EQUIPMENT MANAGEMENT DOWN EAST/PART ONE

This article describes the operations of the Motor Transport Service (MTS) of the Maine Department of Transportation. The MTS is responsible for the maintenance of a diversified fleet of 2,700 units assigned to highway maintenance, engineering and supervision. In addition, MTS is responsible for record keeping and storage. The MTS preventive maintenance (PM) program is based upon periodic inspection, detection and correction of equipment problems. To meet these objectives, it has developed detailed and systematic schedules and procedural guidelines for each make, model and type of equipment in its varied inventory. First line PM responsibility rests with the driver/operator of the vehicle and equipment. MTS has also developed an equipment down time report. It accounts for each hour that a particular unit is not available to the using agency, and established an accurate equipment availability history. Twenty identical heavy duty diesel trucks were acquired in 1964, ten of which were equipped with automatic lubrication systems for long term comparisons. It was found that trucks equipped with these devices lasted an additional full year and maintenance costs were lower and generally had a higher disposal value. The maintenance of diesel electrical systems prooved to be more expensive than the gasoline versions. MDOT also performs its own rust proofing of vehicle sheet metal. MDOT trucks are weighed periodically to assure that the applicable legal maximum weights are not violated. All MTS heavy equipment used for blowing and sanding is subject to a complete inspection and an essential overhaul is performed at two crucial periods of the year: when plows and spreaders are installed during the autumn season, and again in the springtime when winter hardware is removed and the equipment is made ready for the summer season.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/1606878
• Corporate Authors:

  Public Works Journal Corporation

  P.O. Box 688
  Ridgewood, NJ  United States  07451
• Authors:
  • Vigue, R F
• Publication Date: 1977-11

Media Info

• Features: Photos;
• Pagination: p. 50-54
• Serial:
  • Public Works
  • Volume: 108
  • Issue Number: 11
  • Publisher: Hanley Wood
  • ISSN: 0033-3840
  • Serial URL: http://www.pwmag.com

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Diesel trucks; Drivers; Electrical equipment; Equipment; Highway maintenance; Inspection; Inventory; Maintenance management; Preventive maintenance; Rust prevention; Trucks; Trucks by weight; Weight
• Uncontrolled Terms: Maintenance costs
• Subject Areas: Freight Transportation; Highways; Motor Carriers; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00170429
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Apr 12 1996 12:00AM