Fleet maintenance contract vs. pay-as-you-go repairs: what works for East Midlands operators
A fleet maintenance contract for your HGVs keeps downtime low and DVSA compliance tight. Find out what we cover across the East Midlands and South Yorkshire.
A fleet maintenance contract is not just a cost line. It is how you protect your operator licence.
Transport managers running HGVs across the East Midlands and South Yorkshire know the pressure. One vehicle off the road costs money. A DVSA prohibition notice costs more. And a pattern of defects showing up on your OCRS record can put your operator licence at risk before you have time to act.
A fleet maintenance contract with a specialist commercial vehicle workshop takes that pressure off. Planned work gets done on schedule. Defects get found before they become prohibitions. And when something goes wrong at the roadside, you have one number to call, any time, day or night.
This is what we do at Trucktec Assist 24, working across the East Midlands and South Yorkshire from our workshop at Calk Mill Farm, Ashby Road, Melbourne, Derby, DE73 8BJ.
What a fleet maintenance contract for HGVs actually covers
The term gets used loosely, so it is worth being specific. A proper HGV fleet maintenance contract should include:
- Planned preventative maintenance (PPM) at intervals set to your vehicles' mileage and usage patterns, not a generic calendar.
- PMI safety inspections carried out to DVSA standards, with written records that stand up at audit.
- Brake testing on a calibrated roller brake tester, with results documented.
- MOT preparation so vehicles arrive at the test station in a condition that passes first time.
- Diagnostics and fault finding using current commercial vehicle diagnostic equipment.
- 24/7 emergency breakdown and recovery for when something fails at the roadside, because planned maintenance reduces failures but does not eliminate them.
We offer all of these. Whether you run three tractor units out of a yard near the M1 at junction 25, or a mixed fleet of rigids and curtainsiders operating across the A50 and A38 corridors, we can build a maintenance schedule around your operation.
Why the East Midlands and South Yorkshire need a locally based specialist
The motorway and trunk road network here is one of the busiest freight corridors in the country. The M1 runs the full length of the region. The A38 connects Derby to the M1 and carries heavy commercial traffic through Alfreton and Sutton-in-Ashfield. The A50 links the M1 at junction 24 to Stoke, running past Uttoxeter and through the heart of the East Midlands logistics belt. The A42 feeds traffic from the M1 at junction 23a toward Birmingham. The A52 connects Nottingham to Derby and sees significant commercial vehicle movement morning and evening.
If your vehicles are running these routes, you need a maintenance provider who knows the territory and can reach you quickly when something goes wrong. A national contract with a distant depot does not help a driver stuck on the A38 northbound near Alfreton at 02:00 on a Sunday morning.
Our emergency breakdown line is answered 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Our technicians attend fully equipped and aim to repair at the roadside wherever possible, rather than defaulting to a tow. That matters when your driver is carrying a time-sensitive load.
Planned maintenance: the core of any serious fleet contract
Reactive maintenance is expensive. Planned maintenance is an investment. The DVSA is explicit about this: operators have a legal duty to keep their vehicles in a fit and serviceable condition, and the inspection interval must be set according to the vehicle's use and condition.
Our planned preventative maintenance service covers:
- Safety inspections at intervals agreed with you, documented on inspection sheets that satisfy DVSA requirements.
- Lubrication, fluid checks and filter changes.
- Brake adjustment and wear assessment.
- Tyre condition and pressure checks.
- Lighting and electrical checks.
- Steering and suspension inspection.
- Coupling and fifth-wheel inspection on tractor units.
- Trailer body checks, including curtain condition and lashing points.
We carry out PMI safety inspections to the standard the DVSA expects to see. If you are not sure what that standard looks like in practice, our article on PMI safety inspection checklists and what DVSA looks for covers it in detail.
Brake testing: the one check you cannot afford to skip
Brake performance is the single most common reason HGVs are prohibited at roadside checks and fail MOTs. The DVSA's Earned Recognition scheme and the Traffic Commissioner both expect to see documented brake test results as part of your maintenance records.
We test on a calibrated roller brake tester and provide written results for your files. If a vehicle fails to meet the required efficiency levels, we diagnose the cause and carry out the repair before retesting. No guesswork, no signed-off paperwork on a vehicle that should not be on the road.
24/7 breakdown cover as part of the contract
Even the best-maintained fleet will have a roadside failure eventually. Air system faults, electrical gremlins, brake issues, body damage, blowouts. These things happen. When they do, the speed of the response and the quality of the repair at the scene determines how much the incident costs you.
Our emergency line is open 24/7, 365 days a year, on 01332 916028. Operators on a fleet maintenance contract with us get priority handling. Our technicians carry the tooling and parts to handle a wide range of repairs at the roadside, covering the M1, A38, A50, A42, A52 and the surrounding area.
Air system faults are among the most common causes of unexpected downtime on HGVs and trailers. If you want to understand what tends to go wrong and why, our article on air system faults on HGVs and trailers covers the common failure points and how roadside diagnosis works.
Workshop servicing and repairs: Monday to Friday, planned around your operation
Our workshop at Melbourne is staffed Monday to Friday, 07:30 to 17:00, for planned servicing and repairs. We work on HGVs, trucks, trailers, vans and light commercials, including specialist and emergency-service vehicles. We do not work on private cars.
For operators with vehicles based in Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire or South Yorkshire, Melbourne is a practical location. Close to the A514, within easy reach of the A38 and M1, and well positioned for fleets running between the East Midlands and the north.
We also carry out curtain repairs and welding, which is useful for curtainsider operators who need body work done without sending a trailer to a specialist body shop.
What to look for when choosing a fleet maintenance provider
If you are reviewing your current arrangements or putting a contract out to tender, here are the questions worth asking:
- Do they work exclusively on commercial vehicles, or do they mix HGV work with car servicing?
- Can they provide 24/7 breakdown cover as part of the same contract, or is that a separate arrangement?
- Are their PMI inspection sheets DVSA-compliant and ready for audit?
- Do they have a calibrated roller brake tester on site?
- Can they attend at the roadside, or do they default to recovery and workshop?
- Are they local enough to reach your operating area quickly?
These are not difficult questions, but the answers tell you a lot about whether a provider is genuinely set up for commercial fleet work.
Frequently asked questions
What is included in a fleet maintenance contract for HGVs?
A proper HGV fleet maintenance contract should cover planned preventative maintenance at agreed intervals, PMI safety inspections with written records, brake testing with documented results, MOT preparation, diagnostics, and access to 24/7 emergency breakdown and recovery. The exact scope depends on your fleet size, vehicle types and operating patterns. We build contracts around your operation rather than offering a one-size-fits-all package.
How does a fleet maintenance contract help with DVSA compliance?
The DVSA expects operators to have a documented maintenance system that keeps vehicles roadworthy at all times. A contract with a specialist workshop ensures inspections happen on schedule, defects are recorded and rectified promptly, and your maintenance records are in order for Traffic Commissioner audit. A poor OCRS score or a pattern of prohibitions can put your operator licence under scrutiny. Consistent, documented maintenance is your first line of defence.
Do you cover breakdown callouts on the M1 and A38 as part of a maintenance contract?
Yes. Our emergency breakdown and recovery line is answered 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Operators on a fleet maintenance contract with us get priority handling. We cover the M1, A38, A50, A42 and A52 corridors across the East Midlands and South Yorkshire. Our technicians attend fully equipped and carry out roadside repairs wherever possible rather than defaulting to recovery.
Can you service trailers as well as tractor units and rigids?
Yes. We work on trailers as well as tractor units, rigids, vans and light commercials. Trailer work includes PMI inspections, brake testing, air system repairs, curtain repairs and welding. If you run a mixed fleet of tractor units and curtainsiders, we can cover the full combination rather than splitting the work between providers.
Get in touch
If your current maintenance arrangements are not keeping pace with your fleet's needs, or you want to talk through what a contract with us would look like for your operation, call us on 01332 916028. We are available 24/7 for emergencies, and our workshop team is in from 07:30 Monday to Friday for planned work. We cover the East Midlands and South Yorkshire, and we work exclusively on commercial vehicles. No cars, no private work. Just trucks, trailers and vans kept on the road.
