How Does UPS Maintain and Handle Their Truck Fleet?
UPS stands for united parcel service which is an organization in the United States that delivers packages in trucks. Their trucks are easily identifiable because they are all brown in color. Their company is actually nicknamed the big brown machine. They are specially designed and posses the company logo as a trademark and a way of making them stand out among the several delivery companies that might have brown package cars.
With more than 3 billion parcels, letters and packages to deliver annually, UPS trucks need to be the very best and they need to be kept in top shape for them to be able to perform their functions properly. Maintenance at the UPS Company cannot be compared to maintenance anywhere else because they pay on a whole new playing field when it comes to keeping their vehicles in good condition.
It is important to know at this point that maintenance is not only taking a vehicle to diagnostics or to a mechanics shop. For the staff and personnel at UPS, they start maintenance right from the fuel they use. The UPS trucks use alternative types of fuel and they do this for a number of reasons. First, alternative fuel is cost effective. This may perhaps be the lead reason as to why this company is so successful in the United States. They save millions by using alternative sources of fuel. The money that is accrued from this is then channeled right back into the business and used for other pressing purposes.
Also, alternative fuel is environmentally friendly and friendly to the car engine. It prevents corrosion that would be evident if other types of fuel are used. This too is a way of maintaining the trucks because a good engine ensures that the truck functions well and without hitches at all times. There has been a general observation that UPS trucks never really turn left unless they have no option. Their maintenance departments noticed that turning left takes up a lot of time and fuel as opposed to turning right. If you are keen you will notice that their trucks always turn right unless there is no provision for that to happen.
UPS also take very good care of their trucks through computerized methods. They have a system called Preventive Maintenance Inspection (PMI). This kind of inspection is done even when the tractors do not really have a problem. This check is often based on the miles driven and the days of service that are due. This saves on fuel consumption and does some sort of diagnostic to see if the trucks may be experiencing any kind of technical hitches.
Vehicle parts always need to be cleaned and the type of solvent used matters a lot. The cleaning process is always bound to emit wastes that are not good neither for the environment nor the vehicle. UPS through its inventive processes has come up with a way to almost double up the lifespan of the solvents they use. The quantity of toxic substances that result from the use of these kinds of solvents is much less and the amount of solvent used is also very little.