The things that keep fleet managers up at night continued to shift through the end of 2023, according to a survey conducted by ATA’s Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC) — at least when it comes to TMC fleet members’ top maintenance worries.
More than 400 TMC fleet members were asked to share their current top five fleet maintenance concerns, based on a wide-ranging list of 85 possible choices from which to select. Of those responding, the following were identified as the top reported concerns in descending order, even though the list did not prove to be a clean top five:
- The top maintenance issue identified in the fall 2023 survey was technician staffing.
- Aftertreatment was identified as the number two maintenance issue facing fleets.
- Roadside breakdowns was identified by fleets as number three.
- Data management, new technology challenges, and vendor reliability were identified as number four (tie).
New equipment availability was identified as number five.
Roadside breakdowns, data management, new technology challenges, and vendor reliability appeared in the TMC top five list for the first time in the fall of 2023. New equipment availability returned to the top five list after being absent in the summer of 2023. It appeared in the top five in the spring of 2023.
The list changed from the last time TMC surveyed fleet members on this question in the summer of 2023. At that time, members said their top five concerns were:
- Cost Containment
- Aftertreatment
- Technician Shortage
- Technician Staffing. Parts Shortage/Availability, and Emissions (tie)
- Outsourcing, Reliability, Technician Recruitment (tie)
— Robert Braswell, TMC Executive Director