2026 Looking Ahead 

We're off and running, with ice on the roads 

The winter months create so many challenges for your customers, which means challenges for your shop. As your technology partner, we're offering helpful information to keep your shop running smoothly, whether snow, ran, ice, or other comes your way. Sign up below to download your pro-tips print out for your customers.

Here are a few suggestions to build your business, and keep your customers happy this winter:

1. Essential Winter Maintenance & Safety: Prevent the most common HD winter failures - Become your customer's go-to resource by providing high-value checklists such as:

• Fuel & Engine Care: Remind customers about switching to winter-blend diesel and using anti-gel additives to prevent fuel gelling. Emphasize inspecting block heaters and swapping to low-viscosity, winter-grade engine oil for easier cold starts.
• The "Big Three" Winter Failures:
  • Batteries: Cold can zap up to 30-35% of a battery's power. Recommend load-testing every battery over 3 years old.
  • Air Systems: Frozen air lines are a leading cause of winter breakdowns. Prioritize checking air dryers and draining air tanks daily to remove moisture.
  • Tires: Remind your customers that for every 10°F drop, tire pressure can fall by 1 PSI. Check tread depth—aiming for 6/32" for winter grip rather than the legal 4/32" minimum.
• Driver Safety Kits: Offer "Winter Readiness Kits" as an upsell, including blankets, flares, traction aids (sand/kitty litter), and extra fuel filters. 

• Labor & Wage Shifts: Technician wages have jumped roughly 11% in the last two years. So holding on to reliable techs is essential to a successful bottom-line. Digital tools like PTM-Vision can help you maintain a reliable staff by reducing time-consuming paperwork that adds tens of labor hours every week, draining your budget.
• The Demand Surge: Fleets are keeping trucks longer due to high new-vehicle costs, leading to more complex repairs. Shops that leverage digital scheduling and "drag-and-drop" load balancing are seeing 20%+ revenue growth by reducing bottlenecks.
• Mobile Service Growth: Over 80% of independent shops now offer mobile services to stay competitive. Consider this -  "dash to the rescue" (for winter flat tires or failed starts) could build massive long-term loyalty. 

• Turnaround Time as a Weapon: The average shop takes 7–10 days from job opening to final invoice. Digital approvals (via text/email) and real-time status tracking can slash this time, getting trucks back on the road—and cash in their pockets—faster.
• Inventory Discipline: Winter often leads to "lost" parts during the chaos of emergency repairs. Digital inventory tracking prevents unbilled parts from "disappearing" on the invoice.
• Compliance Support: Fleets are increasingly looking for partners who can handle the "compliance load," such as digital DOT Inspection records and DVIR (Driver Vehicle Inspection Report) logs. Use your software to access these important reports and increase your capacity to manage fleet contracts. 

On the Road Again

In celebration of the open road​​​​

HDAW26: 

The best part of being on the road was meeting you all. Our most recent stop was in Grapevine, TX at HDAW26. Some of you were able to stop by at the show, and we loved it. If you were there but couldn't find the time, please connect with your Account Manager today, to catch-up.
We were also able to meet new people, shop owners, inventors, companies, all committed to innovations in the Heavy-Duty industry.

Promos and possibilities

On-going opportunities for you​​​​