W ' ith a 10-pit central workshop that opens 24 hours
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a day, seven clays a week, and employs 60 fitters, ERF distributor S Jones is well-equipped to offer contract maintenance. The Aldridge, West Midlands site looks after I 00 trucks and trailers daily—Wincanton is among its customers—and handles all makes of vehicle.
It offers a collection and delivery service, and will maintain ancillary equipment, including refrigeration units. IIalso boasts a four--bay paint shop. Contract maintenance accounts for up to 40% of its throughput, but although it will tackle vans, it's not prepared to look after cars, forklifts or plant. That's something which an operator contemplating shutting his own workshop and putting his fleet maintenance out to contract should keep in mind. In-house workshops frequently have responsibilities other than keeping the truck fleet an the road.
S Jones has drawn up its own programme, which can be extended to include accident repair, replacement tyres and the can of a replacement vehicle.
Whatever level of service you specify
can be covered by a single monthly payment, which helps forward budgeting. Large Fleet operators can even have an S Jones fitter present every morning when trucks are about to depart to ensure that any last-minute problems (flat batteries, broken headlights and so on) are speedily dealt with. S Jones argues that the growing need for expensive diagnostic equipment and better-trained technicians—it has at least four of its fitters away on a training course every week, and runs its own apprenticeship scheme—will force many in-house workshops to shut down. Many hauliers worry, however, that if they go this route they'll be at the mercy of the franchised dealer who may start to jack up his prices.
One saving any transport company which takes the subcontract route will make immediately is in waste disposal. Waste oil, used filters, old tyres, spent batteries and so on, have to he disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner, which will probably involve enlisting the services of a registered waste carrier; and although some waste has a cash value, there's usually a charge for carting rubbish away.