Although the physical appearance of our fleet assets does not tend to have a direct effect on reliability, it’s worth noting that the one factor that will have the most effect on the ratepayers', public or customers' opinion of fleet assets is their physical appearance.

It’s not only the public we should be concerned about; there’s also the effect on resale value, operators perception of the equipment and in the eyes of senior management, and how well the fleet department is performing.

Dents and scratches often lead to rust, and rust often leads to a question mark over the roadworthiness of fleet assets, particularly on-road assets.

And, don’t look past the fact that a machine that is covered in dirt, mud and grease can hide the tell-tale signs of an impending maintenance failure.

Add the general cleaning of vehicles and plant into your service level agreements and make sure the operators/drivers clean the items prior to getting a service done. Our performance is often attributed to the appearance of the fleet.

I strongly encourage you to consider the physical appearance of fleet assets in your PM programs and include it on their PM checklists.

The physical appearance of fleet assets can be a powerful force and may lead to questions about the viability of the fleet department.

Don’t forget, first impressions count.

To stop our Anonymous Fleet Manager blowing a gasket, we created Internal Combustion, a monthly column for fleet-related rants that lets him blow off some steam. Got a fleet gripe you'd like to get his opinion on? Email emily.ditchburn@ipwea.org and she'll pass it on to AFM... when he's in a good enough mood, that is.