The best way to choose a fleet repair shop is to ask how it works, not just what it charges. A low labor rate means little if the truck comes back for the same problem, or sits for a week waiting for a bay. The eight questions below tell you whether a shop will act like a maintenance partner or treat every truck as a one-off ticket. After each one, we explain how we answer it at Gallaher Fleet Solutions.
For the mistakes fleets most often make when picking a shop, such as skipping the estimate or not checking experience, see 3 Mistakes to Avoid When Choosing the Right Diesel Truck Fleet Maintenance Shop. This post goes a step further, into the questions that separate shops once you are comparing a short list.
Splitting a fleet across several shops means several sets of records, several invoices and nobody who sees the whole picture. Ask whether the shop works on every class and make you run, and on trailers and any specialty equipment.
How we answer: We service Class 4 to 8 trucks and trailers, all makes and models, from basic maintenance to dealer-level repairs. That includes trailer repairs, light body repairs, and Moffett repair and maintenance.
This is a compliance question, not just a quality one. Federal rules require that anyone responsible for brake inspection, maintenance or repair on a carrier's trucks be qualified by training or at least a year of brake experience (FMCSA, 49 CFR 396.25). Annual inspectors must meet a similar standard (49 CFR 396.19), and the carrier has to keep evidence of the inspector's qualifications. Ask the shop how it documents both.
It matters because brakes are where trucks fail most. In the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance's 2025 International Roadcheck, brake-related problems made up 41.1% of vehicle out-of-service violations.
How we answer: We perform brake work and DOT inspections at all three shops. Ask us for the annual inspection qualification documentation you need for your files.
49 CFR 396.3 requires carriers to keep records of inspection, repairs and maintenance for each vehicle, including the nature and date of the work, for a year and for six months after the vehicle leaves the fleet. A shop's invoices and inspection reports are a large part of that file. Ask for a sample. It should identify the truck, say what was found, what was done and when.
How we answer: Ask to see a sample invoice and inspection report before you send us a truck.
A shop that cannot explain what failed and why is hard to hold accountable. You want the diagnosis, the reason behind it and the options, before work starts.
How we answer: We diagnose the actual problem, explain it in plain language and recommend only the work the truck really needs. We will also turn down work that is not right for you.
Downtime is the cost that never shows up on the invoice. A realistic timeline lets you plan loads and backup units.
How we answer: We give you a realistic timeline before the repair starts, and we get the job done when we say it will be done.
Ask for the shop's actual emergency hours and how to reach them, in writing. Also ask whether fleet customers get priority when the shop is busy.
How we answer: Emergency service is available at all three shops, Monday to Friday, 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM, on each shop's own phone number. Fleets in our Fleet Maintenance Partnership Program get scheduled PM service, on-site inspections and repair, and priority support when service is needed.
Sending a truck to the shop for a PM or an inspection takes it and a driver off the road. Mobile service can cut that time out.
How we answer: Our three shops and mobile units are set up so no customer is more than about 30 minutes away across the greater Charlotte region. Mobile units handle on-site PMs, DOT inspections, DOT-related repairs, shorter repairs and diagnostics on check engine and warning lights.
Every shop hits a problem it cannot solve in-house sometimes. What matters is what happens next: does the truck sit, or does the shop find an answer?
How we answer: We fix it, or we find you a solution.
Choosing a shop is the start. Track how often trucks come back for the same problem, how long repairs take and how invoices compare with estimates. Our Fleet Manager Q&A lists the metrics worth watching.
Gallaher Fleet Solutions has been serving fleets since 2019, with shops in Statesville, Bessemer City and Monroe, North Carolina. Statesville: 704-960-8951. Bessemer City (serving Gastonia and Gaston County): 980-391-4100. Monroe: 980-396-6750. You can also email marketing@gallaherfleetsolutions.com or request service at www.gallaherfleetsolutions.com/contact, and we will get back to you the same business day. See Fleet Services for everything we do.