Unexpected repair invoices can blow up a month’s margin in one afternoon. Four of ten service-van operators in our recent poll admit they still run purely reactive maintenance—fixing what breaks and hoping the next job covers the bill. If that sounds familiar, this post on Preventive Maintenance is your first step toward steady, predictable fleet costs.

Why Reactive Maintenance Is So Expensive

  • Unplanned downtime: When a van dies mid-route, you lose billable hours and disappoint customers.

  • Premium pricing: Emergency repairs cost more. Shops charge rush rates; tow trucks add mileage fees.

  • Collateral damage: A $25 belt that snaps on the highway can quickly snowball into a four-figure engine repair.

Preventive maintenance (PM) flips the script by catching wear before it becomes failure. You trade crisis invoices for small, planned expenses you can schedule when work is slow.

The Core of a PM Playbook

  1. Baseline each vehicle.

     Record the current odometer, VIN, last oil change, and recent repairs. Knowing where you’re starting helps you spot trends.
  2. Set simple monthly checkpoints.

     Focus on the essentials: oil & filter, tires & brakes, fluid levels, and a quick walk-around for leaks or body damage.
  3. Log every unplanned repair.

     Date, mileage, work performed, vendor, cost, short note. A running list shows patterns: repeated alternator failures, one driver who’s hard on tires, etc.
  4. Review quarterly.

     Look for rising costs or repeated issues. If a van’s unexpected-repair total is climbing toward its resale value, start planning a replacement.
  5. Close the feedback loop.

     Share findings with technicians and drivers. When they see how a $30 filter change avoided a $3,000 tow + turbo replacement, buy-in skyrockets.

Grab Your Free One-Page PM Tracker

If you’re not using any tracking tool today, a simple Google Sheet is the fastest way to start. We’ve built a single-sheet template you can drop straight into Drive:

  • One tab per vehicle (rename the tab with the truck or van number).
  • Easy to use columns for easy tracking.
  • Copy each tab for your vehicles

Already on fleet software? Import the sheet in seconds—or skip it and let our Alliance platform handle everything for you.

How Fractional Fleet Support Keeps You on Track

Preventive maintenance is simple on paper but easy to let slide when calls are stacking up. Alliance Fleet Solutions’ PerformaX Essentials plan gives small fleets:

  • Professional scheduling & oversight without a full-time fleet manager.
  • Discounted repairs at 75,000+ in-network shops with ASE-certified review.
  • Quarterly health reports that flag aging assets before they explode your budget.

Next Step

  1. Download the PM worksheet. 
  2. Log today’s odometer and last service.
  3. Block 30 minutes this week to walk around each van.

Small, consistent actions now mean no more surprise bills later. If you’d like guidance—or want us to run the playbook for you—book a free fleet check-in.

Predictable costs start with a plan. Let’s build yours.