Fleet maintenance is rarely just about repairs. It is about keeping trucks and trailers moving, meeting delivery commitments and avoiding the kind of downtime that subtly kicks your profit margin in the shins. An out-of-service tractor sitting in your yard is not simply a maintenance issue. It represents missed revenue, strained customer relationships and an opening for competitors.
That reality shapes how pallet companies approach maintenance today. Whether operating a handful of trucks or managing a large national fleet, the focus is less on the mechanics of repair and more on keeping equipment available and productive. At Kamps Pallets, for example, that perspective starts with consistency and control. “Effective trailer maintenance is key to DOT compliance,” said Chris Tremain, vice president of Kamps’ logistics operations.
He continued, “At Kamps, we perform regular inspections on high-use equipment to proactively address maintenance and potential safety concerns. Our top priorities are safety and delivering a quality product on-time for our customers. Effective trailer maintenance and DOT compliance are keys to achieving these priorities. We also use centralized data management for our North American fleet. All trucks and trailers are monitored and controlled from one centralized database. This facilitates asset management and utilization.”
Different Structures, Same Objective
Across the industry, there is no single model for how maintenance is organized. Instead, most pallet companies have settled into a hybrid structure that blends centralized oversight with local execution.
California-based San Fernando Valley Pallet Co. operates that way. “We run it as a combination,” said George Eroza, director of operations at San Fernando Valley Pallet Co. Inc. “Planning is centralized, but execution happens with the operations team. We have a dedicated person who plans maintenance weekly, usually during off hours so we do not interfere with production.”
PLA, a national pallet provider, takes a different approach, pushing more responsibility to the plant level. “At PLA, we organize fleet maintenance at the plant level, allowing execution to be more agile,” said Erick Taylor, director of transportation assets. “Local teams handle all immediate repair needs, PMs, inspections and day-to-day coordination with maintenance vendors. They’re closest to the equipment and can respond quickly to avoid effecting operational demands.”
From a broader fleet perspective, hybrid models are increasingly common. “Across most fleets today, I’m seeing a hybrid model emerge as the most effective, especially for mid-sized private fleets like pallet operations,” said Steve Saltzgiver, fleet ambassador for RTA, a fleet maintenance software provider. “Centralized shops work well for control and consistency, while plant-based technicians are critical for uptime in distributed operations. The best fleets blend both.”
Despite those differences in organization, the objective is consistent. Maintenance has to support operations, not slow them down.
The Real Cost of Downtime
Cost pressures reinforce that need for flexibility. While maintenance budgets are often examined line by line, the biggest drivers are not always the most obvious.
At San Fernando Valley Pallet, parts and downtime dominate the equation. “Parts are the biggest cost driver, and downtime is right behind that,” Eroza explained. “The best return we see comes from preventive maintenance. If you catch something early, like a small leak, you might only need to replace a gasket. That is a quick and low cost repair. If you ignore it, it can turn into a major failure and now you are replacing a full component, like a pump, with a lot more downtime.”
PLA sees the balance slightly differently, placing downtime at the center of the issue. “Downtime is where we feel the most financial impact,” Taylor suggested. “We consider a trailer sitting idle as more than just a repair expense. It’s lost revenue, missed service commitments, and an opportunity for competitors to step in.”
Across fleets, the same pressures show up in different ways. Saltzgiver noted that labor inefficiency, parts availability and deferred maintenance continue to push costs higher, while the true impact of downtime often remains underappreciated in day-to-day decisions. As much as it can, San Fernando Valley Pallet builds preventive maintenance into its routine. Just as importantly, it uses every shop visit as an opportunity to get ahead. “We handle both preventive and corrective maintenance,” Eroza said. “For trucks, we go by mileage. For trailers, since mileage is harder to track, we go by time and make sure everything is serviced before the end of the year.
“If a unit comes in for a repair, we take care of planned maintenance at the same time,” he added. “For example, if a truck has a flat tire, we replace the tire but also complete any maintenance that is due. That way we reduce downtime and keep equipment in good shape.”
Even so, reactive maintenance has not disappeared. It remains a persistent reality, often driven by operational pressure.
“It usually comes down to priorities,” Eroza acknowledged. “When things get busy, the focus shifts to moving freight and serving customers, and sometimes maintenance gets pushed back. If something is not clearly flagged in the system, it can get missed. That is when you end up with reactive repairs.”
PLA sees similar challenges, particularly as fleets age. “Reactive maintenance is never going to be eliminated, so our focus is to try to minimize and control it as much as possible,” Taylor said. “Aging fleets that move past their expected lifecycle allow maintenance to become less predictable and issues to go unnoticed.”
Kevin Chan, director of product marketing at Fleetio, a fleet management software provider, said the data reflects that reality. “Most fleets operate in a mixed state,” he noted. “Only about half of maintenance work is scheduled, while a significant portion remains unscheduled or emergency. The root causes are consistent: poor prioritization, communication gaps, technician shortages, and high unscheduled service volume. These constraints make it difficult to plan and execute maintenance on time.”
From Visibility to Execution
One area where pallet companies are making steady progress is in inspections and communication, particularly through driver involvement.
“Driver inspections have made a big difference,” Eroza commented. “In California they are required, and they help us catch issues early. Drivers report things like cracks, wear, or anything unusual, and we use that information to plan maintenance. Not everything needs to be fixed right away, but it gives us visibility so we can schedule it properly.”
This fleet visibility changes how maintenance is managed. Instead of reacting to failures, fleets can prioritize work based on severity and timing, improving both uptime and resource allocation.
Digital tools are increasingly supporting that process, but their impact depends heavily on how they are used.
“Our fleet management software allows us the ability to track service history, schedule preventive maintenance and analyze cost trends across the fleet,” Taylor explained. “It provides performance metrics that can identify issues before they become failures. We’ve seen a significant reduction in breakdown frequency, improved compliance scores, and overall better asset utilization.”
Chan emphasized that the real value comes from how systems are connected. “Digital tools make the biggest impact when they connect inspections, scheduling and work execution into a single workflow,” he said. “The real value is not just surfacing issues faster, but closing the loop between detection, planning and repair. That’s what improves compliance, reduces breakdowns and keeps assets in service longer.”
Saltzgiver agreed, noting that the biggest gains come from execution rather than reporting. Maintenance software, telematics and inspection programs can improve performance, but only when paired with disciplined use and consistent processes.
Systems that look good on paper often fail when workflows remain fragmented or when teams are not fully trained. Chan said that one of the most common mistakes is investing in tools before fixing the workflows behind them. “Without clear goals and consistent processes, even the best systems struggle to deliver results,” he said.
For pallet companies, the first steps toward improvement are often more practical than technological. “The first step is establishing visibility into cost and spend by asset,” Taylor recommended. “If you can’t clearly track maintenance costs, downtime and performance by asset, it’s nearly impossible to improve.”
San Fernando Valley Pallet emphasizes consistency and discipline. “Start by knowing your equipment,” Eroza suggested. “Build a full list and follow the service intervals recommended by the manufacturer or dealership. Stay consistent. Some things need to be checked daily, like oil, tires and general condition. Other services need to happen on schedule, and skipping them is a major mistake.”
Saltzgiver pointed to similar priorities across fleets, including improving preventive maintenance compliance, standardizing work orders and tightening parts management. Many of the most effective improvements come from better execution rather than new tools or complex analytics.
Vendors and supplier relationships also play a larger role than many operators might initially expect. “Use your vendors,” Eroza said. “Good parts suppliers can help you find better pricing and availability, which makes a big difference.”
Training and redundancy within the maintenance team are also critical. “Do not rely on just one mechanic,” Eroza advised. “Make sure others can step in, start the process, and keep things moving. You are only as strong as your weakest point.”
Building a Maintenance Culture That Holds
Across fleets of all sizes, the underlying themes are consistent. Maintenance is no longer viewed as a standalone function, but as an integral part of operations that directly affects service, cost and competitiveness.
At PLA, that perspective is explicit. “Treat maintenance as more than just a cost center,” Taylor said. “Well-maintained equipment drives results that directly impact the bottom line.”
For pallet companies, that shift may be the most important takeaway. Keeping trucks moving is not simply about fixing what breaks. It is about building the processes, discipline and visibility needed to keep trucks rolling, allowing them to play their crucial role in business success.
