Toiling in the shop can be a thankless job. But you could easily make the case that a fleet’s maintenance manager and his or her crew of technicians play as important a role in a company’s success as anyone else – from the drivers right on up to the CEO.

It’s their job to keep equipment running smoothly, to minimize costly downtime, to ensure drivers are operating safe and reliable vehicles and to manage maintenance-related costs, which can quickly spiral out of control. A well-run shop may go unnoticed, but a poorly-run operation can literally run a trucking company into the ground.

With that in mind, we’re proud to present our third annual Report on Maintenance. Once again, we thank ArvinMeritor and Bridgestone Bandag Tire Solutions (and their associated brands) for sponsoring the special 8-page section.

We feel this year’s version is especially timely. First, we take a look at impending federal and provincial biodiesel mandates and some maintenance-related concerns that are arising.

We also examine the fleet/dealer relationship and how trucking companies can ensure better service from their independent shop or dealer when outsourcing repairs.

We also take a look at Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM) batteries and their unique maintenance requirements. This is an emerging technology you’re likely to hear a lot more about in coming years.

And finally, in light of current economic realities, we confront the issue of parking trucks for extended periods of time. If you’re faced with the prospect of parking tractors and trailers until freight demand picks back up, there are maintenance-related steps you can take to ensure that equipment is ready to roll problem-free when you put it back into service.

Maintenance procedures are constantly evolving with the advent of new tools, technologies and solutions. We’re confident you’ll find this special section useful in the ongoing battle to keep up with the changes.