Flat rate repair times are industry standard times recommended to complete standard tasks. They are used to manage times or costs associated with repairs and scheduled servicing by both in-house and outsourced maintenance teams.

Why are flat rate repair times important?

Flat rate repair times are a management tool to enable fleet managers to ensure that all repairs are being undertaken within industry published benchmarks.

Flat rate repair times refer to an adopted industry standard for the expected repair time or cost for a maintenance task. The term is applied by the vehicle repair industry to every task undertaken in the repair and maintenance of machinery.

Many mechanics do not appreciate being asked to work to flat rate times.  Their argument includes the fact that the rates are set on new machinery, often without the body or protection guards fitted, and that manufacturers establish the labour flat rates for a workshop fully equipped with special tools to undertake the task required.

Despite all the negatives established by repair staff, maintenance flat rates are an excellent benchmark for the establishment of labour flat rates.  Experience has shown that without flat rates and audit procedures to control repair labour, fleet managers are likely to find maintenance costs excessive.

How are flat rate repair times assessed?

All service books supplied by manufacturers normally have flat rates supplied for every service.  Automobile associations also normally have excellent guidelines for flat rate establishment. These rates can be stored in Unifleet as a time or a dollar value.

A report of actual repair times or costs can then be compared with the flat rates quoted, to determine variances.