Maintaining all your Additional Equipment...

First of all, never let cost get in the way of maintaining your equipment. The cost of a good preventive maintenance program will always pay for itself over the long run. Also, calculate how much your truck earns for you in a day. Keep this figure in mind so that you'll know just how much unproductive downtime costs you...

Most established carriers undertake their systematic fleet maintenance and repair programs based on the maintenance servicing schedule suggested by the equipment manufacturer. Indeed this is the single best piece of advice that can be provided in designing a maintenance program. The minimum schedule for regular maintenance and repair specified by the vehicle manufacturer should be followed as it will ensure better fuel mileage and a longer life for specific safety components and the equipment in general.

Many carriers have implemented regular preventative inspection and maintenance cycles which are distinguished by the scope of the inspection and depth of maintenance which is performed on the vehicle. The different inspection cycles for maintenance and repair are based on combinations of elapsed time and the kilometers traveled by the vehicle. A sample of forms which can be used to plan and implement a regular maintenance and inspection programs...

The mechanic should of course check any problems which have been reported by the driver as a result of a daily trip inspection. The vehicle may be cleaned, fluid levels will be checked and topped up during this maintenance interval. The mechanic will also be looking for obvious problems, such as leaks and signs of unusual wear on key components. This type of inspection will allow the shop to undertake immediate repair of critical or damaged components (e.g. wheels). If the problem is not serious, it can be scheduled for the vehicle’s next regular inspection. This will allow time
to order parts not in stock or, in the case of a time-consuming repair, allow for the procedure to be scheduled with the appropriate mechanic and equipment (e.g. lift or welding materials) at a later date.

A further inspection may be scheduled at six-month intervals or after 50,000 kilometers. Some carriers will time their six-month inspection to occur immediately prior to their semi or annual PMVI inspection at a government approved facility.
The obligation to inspect and maintain vehicles is ongoing. This ongoing aspect of vehicle maintenance and inspection distinguishes this standard from the PMVI standards which is in the Commercial Vehicle Manual published by Province of B.C. Commercial Vehicle Safety and Enforcement Division & ICBC (which you can download a copy of the manual on ICBC's website).

MAINTENANCE STANDARD INSTRUMENTS AND AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT

Fire Extinguishers - Where required by legislation, all commercial vehicles must be equipped with a fire extinguisher that is approved, charged and ready for use.
Hazard Warning Kit - Every vehicle shall be equipped with a hazard warning kit that contains at least three triangle reflectors (sides measure between 430 mm (17 in) and 500 mm (22 in) in length or three flares).
Clutch and Brake Pedal - If fitted, no anti-slip material shall be missing, loose or worn so as it is no longer effective.
Horn - The horn should not be missing or loose on its mounting. The activating device shall be readily accessible to the driver and when equipped, the backup alarm should be functioning as intended.
Speedometer and Odometer - The speedometer and odometer should be in good working order.
Instruments - The air pressure gauge should be operative. The vacuum gauge should be operative. The oil pressure gauge, fuel gauge, water temperature gauge, ammeter or visual warning indicators should be operative.
Indicator Lamps - The brake warning indicator, high beam indicator, turn signal indicator and hazard warning indicator
should operate in accordance with manufacturer’s specifications.
Auxiliary Equipment - All auxiliary equipment, if fitted, must be securely attached to the vehicle. If fitted with a headache rack, the rack should be securely attached to the vehicle.
First Aid Kit - All school buses and buses must be equipped with an approved and fully stocked first aid kit.

MAINTENANCE STANDARD BODY AND CHASSIS

Hood and Rear Mounted Engine Compartment Door - No hood or engine compartment door should be missing, broken or excessively worn. No primary or secondary latches should be missing, broken, seized, insecurely mounted or inoperable.
Bodies and Cabs - No body or cab should have torn metal, moulding or any component that is loose or be hazardous to passengers, persons or vehicles. No side panel should be perforated, badly corroded or have any missing or loose rivets.
The floor and/or body should not have any holes, be perforated by corrosion or cracked so as to weaken the component.
All doors should be securely attached to the body and not bind and close insecurely or have any hinges that are cracked, broken, seized or missing.
All Doors - be equipped with a lock or latch that is not worn and is capable of securing the door on both the primary and secondary latches.
Chassis Frame - member or structural member of a unitized or monocoque body should not have any visibly cracks or perforation by corrosion, or have loose or missing connecting fasteners or rivets that may degrade the safety of the vehicle or jeopardize its handling characteristics.
Chassis - the chassis body should not have body or engine mounts that are missing, loose, broken, any attaching component cracked, broken or missing or any insulator broken or badly deteriorated.
Flooring - No van type trailer or truck body should have flooring that is unsafe in such a manner that a person or
cargo could fall through.
Body Mounted Tanks - no tanker type trailer or truck body should have a tank that is loose on its mounts, leaking, cracked or severely corroded, or any hose or auxiliary equipment that is insecurely attached or a bumper that is missing.
Mounted Equipment - all trailer and truck bodies should not have any component or auxiliary equipment that is insecurely mounted.
Loading Equipment - all load securement points should not be cracked, missing or broken and any load securement equipment must function as designed.
Mounting Equipment - any vehicle mounting equipment shall be securely attached to the vehicle.
Trailer Equipment - all trailers equipped with a landing gear should have the gear securely attached to the vehicle and it
shall function as designed.
Bumpers and Under-ride Protection Devices - no bumper or under-ride protection device should be removed if equipped, mounted insecurely or have broken, bent or sharp edges that may be a hazard to people or vehicles.
Trailer Hitches - no trailer hitch or towing structure to which a trailer hitch is attached be insecurely mounted, and if mounted with bolts, should not be less than grade 8 and no part should be missing, cracked, broken, bent, seized or excessively worn.
If fitted with a No-Slack Hitch - there should be no air leakage at the chamber or lines.
Secondary Attachments - no connecting devices provided at the rear of a vehicle for the attachment of a safety chain or cable should be insecurely fastened, missing, broken or excessively worn.