Whether a septic business owns one tanker truck or several, keeping such expensive working vehicles in the best of shape is important. Failure to do so only wastes company money in more ways than one. It is not hard to provide required maintenance that will keep any new and used septic truck working at peak efficiency. There are also other things that can contribute to the prevention of unnecessary wear and tear. Review the information that is listed here and see what can contribute to business success.

The More Obvious

Some important operational considerations in septic truck maintenance can be rather obvious:

Read the Instruction Manual - Without a doubt, even septic trucks and other similar commercial vehicles come with an instruction manual and, like many other instruction manuals, it is frequently tossed into the console or glove compartment and forgotten. Considering the fact that septic trucks are a unique breed of the work machine and are available in some different types and sizes as well as with different strength pumps, it should be vital for businesses to insist that operators read the manufacturer's manual to learn pertinent information about a specific vehicle model.

Perform Preventive Maintenance - Another point almost too obvious to state is that many companies claim that they are too busy to remove a perfectly good, clean running truck from active service just to take care of suggested preventive maintenance. Sometimes it is just forgotten, lost in the many details that serve as reminders and are then dismissed. Keeping track of each unit's maintenance schedule and being sure that it receives suggested care on a timely basis keeps efficiency up and makes the likelihood of some failure or breakdown much less than would otherwise be possible. Think of it this way - being off the road for repairs will usually take longer than being off the road for maintenance.

Other Important Considerations

Once the obvious has been handled, the next step is to examine other important ways in which the life expectancy of a septic truck can be extended.

Buy the Right One - As with anything else, more power than what is needed is wasteful and less power than what is needed will decrease efficiency. Determining the truck, tank, and pump sizes are decisions that must be made to find the best vehicle for the job.

Be Observant - Daily observations by vehicle operators - and especially septic trucks - can make the difference between major vehicle failure or handling the problem before failure can happen. Daily visual inspections should always be done - and the best thing that can be done is just to listen to the operating vehicle, especially with septic trucks during pumping. Those who know how the equipment runs and is familiar with a 'normal' sound versus a 'non-normal' sound can often detect problems long before the failure happens. Looks, sounds, and even vibrations say a lot to an experienced septic truck operator.

Planned Trade-In Timing - No vehicle will last forever, so the companies that experience the most efficient use of septic trucks have a planned rotation schedule that is individually set for each vehicle to eliminate older modes before expensive problems can happen. Doing this on a schedule based on the age and usage of a vehicle can ensure that there are no units still in the fleet over a certain age. Something else to consider is that doing all the steps listed above protects that vehicle investment, potentially allowing for better trade-in or auction value when the time to sell arrives.

Keeping a septic truck in good working order so that it is efficient, smooth-running, and in good enough condition to bring a good trade-in value can be done. Sticking to a regular maintenance schedule will have the least effect on a fleet and ultimately be the best way to maintain a septic truck fleet for maximum efficiency!