Morning Start-Up Procedure — Drivers & Crew Leads
Vehicle Maintenance Policy
Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to establish preventative maintenance standards for all ValueBrands fleet vehicles and trailers. A proactive maintenance program improves vehicle reliability, reduces unexpected breakdowns, minimizes repair costs, extends equipment life, and ensures compliance with Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO), Commercial Vehicle Operator’s Registration (CVOR), and Occupational Health and Safety (OHSA) requirements.
Scope
This policy applies to:
- Pickup trucks
- Cargo vans
- Landscape trucks
- Service vehicles
- Utility trailers
- Equipment trailers
- Enclosed trailers
- Fleet support vehicles
Policy Statement
ValueBrands is committed to maintaining every fleet vehicle in a safe, reliable, and roadworthy condition. Preventative maintenance shall always take priority over reactive repairs whenever practical.
No employee shall operate a vehicle known to have a safety-related defect.
Daily inspections are covered under the Daily Vehicle, Trailer & Equipment Inspection Policy and are not included in this document.
Preventative Maintenance
All fleet vehicles shall be maintained according to:
- Manufacturer maintenance schedules
- Vehicle operating conditions
- Kilometres driven
- Engine hours (where applicable)
- Regulatory requirements
- Company maintenance standards
Maintenance intervals may be shortened for vehicles operating in severe conditions such as frequent towing, commercial landscaping, stop-and-go driving, excessive idling, dusty environments, or winter road salt exposure.
Scheduled Maintenance
Preventative maintenance includes, but is not limited to:
- Engine oil and filter changes
- Transmission service
- Differential fluid replacement
- Transfer case service (4WD vehicles)
- Brake system inspection and servicing
- Cooling system maintenance
- Steering and suspension inspection
- Wheel bearing servicing
- Drive belt replacement
- Hose inspection and replacement
- Air filter replacement
- Cabin filter replacement
- Fuel filter replacement (where applicable)
- Spark plug replacement
- Battery testing and replacement
- Wiper blade replacement
- Tire rotation and balancing
- Wheel alignment
- Trailer brake servicing
- Trailer wheel bearing inspection and repacking
- Trailer brake controller testing
Wheel Removal & Mandatory Re-Torque
Whenever a wheel has been removed from any company vehicle or trailer, the wheel lug nuts must be re-torqued after 120 kilometres of driving or within 24 hours of the repair, whichever occurs first.
This applies to:
- Tire replacement
- Tire repair
- Seasonal tire changes
- Brake repairs
- Suspension repairs
- Wheel bearing service
- Hub replacement
- Any repair requiring wheel removal
The re-torque shall:
- Be completed using a calibrated torque wrench.
- Follow the manufacturer’s specified torque values.
- Be documented in the maintenance records.
- Be verified by the technician or qualified employee completing the work.
Failure to complete a required wheel re-torque may result in wheel separation, property damage, serious injury, or death.
Tire Maintenance
Proper tire maintenance is essential for safe vehicle operation.
Maintenance includes:
- Maintaining manufacturer-recommended tire pressures.
- Rotating tires at scheduled intervals.
- Balancing tires when necessary.
- Performing wheel alignments when abnormal wear is identified.
- Replacing damaged or worn tires before they become unsafe.
- Replacing tires that no longer meet legal tread depth requirements.
Trailer tires shall receive the same maintenance standards as towing vehicles.
Brake Maintenance
Brake systems shall be inspected and serviced according to manufacturer recommendations or whenever wear or performance concerns are identified.
Maintenance includes:
- Brake pad replacement
- Brake shoe replacement
- Rotor resurfacing or replacement
- Drum inspection
- Brake fluid replacement
- Hydraulic system inspection
- Parking brake adjustment
- Trailer brake adjustment and testing
Vehicles with unsafe brake conditions shall be removed from service immediately.
Steering & Suspension
Steering and suspension components shall be inspected during scheduled maintenance.
This includes:
- Ball joints
- Tie rod ends
- Control arms
- Bushings
- Shock absorbers
- Struts
- Leaf springs
- U-bolts
- Steering rack
- Steering gearbox
Any excessive wear shall be repaired before the vehicle is returned to service.
Engine & Drivetrain
Routine maintenance shall include inspection and servicing of:
- Engine oil
- Cooling system
- Belts
- Hoses
- Filters
- Battery
- Charging system
- Starting system
- Exhaust system
- Transmission
- Differential
- Four-wheel drive components
Trailer Maintenance
Trailers shall receive preventative maintenance equivalent to company vehicles.
Maintenance includes:
- Wheel bearings
- Electric brakes
- Brake magnets
- Breakaway battery
- Breakaway switch
- Coupler
- Safety chains
- Hitch components
- Jack assembly
- Lighting system
- Wiring
- Ramp hinges
- Door hardware
- Roof and seal inspection
- Floor condition
- Suspension components
Vehicle Cleanliness & Corrosion Prevention
Vehicles shall be cleaned regularly to protect company assets.
Special attention shall be given to removing:
- Road salt
- Mud
- Fertilizer
- Grass buildup
- Oil and grease
- Debris around suspension and brake components
Trailer undercarriages should also be washed periodically during winter operations.
Maintenance Documentation
Every maintenance event shall be recorded.
Maintenance records should include:
- Vehicle identification
- Date of service
- Odometer or engine hours
- Work performed
- Parts replaced
- Technician performing the work
- Next scheduled service
- Wheel re-torque verification (where applicable)
Repairs
Repairs shall:
- Be completed using approved replacement parts.
- Follow manufacturer repair procedures whenever possible.
- Be completed by qualified personnel or approved repair facilities.
- Be inspected before the vehicle returns to service.
Temporary repairs shall only be permitted to safely move a vehicle to a repair facility and shall not replace permanent repairs.
Maintenance Scheduling
Fleet maintenance shall be planned in advance whenever possible to reduce downtime and ensure vehicles remain available for operations.
Managers are responsible for ensuring scheduled maintenance is completed before service intervals are exceeded.
Compliance
Employees shall promptly report any maintenance concerns to their supervisor or Fleet Manager. No employee shall ignore known defects or postpone required maintenance that may affect vehicle safety, legal compliance, or reliability.
Failure to comply with this policy may result in disciplinary action and removal of driving privileges until compliance is achieved.