Paving roads ahead: How growing fleets can master maintenance and compliance

Growth challenges · Aug 14, 2025

As your fleet grows, what once seemed manageable can quickly become overwhelming. A simple maintenance spreadsheet and informal compliance approach that worked for three vehicles may not suffice for thirty. Reactive maintenance can shift from an occasional inconvenience to a business-threatening liability.

Although these growing pains seem daunting, they are good problems to have. Staying proactive as your business’ fleet grows will help you build a strong foundation for future change. The good news is that technology can help manage larger fleets and prevent costly surprises.

The hidden costs of fleet growth

Every additional vehicle exponentially increases maintenance complexity. Missing scheduled maintenance can lead to unexpected breakdowns, costly emergency repairs, vehicle downtime and safety risks. Regulatory requirements have also become more stringent, requiring enhanced driver qualifications, more frequent inspections, detailed record keeping and environmental compliance. Without a dedicated fleet manager, tasks can fall through the cracks, deadlines can be missed and vehicle utilization suffers.

The true cost of reactive maintenance

Emergency roadside repairs can cost 3–5 times more than planned maintenance. It's estimated that vehicle downtime can cost, on average,

US$488–760 per vehicle per day

. These unexpected expenses can damage profit margins, customer relationships and cash flow, and increase insurance premiums and regulatory fines.

TELUS Fleet Management: Your predictive maintenance partner

TELUS Fleet Management Solutions transform maintenance from a reactive scramble into a strategic advantage. Predictive maintenance optimizes your entire operation and may help with:

Improved vehicle utilization: Schedule maintenance during low-demand periods, coordinate service efficiently and plan for seasonal needs
Enhanced safety performance: Can reduce accident risk, lower insurance premiums and enhance driver confidence
Operational predictability: Improve vehicle availability, more predictable maintenance budgets and improved customer satisfaction
Data-driven decision making: Use insights for vehicle replacement, route optimization, driver training and maintenance provider evaluation

The ROI of predictive maintenance

Businesses implementing predictive maintenance typically see:

A reduction in maintenance costs
A decrease in unexpected breakdowns
An improvement in vehicle utilization
A reduction in maintenance-related downtime

For a growing fleet, these improvements compound over time, creating significant competitive advantages and cost savings that fund continued expansion.

Focus on what you do best with TELUS Business

By taking a proactive approach and using the right technologies and partnerships, your business can turn the challenges posed by uncertainty into opportunities for innovation and growth. Many of these solutions, particularly those involving technology upgrades and bundles, can be more easily implemented with the support of a trusted partner.

With

TELUS Business

, you’ll always feel ready to go no matter how big you grow. From mobility, internet and office phone solutions to the security of your team, data and assets, we provide comprehensive support with dedicated specialists, a robust network and the expertise to help your business scale.

TELUS understands the unique pressures facing Canadian businesses, and is committed to providing the support and solutions needed to thrive. We can help you get access to the next-gen tech and expert advice to help you focus on what you do best. Plus save on the latest tech and easily switch providers with a dedicated Customer Success Manager. Learn more at

telus.com/Grow

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