March 2018 | VehicleServicePros.com 13
From a vehicle perspective, a CMMS provides
an overview of what has already been repaired or
serviced on the vehicle previously, including which
parts were replaced, the technician responsible for
the last repair and how long it was in the shop.
As information is accrued for each vehicle, a
collective set of data off ers the ability to review
operations across the fl eet. In particular, exception
reporting – or reports that highlight irregular
conditions or discrepancies outside of the typical
operation parameters set by a fl eet – can provide
measurable performance. For instance, Renaldo
Adler explains, data history could determine a brake
system problem with a specifi c type of truck, or it can
highlight reoccurring repairs. Adler is the Principal
of Asset Maintenance for TMW Systems, a developer
of management soft ware including logistics, freight
and maintenance and repair (tmwsystems.com).
By having records of the service history of the
fl eet vehicles, a CMMS also allows fl eets to more
optimally maintain CSA compliance, Adler adds.
Th is large amount of data can be seamlessly
analyzed by a CMMS to provide a quantitative
measurement of diff erent processes, allowing a
fl eet to set benchmarks and measure success.
Th ese data sets are known as key performance
indicators, or KPIs.
Some common KPIs used by fl eets, according to
Transervice’s Darakos, include: Cost Per Mile, On
Time Service, PM Currency, Equipment Uptime,
Utilization, Inventory Turnover, Parts Pricing,
Equipment Acquisition Costs and Safety (DART
Rate, Accident Rate), to name a few.
Reviewing incremental changes can help fl eets
adjust diff erent aspects of their operation, such
as improved scheduling or more effi cient maintenance
cycles.
“Along with scheduling, you know you can plan
for when this truck needs to come in, to forecast and
manage your shop better – whether it’s the people,
the parts or the equipment coming in,” Adler says.
Having data to back up the proposed plan can
reaffi rm the decision to make a change.
Be predictive to be proactive
Implementing a maintenance management system
allows fl eets to take the data obtained through
daily operations, along with collective shared data
amassed from the soft ware provider, to make more
informed decisions on optimizing vehicle service
and general operations.
“If you don’t have a maintenance system, you’re
probably doing a lot of reactive maintenance,”
TMW’s Adler says.
Previously, only larger fl eet operations had
access to extensive data in order to complete
predictive analysis. With the advent of cloud
services – where information is housed and accessible
over the Internet, versus a local computer
- many smaller fl eets can now benefi t from analyzing
data to make incremental changes to their
operations as well.
“With the new evolution of the cloud and
everybody putting data out there, you can start
getting that data and more people can have access
to it,” Adler says.
Th e cloud allows for a collection of data from
fl eets, the soft ware companies and public data
What is VMRS?
Vehicle Maintenance Reporting
Standards, known as VMRS, is an
alphanumeric coding system that
allows individuals and organizations
the ability to organize and categorize
information into a standardized format.
Licensed by the American Trucking
Associations, VMRS was developed in
1969, long before the personal computer
was a mainstay in the shop.
“It was developed by maintenance people
for maintenance people,” says Jack
Poster, VMRS Service Manager at the
Technology & Maintenance Council
(TMC). “These were people that really
knew trucks and equipment, and they
came up with this. They were really forward
thinking. It just meshed right into
the computer world, it was a perfect fit.”
Anyone and everyone in the commercial
vehicle realm may be using VMRS in
some form or another, including fleets,
vehicle manufacturers, suppliers and
maintenance software providers.
“VMRS is unique because it is applied to
so many different areas of maintenance
and transportation,” Poster says. “A
fleet is going to use it to run their maintenance
shop. The OEMs don’t have a
maintenance shop. They will use it for
gathering information about warranty.”
HOW IT’S USED BY FLEETS
Poster says VMRS is used as a communication
link for everyone in the shop.
“It links anybody in the shop – the maintenance
personnel – it links them to their
computer and, most important, it brings
management into the whole system,” he says.
If you already use a computerized maintenance
management software (CMMS) platform
in the shop, it likely utilizes VMRS. Many
software companies license this coding and
integrate it into their own software. In a fleet
setting, Poster says VMRS is often used as a
communications link for generating reports.
“It’s part of the repair order. The shop manager
or technician – whoever is completing
the work order – VMRS will be included in
a dropdown,” Poster explains. “There are
codes for ‘Reason for repair’ – why did that
piece of equipment come into the shop.
‘Failure codes’ – why did that part fail.
Instead of a technician writing out three
paragraphs, he can just point and click.
“And that’s where the efficiencies come
in. You still might have to write some
notes, but on everyday repairs or even
more involved repairs, it saves time.
It saves typing and misspelling.”
In addition to work orders, VMRS can be
found in the parts room. Poster says many
fleets will organize their parts room by VMRS
component codes. The coding convention
can also aid in inventory control by standardizing
the inventory control process.
If you’re looking to adopt/implement
maintenance software, Poster encourages
fleets to confirm software companies
“have VMRS in the system, and they
are updating their codes regularly.”
HOW INFORMATION
IS ORGANIZED
The breadth of coverage for the different
areas of fleet maintenance can be staggering.
At the highest level, VMRS is organized by
primary categories known as code keys.
There are now 65 active code keys to cover
all aspects of the industry. The most common
code keys used by fleets are component
code keys (code 33), which organize parts,
and manufacturer supplier brand code
keys (code 34) to track product brands.
Additional code key examples include assets,
labor, reason for repair, failure codes, etc.
A component code key is a standardized
method for organizing vehicle parts.
“The component code is not a parts number
replacement, it augments it,” Poster adds.
The component code key consists of more
than 32,000 codes to categorize different
vehicle systems, assembly and exact component.
Each component code key is made up of
nine digits – three sets of three digits each.
“There are codes that cover the brake system,
engine, transmission parts - to expendable
items like work boots and safety glasses,”
Poster says. “The fleet can use that number
to store their purchases on a repair order
and keep track of what they’re buying. They
can also use that to compare reliability
and durability between manufacturers.”
For example, 013 designates any part of the
braking vehicle system. The second set of
digits refers to different aspects of the braking
system assembly – 001 for front brakes,
002 for rear brakes, etc. The last three digits
of the nine-digit code refer to the exact component.
For instance, 023 within the braking
vehicle system will always be a front brake
drum. Combined, the component code for
a front brake drum would be 013 001 023.
THE OVERALL BENEFIT
“With VMRS, it’s a single, concise method for
managing fleets, their assets, their maintenance
and their costs,” Poster says. “It allows
you to simplify, clarify and unify maintenance.”
Poster provides the analogy of a symphony
orchestra to describe how the
standards work together. Each musician
may speak a different language – or work
in a different area of the industry - but
the musical notes on the sheet music provide
a standard way to play together.
“The notes are universal,” Poster says.
“If you can read music, that’s it.”
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