Fleet Maintenance — Predictive Truck & Trailer Service Management

📊 Dashboard Overview

Everything about your fleet’s health in one view.

The maintenance dashboard shows fleet-wide status at a glance and lets you drill into any vehicle for full detail.

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Fleet Health Overview

See the percentage of vehicles that are current on all preventive maintenance, the number with upcoming service, and vehicles flagged for overdue PM. Color-coded indicators — green for current, yellow for approaching, red for overdue — give you an instant picture of fleet readiness without clicking into individual records.

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Upcoming Scheduled Maintenance

View all scheduled PM items across the fleet sorted by due date. Filter by vehicle, maintenance type, or shop location. Upcoming items include estimated mileage until due and the number of days remaining, so you can plan downtime around load schedules and driver availability.

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Open Work Orders

Track every active repair from creation through completion. Each work order shows the vehicle, the reported issue, assigned mechanic or shop, current status (pending, in progress, waiting for parts, completed), and estimated completion time. Open work orders are highlighted on the dashboard so nothing falls through the cracks.

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Recent Repairs

A chronological list of all completed repairs across the fleet. Each entry shows the vehicle, repair date, description of work performed, parts used, labor hours, total cost, and the mechanic or shop that completed the work. Use this view to spot recurring issues across vehicles or identify trucks with increasing repair frequency.

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Cost Breakdown

Maintenance spending organized by vehicle, by month, and by cost category (tires, brakes, engine, electrical, body, fluids, filters). Drill into any vehicle to see its lifetime maintenance cost, cost per mile, and month-over-month trend. Compare vehicles of the same type to identify outliers that may need replacement rather than continued repair.

Engine fault code detection from ERETH ELD

🔄 PM Programs

Preventive maintenance schedules that adapt to your fleet.

Define PM intervals by miles or time. VAU0 tracks odometer readings and triggers alerts when service is due.

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Oil & Filter Change

Recommended every 25,000 miles or 6 months, whichever comes first. Critical for engine longevity. Includes engine oil, oil filter, and inspection of belts and hoses during service.

Interval: 25,000 miles or 6 months
Avg cost: $250 – $400 per service
Downtime: 1 – 2 hours

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Tire Rotation & Inspection

Inspect tread depth, sidewall condition, and air pressure every 50,000 miles. Rotate steer tires to drive positions when tread depth differential exceeds 4/32 inch. Replace tires below 4/32 tread depth on steer axle and 2/32 on drive and trailer axles.

Interval: 50,000 miles
Avg cost: $150 – $600 per tire
Downtime: 2 – 4 hours

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Brake Inspection & Service

Full brake inspection every 75,000 miles or annually. Includes brake lining thickness measurement, drum/rotor condition, slack adjuster function, air system check, and brake chamber inspection. Brake adjustments performed as needed during inspection.

Interval: 75,000 miles or 12 months
Avg cost: $400 – $1,200 per axle
Downtime: 4 – 8 hours

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DOT Annual Inspection

Required by 49 CFR 396.17 every 12 months for every commercial motor vehicle. Must be performed by a qualified inspector. Covers brakes, steering, suspension, frame, fuel system, exhaust, coupling devices, tires, wheels, lighting, and more. Inspection sticker and report must be carried on the vehicle.

Interval: 12 months (mandatory)
Avg cost: $150 – $350 per vehicle
Downtime: 2 – 4 hours

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Transmission Service

Transmission fluid change and filter replacement every 150,000 miles. Includes inspection of clutch or torque converter, shift linkage, and transmission mounts. Early detection of bearing wear or gear damage prevents costly roadside failures.

Interval: 150,000 miles
Avg cost: $500 – $800
Downtime: 4 – 6 hours

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Coolant Flush & DPF Cleaning

Coolant system flush every 300,000 miles to prevent overheating and corrosion. DPF (diesel particulate filter) cleaning every 200,000 miles to maintain emissions compliance and engine performance. A clogged DPF reduces fuel economy and can trigger derating events.

Coolant: 300,000-mile interval
DPF: 200,000-mile interval
Combined downtime: 6 – 10 hours

How VAU0 Tracks PM Intervals

When a driver logs in via the ERETH ELD, the current odometer reading is captured automatically. VAU0 compares each vehicle’s odometer against its PM schedule and calculates when the next service is due. If the vehicle is approaching a PM threshold (within 10% of the mileage interval or 14 days of the time interval), alerts are sent to the fleet maintenance manager. If the PM becomes overdue, the vehicle status changes to red on the dashboard.

Fleet maintenance schedule and alert dashboard

📝 Work Orders

Create, assign, and track every repair.

From initial issue identification through completed repair, every step is documented and searchable.

Issue Identified

A maintenance issue is identified through one of three channels: a driver DVIR defect report, a scheduled PM coming due, or an unplanned breakdown. Each source feeds into the same work order system.

Work Order Created

A work order is generated with the vehicle ID, description of the issue, priority level (low, medium, high, critical), and the source of the report. Critical items are flagged for immediate attention.

Assigned to Mechanic or Shop

The maintenance manager assigns the work order to an in-house mechanic or an external repair shop. The assignee receives a notification with all details needed to begin the repair.

Parts Tracked

Parts used in the repair are logged with part number, description, quantity, unit cost, and vendor. This builds a parts history per vehicle and helps identify frequently replaced components.

Labor Hours Logged

The mechanic records time spent on the repair. For external shops, labor charges are entered from the invoice. Labor cost per hour and total labor cost are calculated and stored with the work order.

Repair Completed & Signed Off

The mechanic marks the work order as complete and signs off. For safety-critical items (brakes, steering, tires), a second verification step can be required before the vehicle returns to service.

Vehicle Returned to Service

Once the repair is verified, the vehicle status is updated to “active” in the fleet management system. The driver and dispatcher are notified that the truck is available for assignment.

Cost Recorded Against Vehicle

Total repair cost (parts + labor) is recorded in the vehicle’s maintenance history. This feeds into the cost-per-mile calculation and the fleet cost analysis reports.

🔄 DVIR Integration

From driver defect report to completed repair — automatically.

No manual handoff, no lost repair requests, no forgotten defects.

Driver Reports Defect in DVIR

During a pre-trip or post-trip inspection, the driver identifies a defect — a cracked windshield, a low tire, a flickering brake light, a damaged mirror, or any other issue. The driver logs it in the digital DVIR through the VAU0 mobile app, including a description and optional photos.

Pre-trip inspection catches issue
Driver logs defect with description
Photos attached for clarity
Severity level selected by driver

Work Order Auto-Created

The moment a DVIR defect is submitted, VAU0 automatically generates a maintenance work order. The work order contains the vehicle ID, defect description, driver photos, the driver’s name, and the date and time of the report. No one needs to manually create anything — the system handles it.

Automatic work order generation
All defect details transferred
Photos linked to work order
Priority set based on defect type

Mechanic Notified and Repair Tracked

The assigned mechanic or shop receives a push notification with the work order details. As the repair progresses, status updates are logged. Parts and labor are tracked against the work order. The maintenance manager can view progress in real time from the dashboard.

Push notification to mechanic
Real-time status updates
Parts and labor tracking
Manager oversight dashboard

Sign-Off and Vehicle Cleared

Once the repair is complete, the mechanic signs off on the work order. The original DVIR defect is marked as repaired. The vehicle’s status updates to “cleared” and the driver can see that the defect has been resolved. Full traceability from report through repair.

Mechanic sign-off required
DVIR defect marked resolved
Vehicle cleared for service
Complete audit trail maintained

Zero Manual Handoff

The traditional process — driver writes defect on paper, hands it to dispatcher, dispatcher tells maintenance manager, maintenance manager calls shop — introduces delays and lost information at every step. VAU0 eliminates all manual handoffs. The defect goes from the driver’s phone directly into a tracked work order with full detail and photo evidence.

📈 Cost Analysis

Know exactly what maintenance costs you.

Track spending per vehicle, per mile, and per category to make data-driven fleet decisions.

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Cost Per Vehicle Per Month

Every repair, PM service, and parts purchase is recorded against the specific vehicle. Monthly totals are calculated automatically. Compare month-over-month trends to identify vehicles with rising maintenance costs — a common sign that a truck is approaching end of useful life. Vehicles exceeding your fleet average by more than 150% are flagged for replacement review.

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Cost Per Mile

Total maintenance cost divided by miles driven gives you a true cost-per-mile figure for each vehicle. The industry average for Class 8 trucks is approximately $0.15 to $0.20 per mile. Vehicles significantly above this threshold may be costing more to keep running than they generate in revenue. VAU0 calculates this automatically using odometer data from the ELD.

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Cost by Category

Break down maintenance spending into categories: tires, brakes, engine, electrical, body and frame, HVAC, exhaust and emissions, transmission, suspension, and fluids/filters. Identify which categories consume the largest share of your maintenance budget. If tire costs are disproportionately high, it may indicate alignment issues or poor tire management practices.

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Replacement Timing

As maintenance costs rise with vehicle age and mileage, there comes a point where replacing a truck is more economical than continuing to repair it. VAU0 tracks the cost trend over time and helps you identify that crossover point. Compare the projected maintenance cost of keeping a vehicle for another year against the cost of financing a replacement.

$0.15

Industry avg cost/mile

47%

Tires & brakes share

5–7 yr

Avg replacement cycle

$15K

Avg annual maint/truck

📈 Comparison

VAU0 vs. Paper and Spreadsheets

See how digital fleet maintenance management compares to traditional methods.

Feature	VAU0 Fleet Maintenance	Excel / Spreadsheets	Paper Records
Automated PM Alerts	✓ Mileage & time-based	✗ Manual formulas	✗ Calendar reminders
Work Order Tracking	✓ Full lifecycle	✗ Row in spreadsheet	✗ Paper forms in folder
Cost Per Vehicle	✓ Automatic calculation	✗ Sum formulas	✗ Add receipts manually
DVIR Integration	✓ Auto work orders	✗ Manual entry	✗ Paper handoff
Vendor Management	✓ Shop database	✗ Contact list	✗ Business cards
Parts Tracking	✓ Per work order	✗ Separate sheet	✗ Receipts in box
Audit Trail	✓ Complete history	✗ Version confusion	✗ Papers lost or damaged
Report Generation	✓ One-click export	✗ Build charts manually	✗ Not possible

📋 Annual Inspections

DOT Annual Inspection Tracking — 49 CFR 396.17

Every commercial motor vehicle in your fleet must pass an annual inspection by a qualified inspector. Missing this deadline puts the vehicle out of service.

What VAU0 Tracks

Last inspection date — When the vehicle was last inspected and by whom.
Next due date — Calculated as 12 months from the last inspection. Highlighted when approaching.
Inspector information — Name, certification number, and shop or facility where the inspection was performed.
Inspection report — The full inspection report is uploaded and stored with the vehicle record, accessible for roadside inspection verification.
Defects found — Any defects identified during the annual inspection are logged and automatically generate maintenance work orders.
Sticker number — The inspection sticker number is recorded for cross-reference.

Alert Schedule

VAU0 sends alerts well before the annual inspection expires so you have time to schedule the vehicle for service:

60d

Early warning. Start scheduling the vehicle for its annual inspection.

30d

Reminder. Inspection should be scheduled by now.

14d

Urgent. Vehicle must be inspected within two weeks or it becomes out of compliance.

Critical. Vehicle will be overdue for inspection in one week. Daily alerts begin.

Consequence of missed annual inspection: A vehicle operating without a current annual inspection is subject to out-of-service orders during roadside inspections. The carrier faces FMCSA violations under 49 CFR 396.17, which affect CSA scores and can result in fines. During a compliance review, missing annual inspections are a significant finding that can lead to a conditional or unsatisfactory safety rating.

🚀 Getting Started

Four steps to organized fleet maintenance.

Set up maintenance tracking for your fleet today. No contract, no credit card required.

Add your vehicles

Enter each vehicle with its VIN, year, make, model, and current odometer reading. Assign vehicle types (tractor, trailer, straight truck, van) to apply the correct PM schedules. Bulk import is supported via CSV for fleets with existing vehicle lists.

Set PM schedules per vehicle type

Define preventive maintenance intervals by mileage or time for each vehicle type. Set oil changes at 25,000 miles, brake inspections at 75,000 miles, DOT annual inspections at 12 months, and any other PM items specific to your fleet. VAU0 provides default templates that you can customize.

Connect DVIR for automatic defect reporting

Enable the DVIR integration so that driver inspection defects automatically create maintenance work orders. When your drivers use the VAU0 mobile app for pre-trip and post-trip inspections, any defects they report will flow directly into the maintenance system without any manual steps.

Start logging maintenance and tracking costs

Begin creating work orders for all repairs and PM services. Log parts, labor, and costs against each vehicle. Over time, VAU0 builds a complete maintenance history for every vehicle in your fleet, giving you the data you need to make informed decisions about repairs, replacements, and budget planning.