Learn how to prioritize maintenance tasks when multiple vehicles need repairs, based on the urgency, availability, and costs of each repair.

Prioritize tasks for vehicles where the required parts are readily available to minimize downtime or considering weekly/daily vehichle availability .

How can you prioritize maintenance tasks when multiple vehicles need repairs?

Managing a fleet of vehicles is a challenging task, especially when it comes to ensuring that they are in good condition and ready for service. However, sometimes you may face a situation where multiple vehicles need repairs, and you have limited time, resources, and staff to handle them. How can you prioritize maintenance tasks and decide which vehicles to fix first, and which ones to postpone or delegate? Here are some tips to help you make smart and efficient decisions.

Key takeaways from this article

Assess repair urgency:

Evaluate the severity and impact of each vehicle's issue. This helps you prioritize critical repairs that affect safety and performance over minor cosmetic fixes.### *Compare repair costs:Analyze the materials, labor, and opportunity costs involved in each repair. Prioritizing cost-effective solutions ensures optimal use of resources while minimizing business disruptions.

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1 Assess the urgency

The first step is to assess how urgent each repair is, based on the severity of the problem, the impact on the vehicle's performance and safety, and the demand for the vehicle's service. For example, a flat tire, a broken windshield, or a faulty brake system are more urgent than a minor dent, a scratched paint, or a loose seat belt. Similarly, a vehicle that is needed for a critical delivery, a emergency response, or a scheduled appointment is more urgent than one that is idle, spare, or flexible. You can use a simple rating system, such as high, medium, or low, to rank the urgency of each repair.

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Jonatas Arend

Analista de Treinamento e Desenvolvimento | Logística e Transporte
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Deve-se verificar qual veículo é prioridade para a operação e em seguida apurar quais os reparos a serem realizados, reparos em peças críticas são prioridades, pois podem ocasionar falhas graves. Um veículo com uma troca de óleo vencida pode ter problemas no turbocompressor ou no próprio motor. Outro veículo com uma sinalização quebrada ou um farol queimado pode ser parado pela fiscalização, ou causar um acidente. Um veículo sem freio pode causar um acidente grave, perder a carga e até causar óbitos. São vários os casos possíveis, que devem ser analisados e elencados ao nível de urgência e qual seria provável de causar um acidente grave e começar agir por ali. O ideal é empreender um esforço para sanar todas as possíveis falhas graves.

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Behdad FAHIMI

Business Line Owner, Supply Chain Executive, Experienced in E/Q-Commerce, Ride-Hailing, Logistics and Operations Management
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Prioritize repairs based on the criticality of the issue. Address urgent repairs that impact vehicle safety, functionality, or legal compliance first.

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Jean Brito

Engenheiro Mecânico | Manutenção | Confiabilidade | Obras e Projetos | FMEA | Yellow Belt | SAP | Utilidades | HVAC | Lubrificantes | Ajudando Pessoas
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Avalie a Criticidade: Identifique a criticidade de cada veículo para as operações da empresa. Veículos essenciais para entregas, serviços ou operações diárias devem ter prioridade mais alta.

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Sunanda Rao

Global HR | Team Integration | Regional Mentor of Change (Niti Ayog)| Employer Branding
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Begin by assessing the urgency of each repair. Identify issues that pose immediate safety concerns or those critical to the vehicle's operation. Prioritize tasks that, if delayed, could lead to more severe consequences.

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2 Consider the availability

The next step is to consider how available each vehicle is for repair, based on the location, the access, and the duration of the repair. For example, a vehicle that is parked in your garage, easily reachable, and requires a quick fix is more available than one that is on the road, far away, or needs a complex overhaul. You can also use a simple rating system, such as high, medium, or low, to rank the availability of each repair.

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Behdad FAHIMI

Business Line Owner, Supply Chain Executive, Experienced in E/Q-Commerce, Ride-Hailing, Logistics and Operations Management
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Prioritize tasks for vehicles where the required parts are readily available to minimize downtime or considering weekly/daily vehichle availability .

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Sunanda Rao

Global HR | Team Integration | Regional Mentor of Change (Niti Ayog)| Employer Branding
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Evaluate the availability of resources, including spare parts and skilled technicians. Prioritize repairs for which resources are readily available, minimizing downtime and ensuring a swift resolution.

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Jean Brito

Engenheiro Mecânico | Manutenção | Confiabilidade | Obras e Projetos | FMEA | Yellow Belt | SAP | Utilidades | HVAC | Lubrificantes | Ajudando Pessoas
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Disponibilidade de Peças: Considere a disponibilidade de peças de reposição. Se determinadas peças estiverem em falta, pode ser sensato adiar a manutenção de um veículo até que as peças estejam disponíveis. Capacidade da Oficina: Considere a capacidade da oficina de manutenção. Se a oficina estiver sobrecarregada, pode ser necessário priorizar os reparos com base na disponibilidade de recursos.

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3 Compare the costs

The third step is to compare the costs of each repair, based on the materials, the labor, and the opportunity costs. For example, a repair that requires expensive parts, skilled workers, and causes a loss of revenue or customer satisfaction is more costly than one that requires cheap parts, basic workers, and has minimal impact on your business. You can also use a simple rating system, such as high, medium, or low, to rank the costs of each repair.

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Jean Brito

Engenheiro Mecânico | Manutenção | Confiabilidade | Obras e Projetos | FMEA | Yellow Belt | SAP | Utilidades | HVAC | Lubrificantes | Ajudando Pessoas
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Disponibilidade de Peças: Considere a disponibilidade de peças de reposição. Se determinadas peças estiverem em falta, pode ser sensato adiar a manutenção de um veículo até que as peças estejam disponíveis. Impacto Financeiro: Avalie o impacto financeiro de cada reparo. Às vezes, a prioridade pode ser dada aos reparos mais econômicos ou àqueles que impedirão custos adicionais a longo prazo.

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4 Prioritize the tasks

The final step is to prioritize the tasks, based on the combination of the urgency, the availability, and the costs of each repair. You can use a simple matrix, such as the one below, to assign a priority level to each task, from highest to lowest.

| ------- | ------------ | ----- | -------- |

| High | Low | Low | Medium |

| High | Low | Medium| Low |

| Medium | Low | Low | Low |

| Low | High | Low | Medium |

| Low | High | Medium| Low |

| Low | High | High | Low |

| Low | Medium | Low | Low |

| Low | Low | Low | Lowest |

| Low | Low | Medium| Lowest |

| Low | Low | High | Lowest |

You can then use this priority level to decide which tasks to perform first, which ones to postpone, and which ones to delegate to other staff or external contractors. Of course, you may also need to adjust your priorities based on other factors, such as customer feedback, legal requirements, or unexpected events. However, this matrix can serve as a useful guide to help you prioritize maintenance tasks when multiple vehicles need repairs.

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Behdad FAHIMI

Business Line Owner, Supply Chain Executive, Experienced in E/Q-Commerce, Ride-Hailing, Logistics and Operations Management
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Follow a preventive maintenance schedule and prioritize tasks based on the maintenance calendar. Regularly scheduled maintenance can help prevent breakdowns and extend the lifespan of vehicles.

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Jean Brito

Engenheiro Mecânico | Manutenção | Confiabilidade | Obras e Projetos | FMEA | Yellow Belt | SAP | Utilidades | HVAC | Lubrificantes | Ajudando Pessoas
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Planejamento Estratégico: Desenvolva um plano estratégico de manutenção considerando as necessidades de curto e longo prazo. Algumas tarefas de manutenção podem ser adiadas, desde que um plano esteja em vigor para tratá-las posteriormente.

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5 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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Cezar Frank Lombardi

Mechanical Engineer | Architect | Project Manager | Aeronautical Maintenance | Engenheiro Mecânico | Arquiteto | Gerente de Projetos | Manutenção Aeronáutica
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Fix the cars who have parts in stock, prioritizing the client who contract first the service and respecting the schedule accordingly the parts that arrive from mail using the same judgement clients from first to last service contract.

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Robert Bond

Vice President of Sales & Marketing at Tri-Lift Industries, Inc.
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If the vehicles are part of a fleet, you can review the historical cost of repairs and the remaining vehicle life. Then consider whether or not the value of the vehicle is worth the fix prior to prioritizing it over other fleet vehicle repairs.

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Shalini Gupta

GTM Champion | Digital Transformation for Vessel & Cruise Business Lines 🚢 | Compliance Conformance with Maritime ⚓ | Turbocharge your inspection process 🚀
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Prioritize maintenance tasks in Fleet Operations by considering critical factors such as: Urgency: Address immediate issues affecting safety or operational functionality first. Impact on Operations: Evaluate the maintenance's impact on overall fleet efficiency. Preventive Maintenance Schedule: Follow established schedules to prevent future breakdowns. Cost and Budget: Consider the financial implications and adhere to budget constraints. Vehicle Criticality: Prioritize essential vehicles vital to core operations. Parts Availability: Schedule repairs based on the availability of required parts. Strategic prioritization ensures optimal fleet performance and minimizes disruptions.

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Jean Brito

Engenheiro Mecânico | Manutenção | Confiabilidade | Obras e Projetos | FMEA | Yellow Belt | SAP | Utilidades | HVAC | Lubrificantes | Ajudando Pessoas
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Utilize Software de Gestão de Frota: Considere o uso de software de gestão de frota, que pode ajudar a automatizar a programação de manutenção, rastrear o histórico de manutenção e fornecer insights para tomada de decisões informadas. Ao implementar uma abordagem estratégica e considerar esses fatores, você pode melhorar a eficiência na priorização de tarefas de manutenção em uma frota de veículos.

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How can you prioritize maintenance tasks when multiple vehicles need repairs?

1

2

3

4

5

1 Assess the urgency

2 Consider the availability

3 Compare the costs

4 Prioritize the tasks

5 Here’s what else to consider

Fleet Operations

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How can you prioritize maintenance tasks when multiple vehicles need repairs?

1

2

3

4

5

1 Assess the urgency

2 Consider the availability

3 Compare the costs

4 Prioritize the tasks

5 Here’s what else to consider

Fleet Operations

Rate this article

Thanks for your feedback

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