The five-year trend is the number that matters. Since early 2020, combined parts and labor costs for heavy-duty trucks have risen 27.4%. This represents a significant increase in operational terms, with the same maintenance workload now costing approximately $1,274 per month per truck.
The tariff environment adds another layer to the increasing cost of parts, with raw material costs such as steel and aluminum beginning to rise around the time tariffs were introduced.
This shift from labor-driven to parts-driven maintenance inflation is not a technicality, but rather a change in where cost management attention should be focused.
Carriers must now prioritize parts sourcing strategy and maintenance planning to mitigate the impact of rising costs.
The mechanism behind this pricing adjustment is supply chain anxiety pricing, where distributors and parts manufacturers adjust prices preemptively due to anticipated tariff-driven supply disruptions.
This means that even if there is no physical shortage, the invoice for parts will still be higher due to preemptive pricing adjustments.
Parts costs rose in 19 of the 25 VMRS vehicle systems tracked in the Decisiv benchmark, and year over year showed increases in 16 of those systems.
The economic calculus on keeping an aging asset running versus replacing it has changed significantly due to rising maintenance costs.
Fleetio's analysis of 1.2 million commercial vehicles found that older assets drive outsized service spend, making it essential for carriers to prioritize maintenance planning and parts sourcing strategy.
As tariffs continue to affect the industry, carriers must prioritize parts sourcing strategy and maintenance planning to mitigate costs.
