When Does Your Fleet’s Oil Actually Need Changed?

Should you follow the manufacturer’s set schedule or not?

This is an interesting topic and one that I am sure all of us have wondered from time to time. Whether it’s our own personal vehicles or the fleet of trucks we are managing; we’ve all probably wondered if we really, truly needed that oil change that we paid for?

A vehicle with “normal” use may not need an oil change as frequently as a vehicle with “heavy duty” use. But how do you really know what’s what? As a Fleet Manager, do the same trucks go through the same type of use week in and week out? Maybe they do…but maybe they don’t.

To some, an oil change may not seem like such a big deal. It’s just something you “do.” However, when you multiply the cost of oil changes for several semi trucks that are traveling thousands and thousands of miles each month – suddenly things can add up real quick. When the numbers are multiplied like this, necessary and unnecessary oil changes really matter when it comes to the big budget picture.

Oil Life Monitors vs. Standard Maintenance Oil Changes

With oil life monitors becoming more of the industry standard, we may soon say goodbye to the standard maintenance schedules that existed in years past. Is that the right call, though?

The one big thing with standard maintenance checks is that they not only include oil changes, but also other preventative maintenance such as checking tire pressures, fuel levels, etc. Without scheduling the oil changes, often times the other routine maintenance falls by the wayside. So while the cost for oil chances may go down in an oil life monitor approach, the cost for other repairs might go up.

So what is a Fleet Manager to do?

This is where our team of technicians at Dickinson Fleet Services steps in. One of the biggest “services” that I believe we offer isn’t really a service at all. It’s peace of mind. And in all reality, this might be worth more than any service we provide.

Peace of mind for Fleet Managers is knowing that decisions like these are handled. It’s not having to pick or choose what to do. It’s knowing that you have a mobile maintenance and repair PARTNER who always has you best interests in mind. It’s KNOWING that costs are under control AND your maintenance/repair needs are covered.

Fleet Managers see the costs behind routine maintenance such as oil changes. But what they don’t realize is the amount of time spent on analyzing and stressing about those costs. Often times, it’s these hidden costs that create more issues. We help you manage your fleet’s health and your out of pocket costs through our TRAIT® and WebWrench® products.

TRAIT® was created to better connect customers with technicians. This is our proprietary Technician Reporting And Information Tool. TRAIT® enhances our technicians ability to provide consistent and quality inspections time and time again. With instant repair information being available to our customers. And then there’s WebWrench®…

WebWrench makes it easy to keep an eye on expenses helping you track and control costs. With TRAIT® and WebWrench® combined, our technicians are communicating directly with the customer on a day-in and day-out basis about the repairs that are being made along with the status of their fleet condition. This means no more being blindsided by unexpected repair costs that are way outside of budget.

If you take your truck to a dealership, you aren’t going to get a report every month with what you spent at that dealership. Using WebWrench® and TRAIT® together, Dickinson is able to provide that information not only by vehicle, but also by component. This allows us to sit down with you, our customers, on a regular basis to make the best decisions possible about the health of your fleet.

Have Questions or Need Help?

Contact us online or call 855-DFS-4111

One of the things that our client’s love is that true sense of partnership. What that means is that our technicians become a part of your team. We want as much teamwork as possible and that means our techs being empowered to working with you to make the best decisions that keep your fleet moving.

Let’s Get Rolling

A partnership that keeps you rolling. Our goal is to deliver quality service, safety and technology that works for you. We’re confident our mobile fleet repair and maintenance services can improve your fleet’s uptime and help you be more profitable.