Keeping Up with Truck Maintenance: Tips for New Truck Drivers

Picture this: you’ve graduated from your truck driving program at America Truck Driving School. You’ve found a job and now have a truck to call your own! But with this new vehicle comes the responsibility of keeping it in great condition. That’s why we at America Truck Driving School have compiled a few truck maintenance tips to keep our recently-licensed drivers safe on the road. Take a look! 

Tips for Effective Maintenance
Having an effective maintenance routine is a huge part of ensuring a safe, and long-lasting truck driving experience. Your first step in doing this is to create a maintenance schedule or calendar. You should break this down into four categories: daily, weekly, monthly, and quarterly. Within each category, list the appropriate maintenance tasks. Schedule your weekly, monthly, and quarterly maintenance checks on your calendar, with each entry containing a list of the maintenance tasks for that day.

At American Truck Driving School, we recommend using a calendar app on your smartphone, one with notifications to remind you when these important dates come up. When you have completed your calendar, show it to a certified mechanic who can verify that you’ve left no important tasks out.

It’s also a good idea to make a checklist for your daily maintenance tasks. This can be a typed form created by you, or you can use one of the many useful checklist apps now available for most smartphones. Make sure that your daily checklist covers the following for inspection:

• Air Hoses
• Brake Shoes
• Windshield Cracks
• Oil and Coolant Levels
• ABS Light
• Air System Leaks
• Oil Line Leaks
• Lights and Signals
• Tire Tread

An effective maintenance routine involves careful planning and thorough attention to detail. Not only do these measures keep your truck up and running, but they also keep you and other drivers on the road safe.

To learn more about proper maintenance procedures or to register for one of our programs, contact America Truck Driving School today!