How to Track Fleet PM with a Simple Spreadsheet

Week 1 · PM tracking · Fleet organization

Most of the fleets we work with don’t have fancy maintenance software. They have a whiteboard, a stack of paper invoices, and a hope that nothing important gets missed. You don’t need a huge system to get control of PM—you just need a simple, consistent way to see what’s due.

Step 1: List every unit on one sheet

Start with a single spreadsheet tab called Fleet PM Tracker. Give each truck, trailer, and key piece of equipment its own row. Include:

• Unit number
• Year/make/model
• VIN or serial (optional but helpful)
• Current mileage or hours
• PM type (A/B/C/D or TM-A/B/C)

Step 2: Add due dates and mileage

Next, add columns for when each PM is due:

• Last PM date
• Next PM date
• Last PM mileage/hours
• Next PM mileage/hours

For example, if you run PM-B every 15,000 miles on a box truck:

• Last PM date: 1/10/2025
• Last PM miles: 215,000
• Next PM miles: 230,000

Step 3: Use a simple color code

You can make the sheet more useful by color coding:

• Green: Not due yet
• Yellow: Within 1,500 miles or 30 days
• Red: Overdue

You don’t have to get fancy. Even just a “Status” column with the words GREEN / YELLOW / RED helps everyone understand what needs attention first.

Step 4: Update the sheet after every PM day

The system only works if it’s maintained. After every on-site PM day, take a few minutes to update:

• Current mileage/hours for each unit serviced.
• Last PM date and mileage.
• Next PM date and mileage based on your intervals.

You can give your driver manager or dispatcher view access so they can see what’s coming due.

When you’re ready for help

If you want help setting this up, we can build a basic PM tracker for your fleet and keep it updated every time we service your units. You’ll know exactly what’s due, what’s overdue, and what’s coming next.