february2023 - 16

According to Puff, that playbook should include
a list of prearranged service providers with emergency
contact information, along with a tire
service, towing company, and mechanical repair
provider for the areas of operation.
If a vehicle can be driven to a shop, TravelCenters
of America advises that's the way to go.
" The moment you decide to try and handle
an issue at roadside, the cost goes up, " said
Daniel Mustafa, director of technical service at
TravelCenters of America, which employs nearly
3,000 technicians at its TA Truck Service Centers
across the country. That's because roadside labor
rates tend to be higher, and other costs like parts
retrieval and drive time are often added onto the
repair bill.
That said, when a vehicle can't be driven to a
shop, a fleet's choice becomes roadside repair
versus a costly tow.
Most common roadside repairs
While a vehicle could go down for a long list of
reasons, there are a handful that are the most
common for fleets. Matt Copot, VP of maintenance
at Transervice Logistics, a provider of
freight management, fleet leasing, and contract
maintenance services, said the top four roadside
issues they encounter are:
ÜTires
ÜBrakes (lines and fittings, gladhands, chambers)
ÜCranking system (jumpstarts, batteries, starters)
ÜExhaust system (aftertreatment devices, SCR)
Interestingly, the first two items on Copot's list
are identical to the top two reasons commercial
vehicles are placed out of service in the U.S. The
silver lining is that many of the safety issues caught
at the roadside can be resolved there as well.
" The fleet has three options: fix it, float it, or
tow it, " said Kerri Wirachowsky, director of inspection
programs at the Commercial Vehicle Safety
Alliance (CVSA). Fixing it largely comes down
to what exactly needs fixing, but also where the
vehicle has been pulled over.
" When I used to do inspections and had someone
at a fixed scale location, the technicians
doing roadside work seemed to have every piece
» As is the case with out-of-service violations,
tires are one of the top causes of roadside
breakdowns among commercial fleets.
Transervice
of equipment known to man, " Wirachowsky said.
" They could do spring jobs and repair leaking
wheel seals and just about anything. But when
you're at the side of the road, fixing an air hose
16 Fleet Maintenance | February 2023
» Cox Automotive Mobility Fleet Services
operates more than 750 mobile service trucks
to provide emergency maintenance across
the country. Cox Automotive also provides
towing and asset recovery services.
Cox Automotive Mobility Fleet Services
or adjusting brakes is one thing. Doing a wheelend
job? Not so much. In that case, the fleet would
typically want to have it towed. "
Wirachowsky said there are other instances
where a fleet may choose to have the vehicle
towed to a shop. If the truck isn't too far from a
shop, it could prove to be more cost-effective to
have it towed a short distance so the vehicle can
be repaired under a roof. But if the nearest shop is
nowhere close, the fleet could be looking at a hefty
tow bill in addition to the repair bill. Calling an
emergency roadside service may be the best option.
Sizing up the service call
Once the vehicle is parked safely and the emergency
equipment deployed to alert motorists, the
driver should do their best to identify the exact
nature of the defect. This will help dispatch determine
the best road service response to call in.
" If it's a tire blowout, a tire provider could be
called, " Copot said. It is helpful if the driver can
identify the size of the tire and the proper wheel
position. " Equally important is informing the
road call service if the wheel has been damaged
so they can dispatch the parts necessary to repair
or replace. "
As a followup, remember that if the wheel end
is taken off for a repair, a torque check should be
performed 50 to 100 miles down the road.
" Improper installation will typically result in
torque loss shortly after the vehicle has returned
february2023

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