Acronyms are pervasive across industries, and some are more helpful than others. Two within the trucking industry—SRT and VMRS—can help improve maintenance and repair efficiency, according to a presentation by David Holzberg and William Thompson from TEC Leasing, a NationaLease Member, at a recent NationaLease meeting.
Standard Report Time, or SRT, is the average time it takes to complete a specific repair. Holzberg and Thompson explained that SRT is the average time it takes to complete a task based on how long it takes highly skilled and novice technicians from multiple companies.
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SRT can be used to benchmark how an operation’s technicians perform compared to an overall average and can reveal training gaps. It also helps with scheduling work in the shop because service managers will have a fairly accurate idea of how long a specific repair should take to complete, enhancing transparency into the repair process.
Vehicle Maintenance Reporting Standards, or VMRS, were developed in 1970 and serve as a way to manage and analyze fleet maintenance. Considered a common language, VMRS is used by everyone involved in the maintenance and repair of the vehicle.
Both Thompson and Holzberg see a relationship between SRT and VMRS. The former focuses on performing a repair from the time the vehicle gets into the shop until the time it leaves and the order is completed. The latter is used to code work orders and specify an SRT for each task that is needed to complete the repair.
TEC Leasing, a NationaLease Member, implemented a project to use a maintenance system with both SRT and VMRS input capability. The result was enhanced visibility into repairs, better communication with the dealership’s customers on turnaround times for repairs, and more accurate repair cost estimates.
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The dealership is continuing to add VMRS codes as work advances, and they are updating SRTs based on changes to the scope of work and technology advancements.
Of all the acronyms in the trucking industry, SRT and VMRS are two that can really help improve efficiency and productivity.
Jane Clark focuses on managing the member services operation at NationaLease as vice president of member services. She works to strengthen member relationships, reduce member costs, and improve collaboration within the NationaLease supporting groups.
