Ray Pigott Depending on your business model and where your business is at, your company cars might vary in number and type. One thing that needs to happen for all startups and small businesses is the care and maintenance of company vehicles.
Every startup business needs to consider the best fleet maintenance from the start. Good care will improve the performance of your company cars and will keep them running for longer while reducing your overheads in the long-term.
Keep A Car Maintenance Checklist
Whether you have just one car for you to drive, or you own a fleet of cars for your employees, they’re a business asset and need to be taken care of. Keep a checklist for each vehicle and make sure that anyone who drives goes through the checklist on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis (depending on the list), and submit the document to the right department on time. Your checklists might include vehicle condition, function checks, and fuels and lubricants.
On-Time Service
Make sure that your business vehicles are serviced on a regular basis. It’s especially important to get services done on time during hotter weather, as cars need frequent service checks because of overexerted air conditioners and batteries. Oil checks and the status of the belt and battery are important to prevent accidents in the future.
Tire Maintenance
Commercial vehicles are used more than personal cars, so their tires will need a lot more care. Have the tires of your business vehicles rotated, and that they’re not worn out. This is most needed during the summer season, so don’t skip it.
Park In The Shade
It’s the best idea to park your company car and other vehicles for your business in the shade. Use underground or covered car parks, or in any shaded area. If you can’t find a shaded area to park in, you should buy durable car covers for your company fleet.
Car covers are useful for when you can’t park in the shade but are also a good way to protect the car and minimize the cost and time of cleaning the exterior of the car. Car covers can also help to prevent unsightly dents, dings, and scratches. They can act as a theft deterrent, as nobody can see what model the car is, and act as a barrier between the car’s paint and potential damage from the weather.
Ban Pressurized Items
Make sure that anyone who drives any of your company vehicles, whether they’re cars, delivery vans, or trucks, follow all the needed safety standards. Make sure they know not to keep anything like lighters, perfume bottles, air fresheners, or other pressurized items in the vehicle. Items like this can be really dangerous, especially during hot weather, as heat can cause them to explode.
Keep Emergency Items
Every car you use should have an emergency kit in it, including a flashlight, flares, highway triangles, first-aid kit, and jumper cables. Carry extra clothes, paper towels, washer fluid, tools, bungee cords, and accident forms, just in case.
