Fleet Maintenance and Best Management Practices
Fleet Maintenance and Best Management Practices
Fleet Maintenance and Best Management Practices
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fleet maintenance and management to develop a baseline from which improvement goals can be established.
In order to best determIne what Improvements my be needed for a fleet, an examination of the fleets management, maintenance programs, vehicle replacement schedules, accounting methods, parts inventory management, procurement and a whole host of other critical areasall of which affect the cost of operating the fleetis needed. In addition, a comprehensive analysis of both the types of services the fleet is providing contrasted with exactly how the fleet is being operated to serve the exact needs is critical. All too often in conducting fleet maintenance and management evaluations, it is determined that the fleet specifications and the associated container type(s), are not optimal for the services the fleet is being required to provide.
other like-sized organizations with comparably climate, geography (terrain) and service area sizes (population) and service types (automated collection verse manual), solid waste, recycling, green waste, food waste, bulk or alley services. This refines and identifies exactly how an organization compares to other organizations in terms of industry comparable BMPs.
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Fleet maintenance and best management practices
cost. One possibility for minimizing collection costs is to select a fleet of collection trucks, while simultaneously satisfying the service constraints. To The Advantage the Waste Industry illustrate this approach, the waste collection system ofin a large metropolitan area should be analyzed for proper fleet size and type of collection vehicle. Selection of the optimal fleet size, type of truck and its specifications, are formulated and solved based on analysis of local needs, service parameters and a wide range of other regional and local considerations.
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developing best fleet and maintenance management practice and establishing realistic goals for improvement is the key to successfully maintaining costly fleet downtime.
photo courtesy of wih resource group.
manufactures the optimal equipment, allow for an informed and educated decision. All of the products, procedures and systems for the solid waste industry will work, with varying degrees of success, under varying conditions. So how does a fleet manager choose? The rationale for change can range from a desire to improve operations, satisfy a new demand for services, correct a deficiency or renew worn-out equipment. Whatever the problem, it is important to understand it completely. Trying to determine the financial or political costs of solving the problem are key. The next step is to visualize what might solve the problem. Can it be solved in one stage, or would it take more? Sometimes one phase must be up and running before the next phase can be implemented. Are there future options that must be allowed for now? Can reordering your present resources solve the problem? Its important to perform a cost-benefit analysis of all the options.
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January 2010
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ContaIner Management
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ontainers and carts dont have the same safety concerns as trash trucks, compactors and balersthat is probably why the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Z245 standards deserve attention. Because containers and carts often seem like innocuous pieces of equipment that couldnt possibly have potential safety hazards, they can be taken for granted. The 2008 revision of the container safety standard, ANSI Z245.30, outlines new designs for warning labels and safety signs. The standard calls for new three-panel signs. One panel should have a large, bold and single-word headline reading CAUTION in black type over a yellow background or WARNING in black type over an orange background. Another panel should feature a drawing demonstrating the hazard and a phrase describing the hazard, such as a drawing of a stick-figured person tumbling off of a roll-off, with a caption that reads, FALLING HAZARD. A third panel should include a detailed warning. For example, the panel may have a warning reading KEEP OFF! Do not climb in, on or occupy this container for any purpose. Injury from slipping or falling may occur. Solid waste service providers should periodically review the requirements in ANSI Z245 safety standards with maintenance crews and collection truck operators to help protect customers, employees and trucks. Knowing which containers can safely be used in certain applications and with which refuse vehicles is something that every collection crew should understand. How dangerous can a container or cart be? Both have caused a few serious injuries over the years, making safety standards worth developing. Two standards developed by ANSI Accredited Standards Committee Z245 address safety, performance and design compatibility requirements for carts and containers. ANSI Z245.60 sets compatibility dimensions for manufacturers so that containers can be safely used with refuse vehicles, and ANSI Z245.30 covers operational safety requirements for carts and containers. What is new in this standard is that it provides dimensional requirements for the Type S containerthat is, the front-load container with side sleeves. The Waste Equipment Technology Association (WASTEC) also has released its Recommended Practice, WRP-9-2004, which details the recommended dimensional range of the front loader forks for compatibility with the Type S containers. If container manufacturers build the container according to the Z245.60 standard, and if truck manufacturers build trucks according to the recommended practice, the two will work together. Other new compatibility dimensions in the revised ANSI Z245.60 standard covers Type-L hook-lift containers, the standard aims to match up the lifts on trucks with the hooks on containers. Collection organizations should look at these two standards to make sure that the forks on the trucks match the compatibility standard for the S container. If they dont match, damage can occur to both trucks and containers.
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Description
Table 1 (Right): common performance measures tracked by leading fleet management organizations.
Performance Measure
Average Fleet Age
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Making an investment in an organizations people through training builds the morale of a team and helps keep the reliability of fleets at a higher standard.
The age and accumulated use of a fleet has a great impact on the cost and performance of fleet operations. As such, relative fleet age should be tracked over time in parallel to key performance measures in order to track trends and to document the impact of lower or higher capital spending levels. Properly constructed operating rates provide a strong indication of cost competitiveness and an ongoing mechanism of comparison with alternate and peer service providers. Key operating maintenance costs are hourly labor rates, parts, fuel and tires. Another concern is warranty returnwhile not a direct cost, warranty replacement parts can save significant costs to fleet management. A measure of staffing reasonableness and adequacy. In a fleet of reasonable age and condition, each FTE technician should be able to support a benchmark number of vehicle equivalents. A measure of maintenance program productivity, this measures the average annual number of hours billed to work orders by each FTE technician. Low use indicates possible over-staffing and/or inefficient work processes. A measure of staffing efficiency and effectiveness. A benchmark level of use coupled with reasonable overtime levels indicates an optimally staffed operation. Low productivity and high overtime indicates serious staffing imbalances. High productivity and high overtime indicates probable staffing shortages. This measures the number of PMs performed within schedule. A low compliance rate indicates that PMs are not being performed regularly. A high PM compliance rate is a basic building block for an effective maintenance and repair program. Measures the portion of all repairs identified and conducted in a controlled, planned manner. The combined purpose of the PM program, operator inspections, and service writing is to identify and take care of problems in a planned, scheduled manner so vehicles do not suffer unscheduled and costly breakdowns. This measures the percentage of all repairs conducted on vehicles that breakdown in the field and cannot be driven to the shop. In combination with the scheduled service rate, it provides an indication of PM and overall maintenance program effectiveness. This measures the percentage of time a customer returns a vehicle or piece of equipment to the shop for the same problem within a specified period of time. It is a measure of service quality that reflects the accuracy of service writing and diagnostic activities as well as repair quality. This is one of the key measures of success in a fleet management programthe degree to which the fleet service provider is able to ensure the regular availability of fleet units to their user departments. Availability rates should be highest for mission-critical vehicles (front line vehicles) and should be calculated to reflect the work schedule of each vehicle.
Comeback Rate
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receive any subsidies from the general fund, which often occurs when a fleet management organization is part of the general fund.
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The typical collection business is divided into three major areas: commercial, residential and industrial. Each area includes municipal solid waste and recycling material, and each is very different from the others. The single largest differentiator between residential and commercial routes is the mandatory adherence to driving on one side of the street. Unlike commercial routes, residential routes are only permitted to service customers on the right side of the street. Industrial routes introduce a different routing problem. The differentiator between industrial and commercial is the size of the container. A typical commercial container is eight loose yards, while an industrial container may range from 20 to 40 loose yards and only one container may be serviced at a time. While hauling these large containers, it is common for each container disposed of and returned to the original customers location. Software using GIS-based route management applications deliver reduced operational costs by 1) organizing routes to minimize overlap and thereby reduce the number of vehicles required to service customers, and 2) sequencing the stops along a route to make the best use of fuel, driver schedules and disposal trips. Whether routing software or manual routing is performed, the net effect of reduced routes continues to improve operational efficiency and increase cost savings for organizations while also delivering a positive impact on the environment and employees. Fewer trucks on the road result in a noticeable reduction of emissions and noise in communities. Reduced travel during busy
times of the day, and less traffic for the communities in which an organization serves are also noticeable benefits. Collection routes must be planned to incorporate organizational rules such as prohibiting in the Waste Industry and doublezigzagging The Advantage siding collection operations. Several routing software offer these solutions. In addition to establishing safety procedures and guidelines for equipment, waste companies should design their routes with accident prevention in mind. Defensive routing helps reduce the potential for trucks and employees to be placed in hazardous situations. Defensive routing means that a route design minimizes backing, eliminates double siding and zigzagging, maintains a safe speed and eliminates unprotected left-hand turns through right-hand routing. Solid waste collections service providers companies also should perform route observations to ensure that employees are working safely, wearing seat belts and other PPE, and following procedures.
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vehicle technology is their top challenge and concern, followed by compliance with governmental regulations; however, compliance looms larger in the event of an incident. Shop managers need to be trained effectively on environmental compliance matters just as any other significant size facility that manages special wastes such as shop solvents, used motor oil, antifreeze and other developing a clear strategy involves business lubricants. processes, technology and most importantly Maintenance managers should people. image courtesy of wih resource group. implement an extensive employee training program covering areas such as hazardous materials, fire protection, personal protective equipment (PPE) and toxic substances. In addition, periodic inspections of tools and machines, receiving and storage areas, building conditions, and electrical, lighting, heating and ventilation systems. ANSI guidelines are designed to help reduce accidents and injuries, and companies will benefit from incorporating them into their safety programs. The Advantage in the The ANSI Z245 standards are much more useful to our Waste Industry than OSHA. industry The standards are specific to what we actually do. ANSI has made things more applicable and easier to understand. Training should be the cornerstone of any waste organizations safety program. Organizations must establish a culture in which employees know about hazards that exist in their work environment and in which they are properly equipped to handle all situations, routine and non-routine. Because waste industry workers generally are not under direct supervision, management must take the lead by providing effective training, personal protective equipment (PPE) and incentives that encourage employees to take responsibility for their own safety. Supervisors and managers should train their employees to do the following when theyre on the job: Assess. When dealing with any situation, a worker should ask the following questions: What could go wrong? If something did happen, what would be the results? What can I do to avoid potential incidents? Analyze. An employee should determine whether he or she is adequately trained and properly equipped to deal with the results of an accident. Act. If the worker is properly prepared and equipped to perform the task, he or she should take actions necessary to ensure the job is done safely. If not, the worker should not undertake the task. Safety starts with buy-in from your entire workforce. Employees must be able to make safety decisions and participate in the entire process.
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and job satisfaction. They have also built walls between the operations and maintenance staff and departments. One solution is a program that is waste designed to directly attack this problem and in the process reduce operating costs, improve safety and provide greater job satisfaction for drivers and technicians. Consider this: If an organization has a $4.5 million investment in its Bmps, benchmarking, driver and staff fleet and fails to catch developing involvement, coupled with fleet pride will assist problems, it reduces the average fleet managers reach their targets. photo courtesy of wih resource group. vehicle life by only 1 percent, representing a $45,000 loss to the organization. Theres no price we can place on the value of being sure that equipment is safe when it hits the road. Most organizations have experiences that suggest that their drivers are not doing an effective job of inspecting their equipment. The program is driven by three major components: 1. Manager trainingProgram success depends entirely on whether or not managers take this type of program to heart and effectively drive it. Other programs fall down if they were simply sent to the field with no further explanation or without a strong statement of support. So one of the programs key strategy points is to be respectful of managers and provide full support with the expectation that they will follow through. 2. Incident awarenessThis process helps each location to identify, log and analyze incidents where abuse/misuse or maintenance error were a factor. Managers are expected to demonstrate the same engagement in using this program as an ongoing tool to train staff and reduce incidents of abuse/misuse. The Incident Awareness Program creates accountability for front-line managers, technicians and drivers. 3. Employee trainingA series of training sessions begin with orientation and introduction to the new Incident Awareness process. The sessions also cover pre-trip/post-trip inspections and driving behaviors that contribute to equipment abuse/misuse. Program objectives are to: Eliminate equipment abuse/misuse and improve pre/post trip inspections Reduce operations and maintenance costs Improve driver and equipment safety Provide greater job satisfaction in operations and maintenance Identify drivers and technicians likely to have accidents and provide safety/ administrative intervention Reduce conflict and increased collaboration between operations and maintenance regarding vehicle condition Reduce operator and technician turnover costs
Benchmarking and establishing best management practices allows fleet maintenance and management to develop a baseline from which improvement The Advantage in the Waste Industry goals can be established. The following comprehensive list is a summary of the solid waste and recycling collection industry standard BMPs and general recommendations in best managing and maintaining solid waste and recycling collection fleets: Best Management Practices (BMPs) Industry Standards and Benchmarking Studies Fleet Management Audits Maintenance Verses Operations Fleet Size and Specifications Review Fleet Use and Efficiency Evaluation Container Management Parts Inventory Management Collection Services Review Residential, Commercial, Industrial and Recycling Fleet Preventative Maintenance Program Fleet Replacement Program Fleet Financial and Accounting Cost Allocation Management Operational Safety Policies, Procedures and Records Fuel Management Program and Use of Alternative Fuels Fleet Management and Maintenance Training Programs and Policies Driver Safety, Development and Training Programs and Policies Fleet Maintenance and Management Performance Measurements Vendor and Contract Performance Reviews and Programs Fleet Vehicle Maintenance Management In-House verses Outsourcing Fleet Warranty Replacement & Repairs Fleet Management Technology Onboard computers, scales, GPS, Collection Vehicle Routing Fleet Maintenance Environmental Compliance As is the key with implementing any new business and operating improvements, and establishing companywide goals, frontline staff, mid-level and senior management program buy-in and support is the key. Without these levels of support, critical fleet maintenance and management best management practices typically fail. | WA Bob Wallace, MBA, is a Principal and Vice President of Client Solutions for WIH Resource Group (Phoenix, AZ), providing diversified services and extensive experience to clients in both the private and public sectors. Bob has more than 25 years experience in solid waste and recycling management, transportation/logistics operations, fleet management, alternative vehicle fuel solutions (CNG, LNG, Biodiesels, etc.), WastebyRail program management, recycling/solid waste program planning and development. Bob has expertise in the areas of solid waste and recycling collection routing and route auditing, disposal and transportation rate and contract negotiations and strategic business planning. He has extensive experience in conducting both solid waste collections and transfer station operational performance assessments OPAs (a business improvement process). Bob previously served as a board member for the Arizona Chapter of SWANA and has served on the National Solid Waste Rate Committee for the American Public Works Association (APWA). He is also a former board member of the California Refuse and Recycling Associations (CRRA) Global Recycling Council (GRC). Bob can be reached at (480) 241-9994, via e-mail at [email protected] or visit www.wihrg.com.
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2010 waste advantage magazine, all rights reserved. reprinted from waste advantage magazine. contents cannot be reprinted without permission from the publisher. WasteAdvantage Magazine January 2010
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