Go for the big win
While nobody is perfect, setting aspirational goals for equipment availability is critical. The stated objective, therefore, should be no unscheduled downtime, period. This sounds like a stretch, but it is not unreasonable – uninterrupted operation is what your equipment is designed for, and if you carefully follow all of the recommended preparation, operation, and maintenance procedures, you should be able to come close to that perfect score.
Remember that Canada’s roadbuilding season is barely six months long, so if you fall behind, there’s not much opportunity to catch up. Even a 15-minute equipment glitch can lead to not finishing a job on the scheduled day and having to plan maintenance and repair for the machines. Breakdowns also keep other machines waiting – if a paver goes down, you might have your trucks and plant sitting idle.