Over the years, I have been meticulous about servicing my truck/trailer and other equipment. It’s my feeling that an ounce of preventative maintenance is worth a pound of cure. However, there are times when things can still go awry.
Having a “Plan B” already established along your lanes of travel will help you tremendously should you have unexpected maintenance issues. Currently, I’m operating one truck and it’s important for me to have options for maintenance repairs in order to get the load delivered on time. When you’re a small carrier/owner operator, it’s up to you to create an established “Plan B.”
Years ago, I worked out an arrangement with a national truck and trailer rental company to be approved in case my equipment had a major component failure. I made sure that I was able to obtain a truck/trailer if at any time I needed one. Also, it was important to secure a deal with a national tire company. The security of being able to make one phone call and have a tire delivered any time of day or night is of paramount importance. I always make it a habit to carry the “truck dealer service directory” inside my cab. Also, acquiring a
list of the major truck stop repair facilities along your route can come in handy.
Throughout my driving career, I’ve accumulated a list of reputable independent truck repair shops. This will take some time to develop but can be a life saver in a pinch. My first choice is always to use a Freightliner dealership, however, they can be booked with scheduled service appointments and cannot make my repairs that day. Therefore, having a list of
independent truck facilities is a great resource for my business.
I’ve been very fortunate since 1996 to only require minor unscheduled repairs from any of these facilities. Taking the time to service your equipment properly will reduce your chances of needing to resort to “Plan B.” Today, most of the resources I’ve listed can be easily accessed on a smart phone or computer. I also prefer to have a hard copy as a back-up should you be in a bad cell phone area and require a land line phone.