Apr 1, 2009 12:00 PM, Gregory Hart Hart Consulting

I thought your February column (Your trucks heading for a breakdown today?) was well-written.

As a consultant who specializes in maintenance, my approach with clients is to remove the driver from the maintenance process.

I know of many, many well-run companies, both large and small, which preach pre- and post-trip inspections, and still drivers will not correctly or properly inspect their equipment.

I have seen drivers complete their vehicle inspection reports, checking everything as “good,” even though tires were bald, brakes bad, and everything in between. You would think drivers would want to have their equipment in top condition.

I have often wondered why a driver would knowingly drive a unsafe vehicle when the owners, operations, and maintenance management want the equipment maintained “top drawer,” and are willing to spend the capital to keep safe, well-maintained equipment, and would never knowingly endanger the motoring public.

I have found it far better to base maintenance processes on safety lanes, oil-change intervals, performing as much maintenance as possible through in-house programs, and monitoring equipment from satellite.

I have had my consulting business over 19 years and been in maintenance my entire career, and it seems some things — like drivers not doing proper and complete vehicle inspections — never change.