not only helps each driver become familiar with the ins-and-outs of their vehicle but also ensures they preemptively identify and resolve issues “which could affect the safety of operation of the vehicle or result in a mechanical breakdown.”
The FMCSA also has an “Annual Vehicle Inspection Report” that provides a thorough outline of all the various pieces of truck driving equipment that need to be maintained at least once a year. This truck maintenance checklist covers things like:
- Brake Systems
- Coupling Devices
- The Exhaust System
- Fuel System
- All Lighting Devices
- Safe Loading
- The Steering Mechanism
- Suspension
- Frame
- Tires
- Wheels and Rims
- Windshield Wipers
Additionally, each of the above areas listed has several sub-sections that require check-ups and maintenance as well. For example, the FMCSA says that brake system maintenance also involves checking on the brake drums, rotors, air compressors, vacuum systems, warning devices, and more.
What Does Comprehensive Truck Maintenance Look Like?
Here at Lily Transportation, we prioritize safety in everything we do. Our fleet is exclusively comprised of brand new or late model trucks—including Kenworth, Volvo, and Freightliner trucks—that we continuously maintain and service to guarantee the safety, efficiency, and comfort of our drivers on the road. We’re proud of our equipment and we value the lives of our drivers.
We also provide our drivers with a Driver Safety Program to help ensure we’re always operating in the safest manner possible. Our program rewards drivers with Quarterly and Annual bonuses and incentives for safe operating practices and equips them with onboard safety equipment in their vehicles.
There’s no single way to prioritize the maintenance and upkeep of your truck. But there are standards and regulations in place to help keep you and everyone else on the road safe. At Lily, we walk our fleet daily and train our drivers to look for potential safety hazards which they can quickly escalate to their manager or the corporate office for repair.
If you’re a truck driver, you’ll want to drive with a company that prioritizes the maintenance of your truck equipment—it could mean the difference between life and death. With a carrier like Lily Transportation, you can be confident in your truck’s ability to get you where you need to go in a safe and timely manner.
