8 Tips to Prepare Your Fleet for Winter

8 Tips to Prepare Your Fleet for Winter

An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure. The same is true for service fleet vehicles in the winter. Preparing your fleet before winter arrives can help avoid emergency repairs, reduce downtime, and keep drivers safer in difficult conditions.

Whether you manage one vehicle or several hundred, these winter fleet maintenance tips can help your vehicles stay ready for cold weather.

• Tires: Make sure tires are inflated to the correct pressure and suited to your geography and conditions. Proper pressure supports safety and can also help reduce fuel costs. Check tread depth before vehicles are driving through rain, sleet, or snow.
• Fluids: Check and top off engine coolant, power steering fluid, brake fluid, windshield washer fluid, and other critical fluids before harsh winter weather hits.
• Fuel: Keep the fuel tank at least half full, especially on larger trucks. Water vapor can collect in the bottom of the tank and may cause starting problems in freezing conditions.
• Battery: Cold temperatures can reduce battery performance. Have batteries checked, keep contacts free of corrosion, and consider replacement if a battery is more than three years old.
• Oil: Make sure each vehicle is using the right motor oil viscosity for cold-weather operation. Check the owner’s manual for the recommended viscosity in freezing temperatures.
• Belts, hoses, and lines: Inspect vehicle belts, hoses, and lines for wear and tear. Replace belts that show fraying or cracking before they create a roadside breakdown.
• Heater and defroster: Check heater elements and defrosters to make sure they work properly before drivers need them in winter conditions.
• Idling policy: Be clear about when drivers should turn vehicles off and when idling is acceptable for safety, comfort, or operating needs.

Use GPS Fleet Tracking During Winter Operations

GPS fleet tracking can help teams manage winter operations with better visibility into vehicle location, route activity, idling, speeding, and maintenance needs. From a web-enabled device, managers can see where vehicles are, where they are headed, and how they are being used.

As winter approaches, a little preparation can help reduce downtime, improve safety, and keep service commitments on track. For more information on fleet management and cost-saving opportunities, talk to a Zonar specialist.