Use Leasing To Transform Your Safety Program
Safety is critical in the trucking industry. A robust safety program not only keeps drivers and cargo safe but also reduces the risk of an accident, ensures compliance with regulatory standards and keeps operations running efficiently. Leasing can be a cost-effective strategy to enhance a company’s safety program.
Take Advantage of Safety Technology
Late-model equipment increasingly uses advanced driver assistance systems, such as automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assistance, adaptive cruise control and blind-spot monitoring, that can significantly reduce the likelihood of catastrophic accidents. Many newer trucks also help drivers detect hazards, including other vehicles or objects in blind spots, further improving safety.
“If you’re leasing a truck, you’re getting the latest and best technology, and you’re not tied down to keeping that truck until the end of its life,” said Chuck Pagesy, director of safety for Penske Truck Leasing. “Before, a lot of safety technology was optional, but now it is becoming more standard.”
Fleets that utilize leasing also tend to turn their assets more frequently than fleets that own equipment. “That ensures you have the latest, best and most up-to-date safety technology available,” Pagesy said.
Ensure Effective and Timely Maintenance
Maintenance plays a critical role in ensuring the safety of Class 8 trucks. Mechanical failures pose serious safety risks that can lead to accidents or downtime. Maintenance is included in full-service truck leases, ensuring that critical safety-related components such as brakes, tires and lights are always in optimal condition.
Data analytics can also help fleets get ahead of potential safety issues. Penske’s Dynamic PM is a unique, data-driven, preventive maintenance service that analyzes specifications and trends unique to each fleet to understand when specific components may fail, allowing technicians to schedule a repair before there is a problem.
Additionally, newer leased vehicles are less likely to experience breakdowns or require major repairs, lowering the risk of mechanical failures and over-the-road breakdowns, which can create hazards for other vehicles or leave drivers stranded in an inconvenient location. “The number of accidents or fatalities that happen side of the road is tragic,” Pagesy said. “If you don’t have any breakdowns, you avoid that risk.”
As new safety technology is introduced on vehicles, sensors and other safety technology need to be recalibrated properly after many repairs. "A lot of the safety equipment is complicated and sophisticated. If you do any type of repair, make sure sensors are recalibrated properly so it doesn’t affect the safety features,” Pagesy said.
Keep Up With Regulatory Compliance
Fleets have to comply with a wide range of regulations. For example, drivers and fleet owners must be assessed under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) Compliance, Safety and Accountability (CSA) program. Owners have to ensure their vehicle assessments are performed and reported correctly when required.
Penske takes care of the maintenance portion of the CSA assessment every time a leased truck comes in for its regularly scheduled preventive maintenance and handles all the reporting and submissions.
What’s more, maintenance-related items can negatively impact scores under the CSA’s Vehicle Maintenance Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement Categories. Defective or inadequate braking systems, nonfunctional lights, low tire-tread depth, improperly inflated tires, and faulty or worn suspension components are just some of the items that can result in roadside violations and lower CSA scores. Proper maintenance, along with pre- and post-trip inspections, can help reduce the risk of safety-related issues and violations.
Penske also offers Fleet Insight™, an online suite of fleet management tools, to help fleets simplify their safety and compliance efforts. It contains guides to safety and compliance documentation, simulated DOT educational compliance reviews and FMCSA registration links.
Reinvest in Safety
Truck leasing provides companies with financial flexibility, freeing up capital that can be invested into other areas of the business, including a safety program. Leasing typically requires lower upfront costs and offers predictable monthly payments, making it easier for fleet managers to allocate resources to other critical safety areas, such as driver coaching.
Finding the Best Solutions
Penske can discuss available vehicles, safety technology and maintenance solutions to help fleets achieve their safety goals. “Our leasing professionals are very knowledgeable on the options and features and can provide our customers with the guidance they need,” Pagesy said.