Introduction to Fleet Department

1.

Introduction to Fleet Department
The Fleet Department in the trucking industry plays a crucial
role in managing, maintaining, and optimizing a company's
fleet of trucks to ensure efficiency, compliance, and
profitability. The department is responsible for vehicle
maintenance, driver management, and adherence to safety
and regulatory standards.
Goal of the fleet department- not only fixing the truck&trailer
when its broken but also prevent them to be broken doing
maintenance on time
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2.

Most commonly semi truck brands in US
Sometimes you are asked what kind of truck you have, so you need to know what do you have by seeing the truck picture. As you see there is
truck logo describing the brand.
Freightliner Cascadia
FRHT
Volvo VNL
Volvo
International
INTL
Peterbilt
PTRB
Mack
Kenworth
Kenwo
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3.

TRUCK TYPES
Day cab
This truck is usually used for short tip
loads where driver comes back home
daily. Smaller size allows easier
navigation in urban areas and tight
spaces. Lighter weight contributes to
better fuel economy.
Sleeper cab
Equipped with sleeping compartments
behind the driver seat. Long-haul routes
necessitating overnight travel.
Eliminates the need for external lodging,
saving time and costs. Provides rest
facilities, reducing fatigue on extended
journeys
Box truck
Its also known as box van, cube van or
cube truck, is a commercial vehicle
characterized by its enclosed, rectangular,
cargo area mounted on a chassis cab and
the cargo box into a single structural frame.
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4.

Trailer types
Dry van
As you see the pics it’s a trailer
which cover the commodity from
each side. You can load electronic
products, food, clothing, dry grains
and more
Both flatbed and step deck trailers are designed to haul large,
heavy, and irregularly shaped cargo that cannot fit inside a
standard dry van. They offer flexibility for loading and unloading
from all sides and above.
A frac tank trailer is a specialized
heavy-duty trailer designed to store
and transport large volumes of liquid
used in industrial and energy sectors,
particularly in hydraulic fracturing
(fracking), construction, and
environmental clean-up.
A reefer trailer (refrigerated
trailer) is designed to transport
perishable goods at controlled
temperatures. Its almost the
same with dry van trailer with
cooling system. It consumes
diesel for refrigerator
Tank trailer
A tanker trailer is designed to
transport liquid, gas, or dry bulk
materials safely and efficiently.
These trailers come in various
configurations based on the
type of cargo they haul.
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5.

Here is trailer basic parts. You need to know them all since there are only important ones
Swing doors
Trailer number
Trailer door
Side wall
Hingers
Side DOT
reflective tape
Brake and
signal light
Plate number
Door locking
bar&latches
Rear Bumper
Landing gear
Trailer tires
Mud flaps
DOT reflective tape
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6.

Usually there are 2 types of the trailer door
1- SWING DOOR
Which us the most commonly used trailer door. 1st pic
This door serves longer with less issues
2-ROLLING UP DOOR
This door is convenient to use on tight spaces, it does not take much space.
Outside and inside view on the pics 2 and 3
Pics 4 and 5 describe how to open this type of doors
Pic 2
Pic 3
Pic 4
Pic 1
Pic 5
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7. Truck&Trailer DOT inspection

Truck&Trailer DOT inspection
● A DOT inspection refers to a Department of Transportation inspection, which is a standardized
process used in the United States to ensure that commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) are
operating safely and in compliance with federal regulations.
A DOT inspection is valid for a year ( we update trucks’ each 3 months for safety reasons)
Operationg without DOT ( periodic) inspection is violation
Expiration data must be valid
DOT sticker
DOT inspection report
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8.

CAB CARD- IRP REGISTRATION
It is one of the most important document required by
DOT. Its valid for a year maximum or till upcoming
assigned date. For example shows expires on
MARCH 31, 2026, that means all CAB CARDS which
is registered in IL expire on March 31 even if you
make it on February
Registrant Name:
JEBEL LLC
Registrant Address:
300 BEAU DR APT 6 DES PLAINES, IL 60016
Account Number: 101179
Fleet Number: 1
Effective Date: 04/01/2025
Expiration Date: 03/31/2026
Plate Number: P1276419
VIN: 3AKJHHDRXLSLZ7477
Unit Number: 100
Make/Year: FRHT/2020
Weight: 80,000 lbs
Fuel Type: Diesel
Combined GVW: 80,000
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9.

IFTA and NY HUT stickers
IFTA stands for the International Fuel Tax Agreement. It’s a cooperative agreement among the lower 48
U.S. states and Canadian provinces to simplify the reporting of fuel use by trucks that travel across states
We need a NY HUT (Highway Use Tax) sticker to legally operate certain commercial vehicles on New
York State public highways. It’s required to track and pay taxes based on the miles driven in the state (
NY HUT sticker is needed in NY state only).
There are sample stickers, you can see year on each one ( year shoould be valid)
IFTA sticker
HUT NY sticker
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10.

You are required to know basic truck parts, because these parts are used every day
- Front View Marker/Clearance Lights
White or Amber in front
CMV ID Lights
All 3 lights must be in
place and function
Wind Deflector
Side View Mirrors
CB/Radio Antenna
Also known as
“Door mirror”
Bug-Eye Mirrors/
Hood mirror
Windshield
Hood
Radiator Grill
Head Lights
“High Beams”
Fender
Head Lights
“Low Beams”
Turn Signals
Left, Right & 4-way flashers
Bumper
Tag / Plate

11.

- Rear View Reflectors
Exhaust Stack
Utility Light
Fifth Wheel
Air & Electric Line
Tail Lights
Mud Flaps
Reflectors
Backup Lights

12.

Vehicle Inspection
- Side View Door Window
Rear Gap
Fairing
Emergency Equipment
Door
Cat Walk
Door Latch
Mud Flaps
Tractor Rear Tires
Front Tire
Front Axle Seal
Front Wheel/Rim
Steps
Fuel Tank
Side Fairings
Fuel Tank Strap
Fuel Tank
Tractor Rear Wheel/Rims
Tractor Rear Axle Seals

13.

Calling Road Service step-by-step
When a driver inform you that he is having issue with the truck you can inform the fleet team, if the issue is with the trailer need to
collect more information about the issue and inform the broker, need to wait till the brokers answers. Sometimes broker has own road
service and they take care of the trailer issue themselves, but update team has to provide the broker with all information is needed.
Usually broker gives us approval to repair the trailer than you inform fleet team which is responsible for calling road service and they
call road service if only broker agrees to reimburse the repair cost. Note: if the broker has own service team and he requires us to call
a specific service update or dispatch team needs to handle it. When you call RS ( road service) you need to provide them with:
1. Driver name and phone number
2. Company information ( legal name, address, phone number and email)
3.Description of the issue ( like air leak, blown tire, light issue…), need to describe the issue correctly than they will bring the correct
parts and equipment
4. Exact address of the breakdown
5. Before setting up RS need to ask estimated price and ETA ( estimated time of arrival), if the price and the ETA is fine you can
approve them to come and fix the trailer Note: sometimes RS requires down payment, as much as possible you should not pay
anything before they come but if there is no other option you can pay by credit card ( bc its possible to cancel the transaction) by
checking their review( must be more than 4 star)
6. When RS completes the repair you need to make the payment and get the receipt, because the broker reimburses whatever price
is written on the invoice
7. Before letting the mechanic go have the driver to check the trailer and make sure everything is fixed
Note: you can use google maps to look for a mechanic, just open the google map and write MOBILE TRUCK MECHANIC/ TRUCK
REPAIR SHOP/ TRUCK SERVICE… on the search. Or you can use truckdown.com and nttsbreakdown.com, they are also good
sites to find RS
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14.

If the driver wants he can install some more staff like coffee machine, TV, play station…. But these things should not effect driving
time and truck condition

15.

Cargo Securement:
Straps
tarp
Load Bars
When a driver is hauling a flat bad or step deck trailer they are
required to secure the load with STRAP and Cover it with TARP. They
use WINCH BAR to tighten the straps. LOAD BAR is needed to
adjust the load but the driver usually does not need it
Winch bar
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16.

Permissible Federal Gross Loads for Vehicles
12,000lbs. Average
Single Axle Weight
34,000lbs. Maximum
Tandem Axle
Weight
34,000lbs. Maximum
Tandem Axle
Weight
Maximum Gross Vehicle Weight: 80,000lbs.
*Fedreal Maximum Single Axle Weight 20,000lb.

17.

Driver Safety
Safety Equipment & Tools

18.

SAFETY WEST
Both Drivers are Required to wear a Safety Vest
*Supplied by Driver

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20.

Fully closed non-slippery footwear
No fip-flops
X

21.

Basic tools:
Side cutters
Screw driver set:
Philips
Flat

22.

Tire Gauge
Tire Tread Depth

23.

Commercial Motor Vehicle must be equipped with emergency
Look for:
Fire Extinguisher
Emergency Warning Triangles

24.

Top 10 Vehicle Violations
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Required lights not working
Flat tire and audible air leak
Fire extinguisher not complaint
Damaged or chafing brake hose
Failure to inspect, repair, or maintain tractor/trailer parts &
accessories
Brake system air leaks
No warning triangles
Mud Flaps missing or defective
Lane Restriction violation
Failure to obey traffic control device
Speeding over the speed limit
Failing to use seat belt
Using a hand-held mobile telephone
Improper lane change
Record of duty status violation
ELD is not mounted in a fixed position and visible to driver
Driver failed to maintain supply of blank paper log book
ELD does not display required information
Operating a CMV without a CDL
Operating a CMV without proper endorsements

25.

Common On-Road Issues Faced by Semi-Trucks
-Flat Tires or Blowouts: Caused by debris, underinflation, or worn-out tires.
-Brake Failures: Air brake system leaks or overheating on steep descents.
-Fuel Shortages: Miscalculations or faulty fuel gauges leading to unexpected stops.
-Overheating Engines: Heavy loads or high-temperature conditions straining the cooling system.
-Electrical System Failures: Dead batteries, alternator problems, or faulty wiring affecting lights and power.
-Trailer Detachment Issues: Fifth wheel malfunctions or improper coupling leading to trailer separation.
-Frozen Fuel Lines: Extreme cold weather causing fuel to gel and block flow.
-Clutch Malfunctions: Worn-out clutch components leading to difficulty in gear shifting.
-Check Engine Light Alerts: Sensor failures or emission system issues requiring diagnostics.
-Accidents & Roadside Emergencies: Weather, driver fatigue, or mechanical failure resulting in breakdowns.
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26.

Tire issue
One of the most common issue that truck can face is TIRE ISSUE.
In order to resolve this issue need to know:
1.Tire condition ( flat, blown, cupped or bumped) note:
Tire pressure must be more than 90 psi
2. Tire size ( likely 295/75R22.5, 275/80R/22.5,
255/70R/22.5, 11R22.5….)
3. Broken tire position ( Driver(left)/passenger( right)
side, rear/front axle, inner/outer
4. Brake down address
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27.

1
2
3 4
5 6
7 8
9 10
1- driver side steer tire
2- passenger side steer tire
3-driver side, front axle, outer tire
4- driver side, front axle, inner tire
5- passenger side, front axle, inner tire
6- passenger side, front axle, outer tire
7- driver side, rear axle, outer tire
8- driver side, rear axle, inner tire
9- passenger side, rear axle, inner tire
10- passenger side, rear axle, outer tire
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28.

Pic 1
Pic 2
Pic 3
Sometimes, truck or trailer has SUPER SINGLE TIRE ( pic 1 and 2) not DOUBLE TIRE ( pic 3)
If the truck has super single tire there are 6 tires on one truck in total since the regular one has 10. There is difference
between tire sizes as well, double one is usually 295/75R22.5 and the super single one 445/50R22.5. Super single tire is
much expensive because one tire works on 2 tires position
Also, we can divide tires into 3 groups. RECAB TIRES ( pic 4), USED TIRES ( pic 5), BRAND NEW TIRES ( pic 6)
-Brand new tire- recently manufactured, being used the fire time
-Used tire- token off from a vehicle, driven but still useable
-Recap tire- tire itself is used but there is new tread is mounted ( its advised for trailers only)
Pic 4
Pic 5
Pic 6
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29.

Fuel cards and Pre pass devices
We use EFS fuel card to get diesel form truck stops. Our card works at Pilot, Fljying J and one 9 only. There
are other big trucks stops like Loves, Petro , TA, Shell, Sunocco but we do not use those for fuel, however,
drivers can stop there for food, shower, rest and even for diesel if they need it urgently ( payment has to be
cash, card or check). We use fuels card because there is big discount with them
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30.

In US, there is bunch of toll roads ( paid roads). Each time when a driver enters a toll road camera
detects the PRE PASS DEVICE in the truck and send us the toll bill to us automatically. Pre pass
devices blinks red and green when the driver is passing a WEIGHT STATION. Red light- driver
has to stop, Green light- no need to stop at the weight station.
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