Preventive maintenance is simple in theory and hard to keep up with in practice.
Harbor drayage fleets put heavy, stop-and-go hours on their trucks, and mileage badly understates it. Idling in a gate queue adds no miles at all, but it adds engine hours, soot, and wear — which is exactly why a PM schedule built on odometer readings will run a drayage truck into the ground. When every tractor is needed for every move, pulling one out for a shop PM gets pushed back until something breaks.
Mobile PM brings the maintenance to the yard. Trucks can be serviced between shifts, overnight, or on weekends, without a driver running them to a shop and waiting. Every PM is also a chance to catch worn brakes, leaking seals, cracked belts, and chafed wires before they turn into a roadside breakdown.
What our Fleet Preventive Maintenance covers
- Engine oil and filter changes
- Fuel filter and water separator replacement
- Air filter inspection and replacement
- Chassis lubrication — kingpins, U-joints, slack adjusters, and fifth wheel
- Coolant condition and level checks
- Belt and hose inspection
- Brake inspection and adjustment checks
- Tire inspection and pressure checks
- Battery and charging system testing
- Lights and electrical checks
- Air dryer cartridge service
- DEF system checks and DEF filter replacement on schedule
- Fault code scans to catch problems early
- A written PM report for each unit
What mobile PM doesn’t include
- DPF cleaning, which requires removing the filter and cleaning it on a machine
- Some major fluid services that need a lift and bulk fluid handling — ask about your specific units
- Overhead adjustments on some engines, depending on the engine and conditions
- Alignments and tire balancing
Used oil and filters have to be handled and disposed of properly. Ask how waste fluids are handled when you set up service.
Fix it on site or tow it?
Preventive maintenance is scheduled work, so there’s no tow decision — the question is whether a problem found during PM can be fixed in the same visit. Worn brakes, leaking seals, bad belts, and failing batteries can often be replaced right away with your approval.
Anything that needs a shop gets written up with details, so you can schedule the repair when the truck is available instead of when it breaks down.
What to tell dispatch when you call
The more dispatch knows up front, the better the odds the mechanic shows up with the right parts and tools on the first trip.
- How many trucks and trailers, plus their makes and models
- Engine hours or mileage, and when each unit was last serviced
- Where the vehicles are parked and when they’re available
- Your preferred PM interval, or the manufacturer’s recommended schedule
- Any problems drivers have reported
Truck makes & engines we work on
- Freightliner
- Peterbilt
- Kenworth
- Volvo
- Mack
- International
- Western Star
Class 6 through Class 8 trucks, including engines from Cummins, Detroit Diesel, PACCAR, Volvo, Mack, Navistar, and Caterpillar.
Fleet Preventive Maintenance around the harbor & the South Bay
Mobile PM works best at yards where trucks return regularly — container and chassis yards in Wilmington, transload and warehouse yards in Carson and Rancho Dominguez, and the drayage yards around Long Beach — as well as owner-operator home bases across San Pedro and the South Bay.
Freeways
Service areas
Fleet Preventive Maintenance FAQ
How often should a fleet truck get preventive maintenance?
Follow the engine and truck manufacturer’s schedule for your duty cycle. Trucks that idle a lot or run short, stop-and-go routes often need service based on engine hours rather than miles.
Can PM be done overnight or on weekends?
Dispatch is open 24/7. Tell dispatch when your trucks are parked and available, and a schedule can be set up around your operation.
What’s included in a PM service?
A typical PM includes oil and filters, lubrication, and an inspection of brakes, tires, lights, belts, hoses, and fluids. The checklist can be matched to your fleet’s needs.
Do I get maintenance records?
Each PM should come with a written report for the unit. Motor carriers are required to keep maintenance records, so file them with each vehicle’s records.
Can PM be combined with a DOT inspection?
Yes. Doing the annual inspection during a scheduled PM saves a second visit. See DOT inspections.
Do you service owner-operator trucks too?
Yes. PM isn’t just for fleets — an owner-operator’s truck can be serviced at home or at a truck stop during a break.