ENHANCING EQUIPMENT FLEET AVAILABILITY USING GEMBA LEAN TOOL: A CASE STUDY IN HEAVY TRUCK AND TANK TRAILER REPAIR SHOP

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to leverage the Gemba lean tool to study and enhance fleet management practices inheavy truck and tank trailer repair shop operations. Gemba, often referred to as the real place where things happen, provides a framework for observing and improving processes directly at the site of operations (Imai, 2016). By applying this approach, the research aims to gather and analyze data on the current fleet management practices at heavy truck and tank trailer repair shop operations and identify areas for improvement. The focus is on examining how fleet availability impacts overall business productivity, especially in a service-repir industry where timely equipment functionality is crucial.

Design/Methodology/Approach: This research is based on primary data collected over an 8-month period using a fleet utilization template. The methodology involves evaluating the extent of fleet utilization and the impact of equipment downtime on the business operations of heavy truck and tank trailer repair shop. The collected data was analyzed to understand the correlation between equipment availability and employee productivity. Additionally, the study examines how maintenance practices-or the lack thereof-affect fleet downtime and, subsequently, the operational efficiency of the business.

Findings: The research findings reveal a clear relationship between equipment availability and employee productivity. In small service repair businesses, maintaining fleet availability is often overlooked, yet it plays a significant role in meeting business objectives. The study found that prioritizing fleet maintenance could significantly reduce equipment downtime, thereby improving fleet availability and enhancing employee productivity. These improvements would help businesses like heavy truck and tank trailer repair shop achieve their strategic goals more effectively, by ensuring that employees have the necessary tools to perform their tasks without interruption. This research highlights the need for management in small businesses to adopt more proactive fleet maintenance strategies to increase productivity and overall operational efficiency.