february2023 - 17

to service, " noted Kevin Rohlwing, SVP of training
at the Tire Industry Association. " A simple torque
check down the road after tire service will help
ensure that nothing is loose and prevent wheel-off
accidents from happening. "
Aside from tires, there are many other roadside
repairs that are well within a good roadside
service provider's grasp.
" Our mobile technicians are some of the most
well-rounded technicians in the industry, " said
Larry Fowler, fleet service manager for Cox
Automotive Mobility Fleet Services, a nationwide
provider of scheduled and unscheduled maintenance
for fleets. " Mobile technicians do not have
the luxury of being a specialist. They are experienced
and trained in all aspects of truck repair
and see a full variety each day. "
To that point, Fowler said Cox's mobile services
include basic PMs like fluid and filter changes, but
also transmission, differential, and exhaust filter
services, as well as overhead engine adjustments.
Of course, there could be instances where roadside
service is likely not an option. Like with tire
blowouts, the driver should relay all necessary
information to dispatch so the appropriate next
steps can be identified.
" If there is a mechanical situation, the driver
should investigate and take note of any details
they may have noticed prior to the breakdown
that would indicate the severity of the failure, "
Copot explained.
For instance, if the driver noticed a loud bang
and an immediate loss of power and oil coming out
of the exhaust stack, that would be indicative of a
turbo failure. " In this case, it's highly unlikely that
a road call would be able to repair. The best remedy
would be to call for a tow truck, " Copot said.
Technician safety is another consideration.
Mustafa said TA Truck Service mobile technicians
typically avoid top-of-trailer repairs at
roadside due to risks created by traffic and wind
gusts. " But that doesn't mean we wouldn't look
at making that type of repair if the vehicle were
parked safely in a parking lot or something like
that, " Mustafa added.
TA Truck Service technicians also refrain from
attempting roadside repairs when the repair itself
may render the vehicle unstable. " An example
would be an air spring or airbag replacement, "
Mustafa related. " If the vehicle is made unstable
by removing its support, passing traffic could make
the vehicle rock which puts the technician at risk. "
Coordinating the call
Regardless of which roadside solution is chosen,
good communication is vital to ensuring an expedient
resolution. Calling a service provider's 24/7
emergency hotline has been the go-to method for
years. Now, digital connectivity is enabling new
methods of communication that can make the
entire process more convenient and efficient.
For example, Continental's TrukFix app allows
fleets to submit tire-related service issues to
Continental's Tire Support Unit (TSU). This eliminates
any potential wait times when calling the
24/7 emergency call center.
" We now use the TrukFix app 99% of the time as
opposed to calling, " said Brian Rigg, fleet service
Equipping an emergency
roadside service vehicle
When deciding how to equip
an emergency roadside
service vehicle, start with
the most common reasons
as to why a service vehicle
is called out in the first
place: tires, brakes, fuel,
coolants, batteries, and
aftertreatment systems.
" Our trucks are equipped
with an all-in-one unit that
includes a compressor,
jumpstart unit, and generator,
all powered by a
gas engine that pulls fuel
from the same tank that
fuels the truck, " said Daniel
Mustafa, director of technical
service at TravelCenters
of America. " We also
have a 30- to 40-gallon
fuel tank with a pump. "
TA's mobile service trucks
are especially geared
toward tire-related service.
That's why they're also
equipped with a mobile tire
cage, as well as common
tire-servicing tools such
as 1 " impacts, tire sockets,
valve stems, and plugs.
Blaine Brothers follows
the same general rules,
with starting units, air
compressors, and fluids
on each mobile maintenance
truck or van.
" For radiator hoses or belts,
we will figure out the part
numbers and bring the
correct,or as-close-to-correct,
parts as we can, " said
Mike Lamphier, a tow dispatcher
at Blaine Brothers.
" Sometimes we bring multiple
parts just in case, so we
can get them back on the
road as fast as possible. "
For issues related to aftertreatment
systems, Blaine
will likely tow the truck
to one of its shops, but
the service tech will grab
appropriate diagnostic tools
to verify the fault codes.
Because they offer trailer
repairs as well, such as
to liftgates, the vans will
be equipped with welding
equipment, too.
But there are other types of
repairs a roadside service
vehicle may also be called
upon to do. In those more
specialized instances, it may
make more sense to simply
grab any unique tools, parts,
or supplies at the time the
service call comes in.
Matt Copot, VP of maintenance
at Transervice,
believes that a reliable
emergency service truck
should be equipped with the
following core equipment:
* Air compressor
* Starting device
* Welder
* Torches
* Air lines
* Jacks and jack stands
* Impact guns and sockets
TA Truck Service has begun
testing more cordless, lithium-ion
battery-powered
hand tools. Untethered
tools are ideal in a mobile
application like roadside.
" We've used some cordless
one-inch impacts that you
can take truck tires off
with, " Mustafa said. Due to
the solid performance of a
lot of these tools, TA Truck
Service is likely to begin
purchasing more of them
throughout 2023. " That will
help take some of the load
off of the compressor while
also making the technician a
bit faster and more efficient
by eliminating the need to
wheel out all of that airline. "
Aside from tools, Copot said
emergency service trucks
should be stocked with the
same essential shop supplies
as a service facility:
* Fuel
* Starting fluids
* Penetrating fluid
* Coolant
* Greases
* Motor oils
* Shop rags
* Spill containment kits
* Scan tools and/or laptops
Finally, an emergency
service truck could be
stocked with commonly
needed parts, including:
* Headlights, stoplights, turn
lamps, mid turn lamps,
and clearance lights
* Airlines
* Seven-way ABS cords
* Various air valves
* Brake shoes and drums
* Leaf springs
* Air bags
* U-bolts
* Overhead door rollers/
hinges, roller door cables,
and swing door hinges
* Diamond plate patches
for floor holes
* Sheet metal for roof
and sidewall patches
How a mobile service truck
is stocked is ultimately up
to the service provider. The
objective is to get to the
scene of the breakdown as
quickly as possible and to
have the items necessary
to resolve the issue. -GW
center manager for Trimac Transportation, a
Canadian-based bulk carrier with more than
140 branches across North America. " The TrukFix
app is very simple and user-friendly. The other
nice thing is that the form you fill out makes sure
all of the important information is gathered so
Continental can figure out the best thing to do. "
For many larger fleets, including Trimac, the internal
process is for the driver to call their dispatch.
Dispatch follows the form in the TrukFix app to
ask the driver a series of questions. After typing
in the information the driver conveys, dispatch
clicks to submit the request to Continental, which
then reviews the information and identifies the
exact location of the vehicle through GPS tracking.
The appropriate course of action is taken from
there. " A case number is also provided should any
follow-up calls be needed later, " Rigg added.
According to Kaitlyn Landreth, TSU supervisor
at Continental Tires the Americas, TSU staff often
don't even have to speak with a dispatcher. The key
is having an app that is thorough and easy to use.
" When we initially began creating the TrukFix
app, we took a deep dive into not only the information
we needed to provide a service technician, but
also the information our fleet customers wanted
February 2023 | FleetMaintenance.com
17
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february2023

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