Figures from the company’s 1link Service Network platform show vehicles spent an average of 1.46 days off road for service, maintenance and repair (SMR) work in January 2026, 1.47 days in February and 1.53 days in March.
According to epyx, these are the lowest monthly downtime figures recorded since January 2020, before the disruption caused by the pandemic.
Downtime has been one of the fleet sector’s biggest operational pressures in recent years, driven by parts shortages, technician availability issues, ageing vehicles and growing pressure on workshop capacity.
Following the pandemic, downtime peaked at 1.83 days in May 2023 and reached 1.91 days in December 2025 before falling sharply in the first quarter of this year.
Tim Meadows, chief commercial officer at epyx, said the latest figures could indicate improving conditions for fleets, although volatility remained possible. “Downtime has been a major problem for fleets since the pandemic,” he said. “These include operating generally older vehicles, difficulties obtaining parts, a shortage of skilled technicians and higher demands on workshop capacity.
The data arrives as fleets and suppliers continue investing heavily in technologies and operating models designed to reduce downtime and improve SMR efficiency.
Recent developments reported by FleetWise include:
- epyx launching an automated SMR authorisation tool designed to reduce maintenance approval delays
- Volkswagen introducing connected van tools aimed at improving predictive maintenance and uptime management
- increased investment in mobile servicing models to reduce workshop dependency
This week, dealer group Startin also announced an expansion of its mobile SMR capability through a pilot programme deploying on-site service units for fleet customers.
Lee O’Connell, head of fleet at Startin Group, said the focus was on “simplicity and uptime” for operators.
“By investing in mobile servicing and specialist training, we can bring maintenance directly to the customer, minimise disruption and keep vehicles operating where they should be, on the road,” he said.
The growing focus on connected diagnostics, workflow automation and mobile servicing reflects how strategically important downtime reduction has become for modern fleets.