Too many small carriers run their maintenance programs off hope and memory. And let’s be honest—that’s not a strategy. That’s a liability.
Waiting until something breaks costs more than just money. It costs downtime, lost loads, and sometimes even your reputation. The worst part? Most of it’s avoidable. The problem isn’t that fleets don’t believe in preventive maintenance—it’s that they don’t have a system that gets followed, week after week, month after month.
This article is not about building a pretty spreadsheet or buying fancy software. It’s about building a preventive maintenance calendar that works in the real world. One that keeps trucks moving, drivers safe, and your business out of trouble.
Let’s break it down.
Step 1 – Know Your Maintenance Intervals Like You Know Your Fuel Price
Every truck in your fleet has manufacturer-recommended maintenance intervals. But real-world trucking doesn’t always match the manual.
Don’t rely solely on OEM schedules. Instead, build a baseline schedule around (example below):
- Oil and filter changes every 15,000 to 25,000 miles, depending on engine type
- Tire rotations and inspections every 50,000 miles
- Brake inspections every 3 months
- DOT-level inspections every quarter
- Full PM service (fluids, belts, hoses, filters) every 25,000 to 30,000 miles
- Reefer unit service every 600 hours (if applicable)
Match these intervals to actual mileage and usage data from your ELDs or telematics. If you’re not already tracking these, you’re flying blind.
Step 2 – Create a Rolling 12-Month Calendar, Not a “Set It and Forget It” Plan
Most fleets fail here.
They print out a maintenance schedule in January, then never update it again. By March, it’s already off track. Trucks move. Loads change. Breakdowns happen.
Instead, build a rolling calendar that updates every month. Here’s how:
- Start with your truck list—unit numbers, VINs, current mileage, and last PM date
- Plug in due dates for each major service type
- Assign windows, not hard dates. For example, “Week of July 8” instead of “July 10”
- Review monthly during your operations or dispatch meetings
- Adjust based on usage—if a truck ran heavy miles this month, move its PM up
This way, your calendar stays alive. You’re not guessing or reacting. You’re planning and adjusting.
Step 3 – Make It Visual and Accessible
If your maintenance schedule lives on one person’s desktop, it’s already failing.
Your calendar needs to be visual, shared, and accessible to your entire ops and dispatch team. Not just the mechanic. Not just the owner.
Use something your team already checks—like:
- A shared Google Calendar with color-coded events by truck
- A Trello board with cards for each unit
- Your TMS, if it supports maintenance workflows
- Even a whiteboard in the shop if you’re still running lean
Each truck should have a visible service window. If a unit’s PM is coming up next week, your dispatcher should already be planning to rotate it out. If it’s overdue, there’s no excuse—everyone should see it.
Step 4 – Tie Preventive Maintenance to Dispatch and Driver Pay
Want to make sure your PM calendar actually gets used?
Tie it to your dispatch process.
No truck should be booked on a multi-day load if it’s due for service in two days. Period.
Train your dispatcher to check the calendar before booking. Build PM windows into the load plan. A truck in for maintenance isn’t “down”—it’s being protected.
Better yet, tie it to driver performance.
Drivers should complete post-trip inspections that feed into your PM calendar. If they’re consistently submitting DVIRs and helping you spot issues early, that’s worth tracking—and rewarding.
And if they’re ignoring warning signs or skipping reports, you need to know that too. Maintenance is a team sport. Everyone’s got a role to play.
Step 5 – Log Everything, From the First Oil Change to the Last Tire Recap
It’s not preventive maintenance if you can’t prove it.
Create a log for every unit. Track:
- Service dates
- Mileage/hours at service
- What was performed
- Who did the work (in-house or vendor)
- Cost of service
Use this data to spot trends. Is one truck eating brakes every 50K miles? Is another constantly blowing hoses? Patterns tell stories—and let you plan better.
If the DOT walks in or you go through an audit, having clean, complete maintenance records shows you’re serious about safety. That’s a competitive advantage in this market.
Step 6 – Schedule Reviews Like You Schedule Oil Changes
The final piece is accountability.
Every month, review your PM calendar. Ask:
- What got done?
- What got missed?
- Why was it missed?
- What trucks are coming due next month?
These reviews don’t need to be long. 15 minutes in your weekly ops meeting is enough. But they must happen.
Treat your PM program like a load that needs to be delivered on time. Because in a way, it is.
Real-World Example – TTN Joins The Long Haul to Discuss Maintenance
@Fleet Maintenance, DPF Nightmares & Towing Scams: What Every Small Carrier Needs to Know
Final Word
Preventive maintenance isn’t just about avoiding repairs. It’s about running a business that’s built to last.
When you build a PM calendar that’s visible, flexible, and tied to dispatch, you don’t just protect your trucks—you protect your reputation, your bottom line, and your ability to grow.
Start small. Start simple. But start now.
One truck. One calendar. One system that gets used.
That’s how strong fleets stay in the game.
