Preventive Maintenance Saved One Fleet $42k Last Year

A 22-truck Midwest fleet handed FM Group their PM scheduling 14 months ago. We just finished the full-year breakdown. The numbers tell a clean story.

Before & After

What Changed

The owner was running PM "as needed" — code for "when something breaks." We moved every truck onto a 25,000-mile A-service / 75,000-mile B-service schedule, with quarterly DOT inspections aligned to driver home-time.

The Three Big Wins

• Fewer tow bills. $14,200 in roadside service fees disappeared because trucks weren't dying on shoulders.
• Warranty captures. We caught 6 issues during scheduled PM that were still under manufacturer warranty — issues that would have cost $9,800 out of pocket if they'd failed mid-route.
• Fuel economy. Aligned PMs include air filter, fuel filter, and DEF system checks. Fleet MPG climbed from 6.4 to 6.9, which on 2.8M annual miles is real money.

"I used to lose a Sunday a month chasing repairs. Now I get a quarterly report and a list of what's due. That's it." — Rebecca H., Operations Director

The Schedule We Run

Every fleet is different, but here is the baseline:

• A-Service (every 25k mi): Oil, oil filter, fuel filter, chassis lube, DOT-style walkaround.
• B-Service (every 75k mi): A-service items plus air filter, DEF filter, transmission fluid check, brake adjustment.
• Annual DOT (12 months): Full FMCSA Appendix G inspection, brake performance, lighting, tires.

Want this scheduled, tracked, and reported across your fleet? That's literally what our Fleet Management service does.