The Importance Of Good Communication Between Maintenance Mechanics And Drivers

By Bryan Christiansen, founder and CEO of Limble CMMS

Whether you are overseeing construction vehicles, saloon cars, or vans, there are numerous factors to consider when it comes to fleet management.

One often overlooked factor is the interaction between mechanics and drivers. A good relationship between maintenance mechanics and drivers is important as it fosters the environment in which all required information is communicated properly and on time.

Needless to say, a well-maintained vehicle does not only speak volumes about the driver but the mechanic behind it as well. 

The best method of understanding vehicle problems is through regular servicing and inspection. A majority of fleet managers leave the servicing of their vehicles in the hands of capable mechanics as they have the tools and knowledge to diagnose and correct emerging problems.

Coupled with this, the preventive driving measures adopted by drivers help in avoiding unnecessary wear and tear. Through the proper collaboration of these two parties, fleets will experience less breakdown and enjoy a longer lifespan.

With this in mind, let’s examine how to ensure good information flow between maintenance mechanics and machine operators and why is that so important.

To keep vehicles in good operating condition

Maintenance mechanics and drivers can serve as a pair of extra eyes for each other.

When a driver spots a loose axle bolt or notices that coolant is leaking, they should immediately report it to the mechanic. These days, the easiest way to do it is through a work request portal (if the organization uses maintenance software that has this functionality).

During routine checks, mechanics might notice that there certain parts are worn out and will need replacement fairly soon. As such, they can warn drivers about the possible issues that they should watch out for.

Catching and communicating these problems as soon as possible boosts the safety of the driver and can actually increase the asset lifespan in the long-term, which is in the best interest of everyone involved.

Along communicating potential issues, the mechanics could also offer advice that lets the driver know the kind of driving techniques/actions they should avoid to decrease vehicle wear and tear.

To increase the productivity of the maintenance staff

Drivers should be taught how to leave proper descriptions of problems so that the mechanics spend less time performing maintenance and repair. In other words, the mechanic will not have to spend too much time trying to understand the root cause of the problem before applying corrective actions.

This saves time for mechanics because they would otherwise have to perform a thorough vehicle inspection to identify any impending issues. Completing the same amount of work in less time has to be music in their ears for every fleet manager. 

Now, for this strategy to be effective, mechanics should educate drivers to be on the watch for signals that call for a vehicle tune-up and the repair. Similarly, mechanics should communicate to the drivers what kind of details are and are not helpful to leave when submitting a work request and writing problem descriptions.

To make a better maintenance schedule

Some fleet managers prefer to involve drivers in the maintenance process, even though this can sometimes be challenging to organize.

One way to do that is by incorporation the feedback from both drivers and mechanics for preventive maintenance. Fleet managers can use feedback from both parties to create more accurate maintenance schedules that decrease the number of unexpected breakdowns, but also don’t cause excessive maintenance. 

Mechanics will give their standard inputs while drivers can catch and communicate any vehicle anomalies they encounter.

Fleet telematics help foster and speed up this 3-way communication by giving additional insight into vehicle performance and engine diagnostics that is readily available for all parties.

Since it can also track driver’s activity like aggressive acceleration, harsh braking, and erratic cornering, the maintenance team can use it to discuss with the driver how these actions impact the long-term health of the asset and how they can operate the vehicle more efficiently.

As an added bonus, having systems like telematics that feed the data into a cloud-based maintenance system means that the drivers and mechanics will need to exchange less information as some asset data will be automatically saved and available for review.

To foster team spirit

When drivers and mechanics are isolated from each other, communication becomes challenging. This is unfortunate as they are ultimately working towards the same goals.

When relationships are strained and unfriendly, then work will not take place the way it is supposed to. Good interpersonal relationships and open lines of communication are the best way to create space for staff input.

Respecting each other and having trust in your colleagues means that given feedbacks on either side will be thoroughly considered and criticism will not hit so hard on a personal level.

This way, everyone will know that they are contributing to the betterment of their fleet.

The bottom line

Encouraging routine chats between drivers and maintenance mechanics is a great and simple way to boost fleet performance and actually reduce maintenance costs and capital expenditures.

With the right workplace rapport, drivers will not be hesitant to communicate issues and maintenance mechanics will appreciate the early warning signs.

Good communication between maintenance mechanics and drivers is not only a win for them. If anything, it is a win for the entire organization.

Bryan Christiansen is the founder and CEO of Limble CMMS. Limble is a modern, easy to use mobile CMMS software that takes the stress and chaos out of maintenance by helping managers organize, automate, and streamline their maintenance operations.