Impacts of COVID-19 on Maintenance Operations of Fleets and Service Providers: Results From Survey 1 (March 31, 2020)
ABSTRACT
In March 2020, ATA’s Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC) decided to conduct a series of member surveys to assess the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the maintenance operations of fleets and service providers. TMC’s first survey, conducted in the early phase of the event in late March 2020, investigated current and anticipated impacts on technician labor force readiness and commercial vehicle component supply chains.
The survey found actual average impacts in both areas were minor as of March 31. However, shop support supplies were more moderately impacted. TMC members say they expect minor-to-moderate impacts on labor and supply chain categories during April 2020. The ability to recruit, hire and train new or replacement technicians is reported to be a more immediate problem, with moderate disruptions currently being encountered.
TMC intends to repeat this survey periodically during the pandemic event to measure the ongoing risk to maintenance operations and essential transportation functions.