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one should be assigned to check each vehicle on a regular basis and a log of those checks should be made. Allow me to offer some suggestions. 1. Individual vehicle fles Give each truck a number and then create a folder for every vehicle in the feet. Within that folder opera- tors should keep a log that shows the date and mileage every time that par- ticular vehicle was checked. A record of what was found, if anything, and what work was performed at that time should also be noted. In that same folder, operators should keep a copy of all receipts for parts purchased and outside repair work performed. This way operators can easily go back and check how much money they are spending on each vehicle. 2. Minimum service schedule The basic maintenance for any vehicle should be regularly changing the oil, check- ing all the fuids, examining wiper blades and ensuring interior and exterior lights function normally. I'm sure that there are mechanics out there that will add to this list but this is a very basic list to start the process and keep vehicles in good running condition. The regular oil change is a must no matter what else operators may or may not do. Look for a repair shop near the warehouse where drivers can take the vehicle for an oil change and fuids check. If opera- tors have more than one vehicle, they can likely work out a deal to bring in all their vehicles at once, every 3 months, to get the basics done. This is what our company did. We negoti- ated with the local Jiffy Lube to set up a day to bring all our vehicles in to get them checked. We continued to do this until we grew to over 20 vehicles, at which time we decided to hire our own mechanic to take care of our feet from changing oil to chang- ing engines. After the initial start-up costs of the frst 2 years, the in-house mechanic more than paid for himself by what we saved. I know most operations are not large enough to hire their own mechanic. Instead, operators can cre- ate a program that will allow them to stay on top of vehicle maintenance. This is what will save them money. 3. Weekly driver checklist Another important maintenance component is to create a checklist for drivers to fll out on a weekly basis or anytime something is wrong with the truck. The check- list can be small, perhaps half a sheet of standard paper. On the paper, type or write a list of items that need to be checked. Leave a space next to each item where the driver can place a checkmark and any comments. Some items to con- sider for the checklist are: check oil and other fuids, windshield wip- ers, headlights, turn signals, back lights, brakes, battery, tires, mir- rors, locks, etc. Make sure to put the truck number at the top and leave room for the date and mile- age. Mileage can serve a dual pur- pose, frst to see when repairs were made and second to see how much that truck is traveling each week or month. If operators fnd one vehicle is traveling a great deal more miles than another, they might want to consider switching it with another truck in the feet every 6 months. This will ensure wear and tear is more evenly distributed. 4. Wash the vehicle bi monthly I also highly recommend one other item and that is a wash. Yes, a wash. Always remem- ber how a vending operation needs to look to customers. Believe me, a clean truck says a lot about an opera- tor and his or her company. Get a service to come to the warehouse every 2 to 3 weeks, to wash all the vehicles. It will be quick, easy and not very expensive. By now, I'm sure many opera- tors are saying 'wow that's a lot to do for just one or two trucks.' Yes. It can be, until you think of the alter- native. Besides the obvious costly repairs a vehicle may have when it has been neglected, imagine a driver gets in an accident. When the police or insurance company is determining fault, it may come out that the vehicle turn signal wasn't working, the brake pads were worn or the windshield wasn't as clean as it should have been. This may impact fndings and ultimately lead to fnes or increased insur - ance premiums. Operators will be able to rest a little easier if they can present the insurance com - pany with a folder on the vehicle in question that documents all the maintenance done with the date of completion. Everyone involved can then eliminate vehicle negligence as a possible cause of the accident. A vending business relies on its delivery vehicles — give preventa- tive maintenance a high priority. May 2015 VendingMarketWatch.com Automatic Merchandiser 27 S M A L L O P About the Author Dominic Finelli is a 43-year veteran vending operator in the Washington, D.C. market. Along with his partner/ brother-in-law, John Sartori, he helped grow a family start-up, Custom Vending, to 30 routes. Finelli served 23 years as a director of the MD/DC Vending As- sociation, and 10 years as the presi- dent. He sold his vending company in 2011. Finelli can be reached at dom@ askfnelli.com.