Want More Efficient Vehicle Inspections? Observe Your Technicians

Have you questioned how vehicle issues go unnoticed during inspections, or why preventative maintenance services seem to take longer than they should at your fleet operation? 

One way to answer these questions is to observe your technicians. Watch your employees to see how they are performing vehicle inspections and PM services. 

Some things to watch for are: 

How Many Times Do Technicians Pass by the Same Area of the Vehicle During an Inspection? 

If your technicians repeatedly pass by the same parts of the vehicle during an inspection, they are wasting time. To curb this, observe technicians as they work. On a piece of paper, draw a rectangle in the center. Mark where the technician moves around the vehicle and put an “X” where he or she stops to inspect the asset. When the inspection is complete, notice how many areas have a double “X.” Show the diagram to the technician to address how he or she can be more efficient during an inspection to avoid reviewing the same areas of the asset multiple times.  

What Slows Technicians Down During an Inspection? 

While observing your shop’s technicians perform a vehicle inspection, also make note of anything that slowed down their process, such as: 

• How many times did they have to go to the parts room? 

• Did they make a stop at the wash bins? 
• Were they waiting on any tools or supplies before they could complete the inspection? 
• Were they interrupted by a driver requesting maintenance on his or her vehicle? 
• Were they interrupted by another technician or shop employee to answer a question or assist with another vehicle? 

Making note of these events can help make technicians aware of items that are slowing down their inspection process. You can work with them to get better organized to avoid making multiple trips to the parts room. You can also discuss ways shop processes can be altered to limit the amount of distractions technicians are regularly facing.  

How Are Technicians Recording Vehicle Inspections? 

When watching your technicians perform inspections, make note of how they are documenting their results. Are they filling out paper forms that later need to be inputted into your fleet management system? Are they running back and forth to a shared computer to add the information into the vehicles’ files? Or, are they using a flexible mobile device that allows them to enter the information as they are inspecting the asset? 

Using shared computers or paper forms can add extra time to the vehicle inspection process. Enabling technicians to utilize vehicle inspection apps or fleet management software that’s hosted on the cloud can let them conveniently perform inspections on their mobile phones or tablets. This can save valuable time during an inspection. 

Learn how RTA Fleet Management Software can help make your vehicle inspections more efficient. Contact us today to schedule a demo!