A clear, concise vehicle maintenance request can get you back on the road in a hurry. Here are five tips to help you get the ball rolling even before your truck rolls into the service bay:

1. Prioritize: If there’s more than one thing wrong with your truck, itemize your list starting with the most important; a mechanic shouldn’t have to decide what to work on first.

2. Plan Ahead: Know the difference between what constitutes a scheduled PM item and what’s an immediate repair. Ask the mechanic when the truck’s next PM event is scheduled, and then start compiling a list of minor problems you can address at that point. Tell your mechanic that you’ve got a list going, and advise him ahead of time if parts might be required.

Don’t forget to book time off for the needed work. Make your own arrangements with dispatch to make sure you’re in town when the truck is scheduled into the shop.

3. Learn What’s What: Know the names of truck components and understand what they do. Also learn the color and smell of various fluids.

4. Situation Normal? Pay close attention to the normal sounds and smells of the truck, and learn to identify an abnormal condition by sound or smell.

Pay close attention to the gauges and get to know normal operating ranges. Report abnormalities as soon as they happen, and make note of the conditions present at the time of the occurrence. Be specific: even something so simple as using terms like “driver’s side” and “passenger side” will help avoid confusion in locating problems.

5. No Frivolous Complaints: There are lots of reasons why mechanics might have overlooked a particular repair. Rather than take up valuable space on the next work sheet, draw it to the foreman’s attention and ask why the work wasn’t done.

Also, avoid using the “cry sheets” for chronic difficulties such as perceived poor performance and rough ride. These problems may be real, but they’re better addressed in a meeting with shop personnel than on a vehicle condition report.