Chapter 8—Scheduled Maintenance and Repairs
All Forest Service-owned, -leased, or -rented vehicles and equipment shall be scheduled for routine maintenance service on a regular basis. You must keep track of two basic services and ensure that they are completed on time.
- Lube, Oil, and Filter (LOF) Service—
Your unit may establish its own interval
policy for LOF service (for example,
using severe duty intervals for some
field vehicles). Under no circumstances
should this interval exceed that recommended
by the vehicle manufacturer
(EM–7130–2, p. 15). This service
should include at least a chassis lube,
and crankcase oil and oil filter change.
- Annual Mechanical/Safety Inspection (FS-7100-4a or FS-7100-4b)—The annual inspection is to ensure that fleet vehicles are being properly used and maintained, and to reduce downtime. All fleet equipment owned or leased by the Forest Service shall receive an annual mechanical/safety inspection. A journey-level mechanic shall perform a mechanical/safety inspection (FSH 7109.19, sec. 41.1.2). Other needed repairs will be completed at this time.
Additional work must be authorized in advance by your fleet or maintenance manager.
Send all invoices or work orders for commercial repairs to your fleet or maintenance manager to be included in the vehicle's history folder.
Inside your vehicle logbook is an Equipment Maintenance Record, FS-7100-2. See the following example. It is your responsibility to ensure that this card has been updated every time maintenance or repairs are completed on your vehicle. This card acts as a mini repair history record.
FS-7100-2 Equipment Maintenance Record
If a vehicle breaks down while you are on your unit, contact your region, forest, or area fleet manager. Provide a complete description of the vehicle problem and good directions to your location. It is important that you maintain communications until the problem has been resolved.
If you are traveling and sense something is going wrong with your vehicle, try to get to a safe location to pull over. Somewhere with a gas station, hotel, and restaurant would be preferred. Contact the closest region, forest, or area dispatch office. Dispatch will work with the local fleet staff and assist you with any needed repairs. In rare cases, you may have to spend the night or rent a vehicle to continue your travel. You must contact your home unit's fleet or maintenance manager and give a full report of the situation as soon as practical.
Always make sure you carry relevant contact information and phone numbers when traveling.
Individual fleet or maintenance managers may handle vehicle breakdowns differently. Check with the fleet or maintenance manager for specific direction.
Excerpts from two additional publications are required reading for your orientation:
- Forest Service Handbook 6709.11 Health
and Safety Code, Chapter 10—Travel,
sections 11 to 13 and Chapter 30—Facilities,
section 39.13, paragraph 1.
FSH 6709.11— Health and Safety Code Handbook
- Forest Service Driver-Operator Guide
(publication EM-7130-2), Chapters 1 and
2 (other chapters may be required if
operating specialized equipment).
These excerpts are part of the guide and you may be tested on information found in these documents.
