Fleet Maintenance magazine

Pre- and post-trip inspections are key to roadway safety for fleets, and the driver vehicle inspection reports resulting from these inspections are required by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. But how to make sure these reports translate to the maintenance department as seamlessly as possible is another matter altogether. For Maletis Beverage, electronic DVIRs are the solution for their 80 straight trucks and trailers. “All reported defects go straight to our mechanics, and most can be repaired within 24 hours, so those daily inspections help us keep repair costs and downtime to a minimum,” said Mick Peckham, Maletis warehouse specialist. “When small issues can be quickly identified and resolved before becoming major and/or costly fixes, our fleet is up and operating, and we can keep lost profit to a minimum.” When selecting digital inspection provider, flexibility is a critical feature, especially for mixed fleets. Compatibility with a fleet's other systems and workflows is also important, as that can streamline how maintenance departments create work orders. For more on creating custom inspection reports, see below.  #truckingindustry #inspections #safety Seth Skydel

When we asked around at #TMCSuperTech in September, only a few technicians were familiar with Vehicle Maintenance Reporting Standards (VMRS) codes and use it with some regularity. This could be due to how VMRS is included in many fleet maintenance software systems. “Our work order lines are based on VMRS, however, our system is set up so that you don’t have to know the VMRS code,” said Jessica McAllister, lead technician at Hogan Transportation Companies' Truck Leasing business. “When adding a line, we can either type in the component code if we know it, or we can just search by keyword. We then pick the work accomplished code such as ‘adjust’ or ‘replace,’ and then the line is generated to the work order.” But for those looking to implement VMRS codes, keep in mind that while the technology doesn't require a lot of instruction and practice, it will take some training to implement. Having physical reference charts will help with this, as will having a local 'expert' in VMRS in your shop. For more on how to integrate VMRS codes into your shop, see below. #technology #truckingindustry #VMRS Lucas Roberto

Christopher Purcell, a technician based out of Rush Truck Centers Truck – Atlanta was crowned the All-Around Rodeo Champion at Rush Enterprises, Inc's 19th Tech Skills Rodeo. As a reward, Purcell took home $18,500 in prizes and cash. W.M. "Rusty" Rush, the company's CEO and president, said that these kind of rewards are only fitting for their critical workforce. “I truly feel that I understand and respect the technicians,” Rush said. “For me, this is just showing that respect for what I believe drives [the company].” For more on the competition and the technicians who participated, see below. https://shorturl.at/lpwXu #technician #rushenterprises Alex Keenan

WrenchWay recently released its 2025 Voice of the Technician Report, and the results aren't good. The survey collected responses from 2,600 technicians and 300 students in the auto, collision, and diesel sectors, and reportedly, only 60% responded positively regarding their compensation or career path options. “I would have hoped we made some improvements, but it's red all over the board…so that's a little scary,” said Matthew Shepanek, VP of credential testing programs for ASE - National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence, a former tech with several years working as an OE technical trainer. “Some of it is such low-hanging fruit—things like communication. These aren't really difficult things to implement as a manager in the shop." For diesel technicians, only 32% of respondents said their shop management communicates well, a 11% decrease from last year. George Arrants, the VP of ASE Education Foundation, noted that a lot of these issues can be addressed with a shift in workplace culture. For more granular insights from the report and industry perspectives on how to change this state of affairs, see below. #truckingindustry #technician #workculture

Although he started as a welder, Dave Forgie, VP of maintenance for Leonard's Express, has climbed to the top and is now a source of "near limitless knowledge" said Elizabeth Wyre, the shop manager for Leonard's New Castle, Delaware location. And now, Forgie makes it part of his job to pass that knowledge on. He uses his position to make sure his employees have the training and knowledge they need to succeed. "It helps your job become easier when the people beneath you feel empowered to make the decisions,” said Forgie. “Don’t be scared to make a decision." To see how Forgie encourages ongoing education and training for his employees, see his Overachiever nomination below. #truckingindustry #overachiever #leadership #maintenance John Hitch

It takes a village to run a single truck, let alone a fleet. Justin Perry, Marathon Petroleum Corporation's maintenance coordinator and our Support Overachiever, knows this better than most, given that he handles many of that village's duties himself. Sam McCullough, asset reliability manager for Marathon, said Perry handles everything spec'ing to trading out, so that his work covers almost all maintenance and equipment operations, including warranty work. “One of my main focuses is making sure that we capture as much warranty as possible, since we have a pretty good life cycle replacement strategy,” Perry explained. This means he usually reviews repair orders to look for any missed opportunities, then submits policy requests to dealers. For more on how Perry supports Marathon Petroleum, see below. #truckingindustry #overachiever #warranty John Hitch

Mobile maintenance technicians are like the EMTs of the trucking industry, and Cox Automotive Inc. EMS tech Sean Wilkin treats his job with the same amount of gravitas as our Mobile Overachiever. “Sean is always ready to run, and his willingness to help others is something to be commended,” said his manager Daniel Fuimaono, who added Wilkin is often at the top when it comes to monthly completed calls. Not only is Wilkin ready to drop whatever he's doing at a moment's notice, but he also helps train new hires, too. To read more about his nomination, see below. #Truckingindustry #maintenance #mobilemaintenance #overachiever John Hitch

Having a good leader can make or break anyone's experience at a job, which is why the technicians at CPS Energy are lucky to have the Supervisor Overachiever Hector Varela at the helm. A CPS technician for 22 years before he transitioned to a leadership role, Varela has helped his team achieve a 100% on-time rate for aerial boom inspections and state inspections, and increased his shop's PM compliance rate to over 84%. “He was a high-performing mechanic and has used his hard work and determination to now become a high-performing leader that many of our mechanics aspire to become once it is their time,” said Bo Villarreal, CAFM, fleet operations supervisor at CPS’s Southwest Service Center. To read more about Varela's nomination (and his mouth-watering BBQ) see below. #truckingindustry #supervisor #overachiever

Night shift technicians can be unsung heroes of a shop, toiling away in the evening when others head home for dinner. But through their efforts, they can “make the deadlines a little easier, because we had a couple extra hours to be able to finish a drop instead of ‘Well, now it’s gotta wait till tomorrow,'" said Eric Gustavus, the fixed operations dealer trainer for Truck Country. Truck Country dealerships, depending on the location, run night shifts starting at 2:30 p.m., 3 p.m., or 4 p.m., with these technicians serving as the 'clean up crew' for the day shift and handling breakdown issues such as check engine lights and PM services. For more on how two shops handle their second shifts, see below. #truckingindustry #technician #management

Everyone needs teachers to learn the ins and outs of their job, whether that teacher is in a vocational school, an on-the-job mentor, or handles onboarding trainings. Joe Russo, who helps run quality inspections and training for the Fairfax County Government's Department of Vehicle Services, has filled this role for over 200 technicians in 2024, which is why he's Fleet Maintenance's Trainer Overachiever. According to Russo, his goal is to be “able to explain [topics] to somebody and not confuse them, and not get out over my skis.” See below to read all about Russo's nomination and his work to keep technicians informed. #truckingindustry #technician #training #overachiever John Hitch