How to Set Up Maintenance Schedules for a Small Transport Fleet

Preventative Maintenance Inspections (PMIs) are the core of a roadworthiness system. The DVSA Guide to Maintaining Roadworthiness requires operators to have a preventative maintenance system with inspection intervals based on vehicle type, usage, and operating conditions.

Common PMI intervals for goods vehicles are:

• 4 weeks: For vehicles in heavy use or carrying sensitive loads
• 6 weeks: A common interval for general haulage
• 8 weeks: For lighter-use vehicles
• 13 weeks: The maximum interval for some operations, though this should be justified by risk assessment

FleetForge lets you set your PMI interval in weeks, with the default at 4 weeks. You can change this for your organisation and override it per vehicle if needed.

Every HGV and PSV requires an annual MOT test. Missing an MOT deadline means the vehicle cannot legally be used on the road, and operating without a valid MOT is a serious compliance failure.

FleetForge tracks MOT expiry dates and sends alerts before they are due. The system can also automate DVLA vehicle enquiries to keep your MOT and tax data current without manual lookup. You can configure how many days before MOT expiry you want to be alerted — the default is 30 days.

In addition to PMIs and MOTs, vehicles need regular servicing. Service intervals can be based on:

• Mileage: Every X miles (e.g. every 30,000 miles)
• Time: Every X months (e.g. every 6 months)
• Both: Whichever comes first

FleetForge supports service intervals by mileage, by time, or both. You can set a default for your organisation and override it per vehicle.

When maintenance is due, you need to book the vehicle into the workshop and track the work. A workshop job card should record:

• The vehicle and the work to be done
• The mechanic assigned to the job
• Parts used and labour hours
• The sign-off when the work is complete

FleetForge includes workshop job card management so every maintenance event is recorded with parts, labour, and sign-off — creating an audit-ready maintenance history.