How do I check a trucking fleet’s maintenance records before buying?

In a trucking company the fleet is a large part of what you are buying, and its condition may not show in the financial statements. The records are where the story is. A carrier that keeps good files can show you what each unit has needed. A carrier that cannot is telling you something too. Work through the records unit by unit and confirm them against the trucks themselves.

Start with the unit files

Ask for a file on each tractor and trailer: preventive maintenance history, repairs, inspection reports and any accident or breakdown notes. Check whether service happened on the schedule the owner says it follows. Gaps are worth a question. Ask who performed the work, in-house or at an outside shop, because that tells you where to look for the invoices.

Match invoices to the files, and watch the trend

Pick several units and trace the shop invoices against the entries in their files. They should agree. Then look at repair spending over several years. A steady pattern is reassuring. A sharp drop shortly before a sale may mean work was deferred to make earnings look better, and the cost has simply moved to you.

Look ahead and bring a mechanic

List what is likely to come due: engine or transmission work, tires, brakes, trailer refurbishing. Ask the seller what is already planned and who pays. Hire an independent mechanic, not the seller’s regular shop, to inspect the units that carry the most revenue. Questions about inspection standards go to the transportation regulator that oversees your carrier.

• A complete file for every unit, in date order.
• Invoices that agree with the entries in the files.
• Repair spending by year, next to the age of each unit.
• A written list of work due soon and who will pay for it.

See also what to check before buying a trucking company for the rest of the review.