Preventive maintenance schedule generator: every service, dated
Enter the odometer, miles per month, the last annual inspection, and each service's interval and last mileage. The preventive maintenance schedule generator lists what's due next, by miles and by date.
Preventive maintenance schedule generator
EXAMPLE VALUES, REPLACE WITH YOURSIntervals from your maker's manual or shop
UNIT 101 SCHEDULE
Chassis lube
at 420,000 mi · then 435,000 mi
Nov 4, 2026
8,000 mi leftEngine oil and filter
at 425,000 mi · then 450,000 mi
Nov 19, 2026
13,000 mi leftFuel filters
at 430,000 mi · then 480,000 mi
Dec 4, 2026
18,000 mi leftAir filter
at 450,000 mi · then 550,000 mi
Feb 3, 2027
38,000 mi leftAnnual inspection (49 CFR 396.17)
every 12 months
Feb 15, 2027
127 days
Unit 101 is due for chassis lube around Nov 4, 2026. The desk plans loads around service dates.
By Edwin Horton · Updated
How the schedule generator works
Each service in the list has an interval in miles and the odometer reading when it was last done. The generator works out when it's due and turns miles into a calendar date using how far the truck runs each month.
- Due at = last done at + interval
- Miles left = due at − odometer today (negative means overdue)
- Estimated date = today + miles left ÷ miles per day (monthly miles ÷ 30.44)
- Annual inspection = last annual inspection + 12 months
Services are listed soonest first. Anything overdue is outlined in red; anything due within the next month in amber.
EXAMPLE A tractor shows 412,000 miles and runs 10,000 a month. Oil every 25,000 miles, last done at 400,000: due at 425,000, about 13,000 miles and five or six weeks away. Chassis lube every 15,000, last at 405,000: due at 420,000, about 8,000 miles away, so it comes first. The last annual inspection was February 15, so the next is due by February 15 of next year.
The annual inspection
Every commercial motor vehicle must have passed an inspection of the listed components within the preceding 12 months Annual inspectionEvery 12 months49 CFR 396.17(c): a CMV may not be used unless each component in Appendix A has passed an inspection at least once in the preceding 12 months.49 CFR 396.17Checked Oct 2026. A truck that misses it can't legally be used, and it's one of the first things checked at a roadside inspection. Put the date on the calendar and plan the shop visit before it's urgent.
What the schedule means for dispatch
A service that's due next week changes what loads the truck should take: nothing that strands it 1,000 miles from your shop on the due date. When the desk knows each unit's next service, it plans loads that end near the shop, and the truck is down for hours instead of days.
Pair the schedule with a budget. The maintenance reserve calculator sets aside cents per mile so each service is already paid for. If you're naming a new company while you plan the fleet, the trucking company name generator can help.
Build the system
A written maintenance program belongs in your safety plan; our safety management plan template includes it. If you're choosing software to track PM across units, see trucking compliance software. For dispatch that respects service dates per unit, see small fleet dispatch. Intervals are yours to set; use your maker's manual.
Print the schedule and put it where the driver and whoever books the shop can see it. A schedule that lives only in an app on the owner's phone gets missed. Update the odometer and last-service numbers after every visit, and the next dates fix themselves. For fleets, one schedule per unit, reviewed every week, keeps service dates from piling up in the same month.
Intervals come from your manuals
- Copy intervals from the engine and chassis manuals
- Record the odometer at each service on the invoice
- Add the annual inspection date from the report
- Re-enter odometer readings monthly
PM schedule questions
01How often should a semi truck get preventive maintenance?
Follow the engine and chassis maker's intervals for your truck and duty cycle; they vary by engine, oil, and how hard the truck works. Many fleets also inspect at every service. Enter your maker's numbers in the generator rather than a generic list.
02Is the annual inspection required?
Yes. Federal rules require each commercial motor vehicle to pass an inspection of the listed components at least once every 12 months, and the record has to be kept. The generator shows the due date from your last inspection.
03Can I schedule PM by date instead of miles?
The generator converts miles to dates using your monthly miles. If a truck runs few miles, also follow any time-based intervals in the maker's manual, like annual coolant or fluid checks.
04What happens if I skip preventive maintenance?
Roadside breakdowns, out-of-service orders at inspections, and repairs that cost far more than the service you skipped. Vehicle maintenance violations also count against your safety record.
05What should a PM service include?
At minimum what the maker's schedule lists for that interval, plus a walk-around of brakes, tires, lights, air lines, fifth wheel and coupling devices. Write it on a checklist so every shop visit covers the same items.
06Who keeps the maintenance records?
The motor carrier. Keep records of inspections, repairs and maintenance for each unit you control, and keep the annual inspection report as the rule requires.
Loads planned around the shop
Tell the desk when a unit is due for service. We plan its loads to get it there on time.
4% for 2+ trucks, 5% for one, 7% while your MC is new