Case Study: How On-Site Trailer PM Saved 20+ Hours for Indy Rowing Center

Indianapolis Rowing Center runs a unique fleet: specialty boat trailers, pontoon trailers, and small utility trailers. For years, they sent volunteers to haul trailers back to the manufacturer several hours away for annual PM and inspections. That meant long drives, downtime, and a lot of unproductive hours.

The Problem

To stay compliant and safe, their trailers needed regular maintenance and documentation:

• Annual inspections and paperwork suitable for FMCSA-style documentation
• New tires, brake checks, lighting and wiring repairs
• Multiple trailers needing work in the same short window

The only option they thought they had was to send a volunteer to tow each trailer to the manufacturer a few hours away, wait for service, and tow it back. By the time you add up drive time and waiting, they were losing an estimated 21–24 hours of volunteer time for a single round of annual work.

The On-Site Solution

StayPut Fleet Services came directly to their site instead of pulling trailers off location. In a single visit, we:

• Serviced two specialty trailers, one enclosed trailer, one utility trailer, and four Jon boat trailers
• Completed detailed inspections, photos, and documentation for each unit
• Handled new tires, maintenance, and safety checks without interrupting rowing operations

Time & Cost Impact

Each trailer would have required roughly 3–6 hours of combined travel and waiting time using the old process. By bringing the service truck to their yard, Indy Rowing Center:

• Saved an estimated 20+ volunteer hours
• Reduced fuel and wear-and-tear on tow vehicles
• Got all trailers handled with less than 5 minutes of fleet manager time to coordinate and pay the invoice

Compliance & Documentation

Every trailer received:

• Clear statement of work with parts and labor
• Photos attached to invoices for future reference
• Legible paperwork suitable for their internal safety records

What This Means for Your Fleet

If you manage a mix of trailers and vehicles and you feel “stuck” with a distant dealership or manufacturer, you may have more options than you realize. On-site PM and inspection services can:

• Cut travel and waiting time dramatically
• Allow you to schedule around your real operations, not the shop's schedule
• Keep your documentation organized and ready for audits or safety reviews