When it comes to managing repair and replacement costs as well as fuel efficiency, maintenance plays a crucial role in saving money. While most maintenance concerns are addressed through the shop, there are plenty of things that can be done outside the shop to reduce spending, including utilizing driver education and downtime mitigation solutions.

Below are nine ways to reduce maintenance costs outside of the work truck shop:

Seasoned drivers and newcomers alike need to be a part of ongoing training and driver education to keep costs low. Trucking is an ever-changing and evolving industry. New technologies make old practices obsolete, and it can literally pay to educate drivers about the latest tools to use in order to reduce waste and save money.

In many cases, truck maintenance concerns are noticed first by drivers since they are the ones most intimately involved in the day-to-day process of operating a rig. As a result, now would be a good time to implement a driver reporting program that encourages and potentially rewards drivers for regular inspections and fast reporting of maintenance issues.

In addition to relying on driver education and driver reporting, you can also rely on the truck reporting problems itself by incorporating telematic technologies. These technologies can pass along valuable data to your fleet management staff that can alert you of potential problems before they become an expensive mess.

Since truckers now have access to communications through mobile devices from virtually anywhere, consider utilizing mobile technologies to reduce downtime through more efficient logistics. You can also gain faster access to driver reporting of maintenance concerns by setting up an online portal that can be accessed through a driver app. This is also where driver education comes in handy to ensure everyone is able to easily access important mobile tools.

Maintenance usually requires a truck to be out of service, and while out of service, you’re not making money. Because of this, it’s important to look for ways to reduce downtime anywhere you can, including by partnering with dedicated maintenance professionals around the country who can fix problems fast and get your fleet back up and running quickly while a driver is far from your home base.

Prevention is often the key to avoiding costly repairs, so you’re encouraged to create a preventative maintenance strategy (PM strategy) that addresses potential problems before they come up. By taking a little time daily, weekly, monthly and yearly, a PM strategy is likely to save money on bigger maintenance concerns in the future. When creating your PM strategy, you can also take into account the age of the truck, its driving conditions and your future needs in order to get the most for your time and money.

Alternative fuels have come a long way in recent decades. Today’s alternatives include natural and synthetic blends that can not only improve engine performance, but they can also potentially extend the life of important engine components. As electric vehicle technology continues to advance, you may also consider looking into electric as an alternative or add-on fuel source to save on maintenance costs.

As a trucking professional, you already know that not all vehicles are designed for all road conditions. In the trucking industry, selecting the right parts and specing the right units for the job can go a long way in reducing wear and extending usage. Whether you’re planning on adding to your fleet or you’re currently evaluating your existing trucks, consider evaluating specs with your logistics team to designate different vehicles for different routes.

Finally, take a look at your fleet and its average duty life expectations. You may not realize that your drivers are currently piloting trucks that are past their prime and may be more prone to developing high-cost maintenance concerns. This should also be a consideration when purchasing new vehicles in planning for the long-term. You can also incorporate an evaluation into your PM strategy for added efficiency.