What makes up a service schedule

Fully booked with jobs and wondering whether your next truck service can be pushed back?  

At first glance, the short-term benefits might seem to stack up, but the long-term consequences will certainly see you in the negative. 

This blog looks at how commercial vehicle service schedules are designed and why they’re worth sticking to—the long-term health of your truck depends on it!

Calculation station 

Getting down to basics, the service schedule outlined in your owner’s manual ensures your truck is maintained in good working order as it grows older, from first service through to the next owner. 

The same as with any passenger car, services for trucks vary depending on what the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) deems necessary to check or replace at particular intervals. 

There are components that are mandatory to inspect at each service, while other services incorporate a lengthier checklist, often referred to as a major service.

One important thing to note is that a service schedule outlines a plan to inspect and test each key system or component across the span of the vehicle’s working life: from the engine to filters, radiators, drive belts, tyres, nuts and bolts and brakes (and more), through to replacing consumables like oils and lubricants. 

Completing the services included in the schedule forms an important aspect of the vehicle warranty, also potentially impacting its future resale value further down the line. 

More than meets the eye 

While it might seem like a ‘general guide,’ service intervals are generated from extensive product testing using a truck’s original parts and replacements; using genuine OEM or OEM-partner brand parts.  

For all good vehicle manufacturers, this also involves aligning it to relevant warranty data and incorporating servicing information from its local dealership network to create a full picture of the needs of Australian businesses. 

The service schedule should reflect this gathered information and data, indicating when parts should be replaced before the likelihood of them being worn down.

Breaking it down 

Every truck spends a different amount of time in operation due to geography, the industry it’s used in, or job demands. 

Vehicles that operate in harsh applications—such as waste and construction or off-road work—may require more frequent servicing and preventative maintenance. 

The OEM takes this into consideration when putting together the service schedule and its recommendations for parts replacement.  

That is why service intervals and, to a larger extent, the service schedule are based on a number of factors to maintain safe operation and optimal performance: kilometres travelled, engine hours, the duration of time between services, or a combination of these. 

For example: 

• Time-based: a local plumber may need a service every 12 months due to driving low kilometres and fewer hours with the engine operating while they’re working on site. 
• Kilometre-based: a vehicle used in freight and logistics that covers larger distances in a shorter time frame will hit the service interval milestone more quickly than the plumber above.
• Engine hours: a vehicle in constant operation for up to 12 hours a day but with low kilometres travelled, such as a concrete agitator truck, will need to adhere to the engine hour limit.

Australian trucks and most work vehicles have been fitted with engine hours on the odometer since 2008, which makes it a straightforward prospect to monitor when the next service is due. 

If you’re in any doubt about which number you should be tracking for your next service, contact your OEM dealership or authorised service and parts outlet. 

Time after time 

The goal of any service schedule is to maintain your vehicle’s performance while maximising its potential working lifespan. 

A great service schedule should also play a small part in balancing the business's total cost of vehicle ownership. Sticking to your OEM service schedule means that your truck is receiving preventative maintenance, which is far more affordable that the financial hit of emergency repairs and servicing, and the disruption of the work week.

It should give you a clear plan of when you need to book your next service and a detailed history of what work has been performed so you aren't left wondering whether enough is being done. 

It’s always worth remembering that owning a truck or any work vehicle is a long-term investment. The care you put into maintaining it will be returned by having it work for your business over the months and years ahead. 
 

How can a great truck warranty benefit your business? Take a look at this blog here.