6 Commercial Motor recently highlighted the alarming
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trend for trucks and trailers to fail the annual Vehicle Inspectorate test. It's a pattern that has seen the failure rate rise for the third successive year. Disturbingly, 21% of the trucks that failed were less than 12 months old. Clearly this rising trend of failures must be halted and reversed—but how?
Contract maintenance is one possible answer. Operators pay a fixed amount to cover key maintenance tasks that are structured around the operators haulage commitments, Usualiy, a contract maintenance package includes both mechanical and electrical components. Contract maintenance is not an instant cure—trucks won't suddenly be transformed into shining examples of VI-test roadworthiness. However, a contract maintenance package does represent a statement by the operator that he or she is committed to maintaining high standards. The provision of maintenance means that leasing companies can assist hauliers in meeting their legal obligations. The truck's cab is a driver's place of work, so a haulier still needs to make daily inspections to ensure correct operational standards are met. But should there be an accident, possibly with loss of fife, a maintenance contract could help in any corporate manslaughter defence because it demonstrates the operator has taken clear steps to provide a safe, roadworthy vehicle.
Simply taking out contract maintenance is not enough to exclude an operator from liability. For the service provider to perform maintenance contract duties the vehicle must be made available so the service work can be carried out. Good intentions on an operator's part do not make a vehicle roadworthy—only strict adherence to the servicing schedule does that. It's not just a case of ticking the correct box; contract maintenance requires a proactive customer response to make it effective, So it's important for an operator to understand both the benefits, and the responsibilities, that are implicit with a maintenance contract.
While maintaining high operational safety standards is one of the key objectives of contract maintenance, it's also part of a service to maintain high standards all round. A contract maintenance programme will replace worn parts and carry out the appropriate servicing, but that doesn't mean an operator can justify driver abuse through poor driving standards. If a pattern emerges where abuse is suspected the issue will require rectification. A contract maintenance agreement is not a substitute for properly trained and competent drivers.
It's also not an excuse for vehicle neglect, especially if contract maintenance forms part of the truck's overall leasing package. After all, the dealership or servicing agent will only see the vehicle when it is in the servicing bay. The operator should inspect the vehicle every day and if any item is discovered that requires remedial work, the vehicle should be booked in for immediate attention. Additionally, the driver should log all defects so that they can be actioned by the responsible dealer at the next service.
Besides meeting the operator's legal obligations, at the end of the hire period any leasing company will have fair wear and return standards. These are there to protect what remains the leasing company's asset—the truck—and its secondary life in the used market place. But to achieve a fair resale value the leasing company expects it to be returned in a suitable condition, otherwise it will levy charges to cover refurbishment costs. A contract maintenance agreement might assist in maintaining high standards for a truck, but it's not a substitute for them; broken lights or glass still require replacement; accident damage will necessitate repair.
The underlying issue, however, remains the maintenance of quality standards, and safety standards in particular. A contract maintenance agreement means a service provider has an undertaking with the operator to maintain the truck in a high standard of repair. But it means the operator is required to maintain standards, too. The common aim must be to improve safety levels, both for the driver and for the public. And on that issue, surely we should all be pushing in the same direction.