Increase Uptime With Intelligent Maintenance
Fleets expect uptime, and Penske Truck Leasing uses technology, data and analytics to customize maintenance programs, proactively address potential issues and keep trucks moving.
Today’s vehicles share vast amounts of information. The equipment, telematics devices, electronic logging devices and safety technology all transmit data. While that data is helpful, it can also create noise. Determining which information is important and how to act on it is essential.
Penske Truck Leasing uses data-driven breakdown scenarios. The maintenance team analyzes data to identify potential breakdown scenarios and determine which require Immediate attention and which can be addressed the next time a vehicle is in the shop.
Technology is taking maintenance even further and Penske is drawing on artificial intelligence to predict potential failures and when they will occur. “Knowing the unit is going to fail because it hit for one of our scenarios is important, but knowing how long we have before that failure occurs adds value for our customers’ operations,” said Joe Mlachak, vice president of vehicle diagnostics at Penske Truck Leasing.
A potential issue that is likely to be a same-day or next-day failure will be routed to Penske’s 24/7 Roadside Assistance team, which works to get a customer into a shop immediately or will deploy a service truck.
For issues that don’t require immediate attention, Penske’s team that schedules preventive maintenance will pair the needed repair with a PM, or other routine maintenance, so the vehicle doesn’t have to make multiple trips to the shop. “We want to make sure the customer has the vehicle for the maximum amount of time,” Mlachak said.
The system also alerts the repair facility of the needed repair and the root cause. “If that will lead to a replacement of the part, they’ll be able to see if they have the part in stock. If they don’t, they can order it and get it here before the vehicle arrives, so they’re prepared by the time the vehicle shows up,” Mlachak added.
Data analysis is also used during preventive maintenance, and systems analyze maintenance trends and component failures throughout the entire fleet and for each customer to deliver the right preventive maintenance at the right time. Penske’s DynamicPM® services identify problematic issues and replace parts before they fail.
During every PM, technicians use voice-directed technology, which provides voice prompts for customized inspection routines based on the vehicle’s age, condition, specifications and reliability trends. Technicians receive detailed inspection steps through a headset.
Trucks and trailers involve hundreds of moving parts and even with the best technology, they can experience over-the-road failures. If drivers experience a breakdown, Penske’s 24/7 Roadside Assistance can handle breakdowns, flat tires, towing, accident remediation, emergency permitting and more.