Scheduled maintenance and wear
The vehicles used on construction sites work in conditions that affect the mechanical components and the wear of the components themselves: think of dirt paths, dust, abrasive materials and heavy loads, all elements that accelerate the wear of brakes, suspensions, tires and filters. This is why it is unthinkable to manage a fleet of vehicles without planning scheduled maintenance.
It is an essential tool for containing costs, because it aims to intervene regularly on all parts subject to deterioration and consequently reduces the probability of sudden breakdowns, which in addition to entailing greater expenses, also paralyze operational activities.
For an organization of this type it is necessary to define precise checklists, based on the number of hours of use, the average routes and the type of load transported. A fleet used mainly in urban areas, for example, has different needs compared to vehicles that move daily on uneven terrain.
Added to this is extraordinary maintenance, i.e. that which is necessary when the vehicle works in extreme conditions. For this reason, targeted interventions on suspensions, braking systems and electrical components allow the life of the vehicle to be significantly extended.
Consumption, routes and loads
Another way to reduce management costs involves route planning. It consists of avoiding repetitive or poorly functional journeys, so as to lower consumption and limit wear. Companies that operate on multiple construction sites should define a system for assigning vehicles that avoids unnecessary travel, to concentrate interventions while reducing costs and consumption.
The same goes for loads. For example, on construction sites it often happens that a van is used to transport material in excess of the vehicle’s capacity, increasing consumption and risks. More careful management of weight distribution, based on the actual needs of the construction site, allows the impact on the engine and suspension to be reduced.
Finally, from an organizational point of view, many companies aim to implement digital registers to monitor the use of vehicles, mileage, scheduled interventions and unforeseen events that have occurred. This approach allows you to have a real overview of management costs and to identify any inefficiencies or sources of savings.
