In Laval for over 15 years, one repair at a time

With three vans, you can manage maintenance in your head. With twelve vehicles, that no longer works. Appointments overlap, no one knows when truck 7 last had its brakes done, and the day two units go down in the same week, your entire dispatch operation falls apart.

Three things solve the bulk of the problem: a written schedule, a logbook for each vehicle, and a shop that knows your fleet. Fleet management software has its place, but it comes later. Here is how to build the foundation for your vans and light trucks.

The 5 key points

• A vehicle out of service costs more than the repair itself. The true cost is calculated in delayed contracts and paid hours.
• Under a GVWR of 4,500 kg, most commercial vehicles are exempt from the SAAQ's periodic mechanical inspection. An internal schedule remains necessary.
• The schedule is built based on mileage, actual hours of use, and the season. Precise intervals come from the manufacturer's manual.
• The vehicle logbook is the most cost-effective tool in the process. It documents the condition of the fleet, supports resale value, and settles disputes.
• Centralizing work in a single shop reduces diagnostic times and allows you to group maintenance during off-peak periods.

What a fleet really costs when a vehicle is out of service

The repair bill is just the visible part. The rest is hidden elsewhere. The technician waits, the client reschedules, a replacement vehicle is rented by the day, and the other units absorb the extra workload.

Do the math for your own business. Take the daily revenue of one unit, add the driver's fully loaded salary, then add the cost of a temporary replacement. The total almost always exceeds what managers estimate at a glance. That is the figure that justifies a preventive maintenance budget.

The other undervalued expense is fuel consumption. According to Natural Resources Canada, driving with tires under-inflated by 56 kPa (8 psi) increases fuel consumption by about 4% and cuts more than 10,000 km off the life of your tires. For a fleet of ten vehicles driven year-round, monthly pressure checks pay for themselves.

Under 4,500 kg GVWR: no mandatory periodic inspection, but a schedule is still recommended

Many fleet owners confuse their situation with that of heavy transport. The distinction is clear. Under a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,500 kg, a vehicle falls outside the heavy vehicle category under Quebec regulations.

The SAAQ lists the vehicles subject to periodic mechanical inspection. Most service vans and small business pickup trucks are not included. Some exceptions still apply below that threshold: notably tow trucks, driving school vehicles, and those used for paid passenger transport. Also, watch out for cube trucks, many of which exceed 4,500 kg and are therefore subject to inspection.

Verify your status rather than assuming it. And even if your units aren't subject to any requirements, the business logic remains the same: no one else is going to monitor the condition of your assets for you. Furthermore, the SAAQ recognizes a preventive maintenance program (PMP) that exempts participating vehicles from periodic inspection.

Building the schedule: mileage, hours of service, season

A fleet maintenance schedule relies on three triggers that managers use in combination.

Mileage serves as the basis for oil changes, tire rotations, and inspections. Exact intervals are listed in the manufacturer's manual and vary depending on the engine, oil, and type of usage. When a manufacturer specifies a "severe service" interval, they are describing the typical profile of a commercial fleet.

Operating hours matter just as much as distance. A van that travels 40 km per day but idles during deliveries accumulates wear that the odometer doesn't show. Natural Resources Canada estimates that an average vehicle with a 3-liter engine wastes 300 ml of fuel for every 10 minutes of idling.

The season dictates the rest. The two tire changes provide an opportunity to perform a full inspection while the vehicle is already on the lift.

Then, spread the units out over the year. Don't have all twelve vehicles go to the shop in October. Schedule two or three per month, and you will never lose more than one asset at a time.

The vehicle logbook: what to record (and why it settles disputes)

Each unit has its own file. A shared spreadsheet works well for a small fleet.

What the logbook must contain :

• Unit number, VIN, year, and GVWR
• Date, mileage, and nature of each service
• Parts replaced, along with the associated invoice
• Issues reported by the driver, even if they did not lead to a repair
• The next scheduled service date

This data serves three purposes. It shows the actual condition of the fleet when deciding which unit to replace, providing an accurate reading of the vehicle lifecycle. It supports resale value. And it settles disagreements: when a driver claims to have reported brake noise before a breakdown, the logbook confirms or refutes it.

Fleet management software automates this task. Telematics record actual mileage, pull diagnostic codes, trigger maintenance alerts, and manage route optimization. For a small fleet, an up-to-date spreadsheet is sufficient. The important thing is that vehicle data is recorded somewhere other than in the dispatcher's head.

The parts that break first under commercial use

A commercial vehicle ages differently than a family car. Oil is at the top of the list: repeated cold starts and prolonged idling degrade it faster than the mileage would suggest, so much so that the oil change often follows the manufacturer's "severe service" interval. Next are the battery and the alternator, which are under constant strain from liftgates, beacons, and other auxiliary equipment. The suspension and steering take the brunt of the daily load, potholes, and curbs, and their components fail well before those of a passenger car. Finally, on light-duty diesel engines, short city cycles interfere with particulate filter regeneration.

And if your fleet goes electric

An electric vehicle fleet eliminates oil changes, spark plugs, and engine air filters. Maintenance doesn't drop to zero, howeverRegenerative braking helps brake pads last longer, but rotors can corrode and calipers may seize from lack of use. The weight of the battery accelerates tire wear. The battery cooling system, suspension, and steering still require maintenance. The maintenance schedule doesn't disappear; its content simply changes.

Brakes, tires, suspension: accelerated wear from frequent stops

A delivery vehicle that makes dozens of stops per day wears out its brakes much faster than a vehicle used for standard driving over the same distance. This is the most frequently underestimated factor when building a schedule based solely on mileage.

The tires follow the same logic. Repeated loading, tight turns in delivery yards, and curb contact cause uneven wear long before they are worn out, and timely rotation extends the life of the set.

The suspension takes the rest of the hit. Worn shocks, degraded bushings, and misaligned wheels won't leave a vehicle stranded, but they compromise handling and silently destroy tires.

Working with a single shop: how it impacts turnaround times

A garage that has serviced your twelve vehicles for two years knows exactly what has been replaced and which units are under the most strain. Diagnostics take less time because the history is already there.

In practical terms, this means scheduled appointments rather than emergency ones, parts ordered in advance, multiple repairs grouped into a single visit, and a unit coming in during your off-peak hours instead of a busy Tuesday.

MDF Mécanique serves businesses in Laval and the surrounding areas with this type of follow-up. The terms for a service tailored to a fleet are discussed based on its size.

FAQ

What is fleet maintenance and why is it important?

It is the planned management of maintenance for all of a company's vehicles, as opposed to repairs handled on a case-by-case basis. A commercial vehicle generates revenue, and every day it is out of service translates into delayed contracts.

How do you plan regular fleet maintenance?

By combining mileage, actual hours of use, and the two seasonal tire changes. The specific intervals come from each manufacturer's manual. Stagger the units throughout the year so that only one is out of service at a time.

What technological tools facilitate maintenance management?

Fleet management systems with telematics record mileage, pull diagnostic codes, send maintenance alerts, and manage route optimization. For a small fleet, a shared spreadsheet is sufficient.

How can you optimize costs without compromising safety?

By shifting the budget from corrective to preventive, documenting every service, and grouping visits. Checking tire pressure every month remains the most cost-effective measure.

What are the specific requirements for electric vehicles in a fleet?

No oil changes or spark plugs, but brakes need to be inspected for corrosion and seizing, tire wear is accelerated by the weight of the battery, and the cooling system requires monitoring.

My vehicles have a GVWR under 4,500 kg. Do I need to perform periodic mechanical inspections? In most cases, no, as these vehicles fall outside the heavy vehicle category. Exceptions exist, including tow trucks. Consult the list of affected vehicles on the SAAQ website.

How much does preventive fleet maintenance cost?

It depends on the number of units, the type of vehicles, and how they are used. Request an estimate based on your vehicle list and annual mileage.

Get your fleet maintenance schedule evaluated

Provide your list of vehicles, their model years, and annual mileage. MDF Mécanique will create a preventive maintenance schedule tailored to your actual usage and suggest appointment slots that minimize downtime.

Call us at 438-544-1177 or fill out the form.

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