How can truckers keep their rigs in good shape?

For professional truckers, their vehicles are often as important to them as literally anything in their life. When spending days or more on the road, it can be their home, their office and - perhaps most important - their livelihood. For that reason, it's vital that drivers ensure their vehicles are in good shape on an ongoing basis, and especially before they need to be inspected.

The recent Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance International Roadcheck event saw tens of thousands of trucks and buses nationwide inspected over a three-day period, and in last year's inspections about 1 in 8 received violation notices, mostly related to the vehicles' tires, wheels and brakes, according to American Trucker. As a consequence, any maintenance efforts or evaluations should start where the rubber meets the road.

Why maintenance is important
If any of those parts fail in the course of the day behind the wheel can not only set drivers way behind in their schedules, it can also post a major safety risk for truckers and other motorists, the report said. Experts say these problems often stem from drivers failing to maintain good tire pressure, so starting there on any inspection is usually a great idea.

"Running on an underinflated tire is going to increase stress on it and generate a higher internal running temperature, and both of those things increase the risk of a blowout," Jon Intagliata, product manager of tire pressure monitoring systems at Bendix, told the site. "In fact, industry studies have calculated that about 90 percent of tire failures can be attributed to underinflation."

Regular checks
Of course, inspections aren't something that should be done only at this time of year, but rather, drivers should make an effort to inspect their vehicles carefully any time they're about to hit the road, and particularly before long trips, according to Fleet Owner. That should include making sure all shipments - once loaded in - are properly secured so they don't shift, checking for any exhaust leaks, and that all lights are working as they should. If not, getting those issues fixed before hitting the road is vital.

One other aspect that some drivers might not always check on, however, is ensuring all their windows and mirrors are nice and clean, because that will help them avoid any issues such as glare that might impede visibility, the report said.

Finally, the basics of any good vehicle maintenance effort also apply here: Drivers should make sure they're changing - or at least checking - their oil and other fluids on a regular basis, according to Bull Ring USA. Likewise, swapping out filters every once in a while will simply help to ensure vehicles get the maximum efficiency out of every system.

Many drivers may be perfectly aware of all the ups and downs that can come with keeping a truck on the road for years or even decades, but a quick refresher and effort to redouble their focus on all the industry-recommended steps can go a long way.