Watch the complete interview
In this conversation, Tom explains how DynaTrack AI™ grew from predictive-maintenance work in rail and other heavy equipment into a developing service for truck owners, small fleets, and service centers.
What it monitors
Reports organize oil and engine data around failure modes such as exhaust-related problems, crankcase over-pressure, fuel contamination, contamination and coolant leaks.
Why timing matters
The goal is to give an owner useful lead time—sometimes days or weeks—so repairs can be scheduled instead of discovered beside the road.
What the colors mean
Green, yellow, and red indicators help show whether a failure mode is healthy, needs monitoring, or needs urgent attention.
Key takeaways for owner-operators
- Traditional oil analysis can provide chemical measurements without clearly explaining the likely failure mode.
- Predictive maintenance is most useful when the information arrives early enough to plan the repair.
- Sampling technique matters: collect the sample from the engine before changing the oil and avoid contamination.
- Maintenance data can support larger decisions, including whether to repair, trade, or inspect a used truck before purchase.
- DynaTrack AI™ is being developed for the trucking market; availability and service details should be confirmed directly with the company.
Edited interview transcript
Hervy: Tom, tell us about this technology and how it can help owner-operators.
Tom: The technology comes from predictive-maintenance work using large amounts of oil and equipment data. AI can analyze patterns quickly and identify conditions that a person may not see by looking at a basic table of chemical results.
Hervy: How is that different from ordinary oil analysis?
Tom: A standard report may show copper, iron, lead, zinc, and other measurements. DynaTrack AI™ is designed to organize those signals around specific failure modes and provide an estimated failure window, so the operator can decide when and where to schedule service.
Hervy: What does that mean for a small operator?
Tom: It can turn an unexpected roadside failure into a maintenance decision. If a report shows a developing problem, an owner may be able to plan shop time, protect cash flow, or make a smarter decision about a truck purchase.
Hervy: How should a sample be collected?
Tom: Take it from the engine before changing the oil. Do not collect it from a contaminated drain pan. Clean sampling and consistent timing matter.
Hervy: What is the larger opportunity?
Tom: The long-term vision is to make predictive maintenance easier for truck owners, service centers, and fleets, with digital reports that explain what the data means.
Note: This is an edited, readability-focused transcript draft. The complete transcript supplied for the interview should be inserted here during final page assembly.
Explore related truck-maintenance topics
Existing article
Predictive Maintenance for TrucksRead the existing Life As A Trucker article on the subject.
More from the interview
Oil Analysis vs. Predictive MaintenanceBuying a used truck
Why Test a Used Truck Before You Buy ItInterview by Hervy of LifeAsATrucker.com. DynaTrack AI™ is a trademark of its respective owner. Confirm current availability, pricing, and service details with DynaTrack AI™.
The difference is interpretation and timing
Traditional oil analysis answers questions about the condition of the oil and the particles or chemicals found in it. Predictive maintenance tries to answer the next question: what might those changes mean for the equipment, and how much time may remain before a failure mode becomes serious?
For a truck owner, that distinction matters because a raw result may not tell you whether to keep running, call a shop, or stop immediately. A useful report should explain what it knows, what it does not know, and what action deserves consideration.
What a good report should include
- Sample date, mileage, engine hours, and oil-change context
- Laboratory measurements and contamination indicators
- Trend comparisons with earlier samples
- Failure-mode explanations in plain language
- Severity or status indicators
- Recommended next steps and limitations
Why trends matter more than one number
A single result can be affected by sampling technique, oil age, operating conditions, or contamination. Repeated samples taken consistently can show whether a condition is stable, improving, or getting worse. That trend helps an owner make a better maintenance decision than a number viewed in isolation.
Frequently asked questions
Is traditional oil analysis useless?
No. It can provide valuable technical evidence. Predictive maintenance builds on that evidence by trying to make it easier to interpret.
Does predictive maintenance eliminate breakdowns?
No. It can identify risk earlier, but unexpected failures can still happen and every result has limitations.
Who should interpret a concerning result?
Discuss it with the testing provider and a qualified mechanic familiar with the engine and equipment.
Interested in Predictive Maintenance for Your Truck?
Want to learn whether predictive oil analysis could help you identify developing engine problems before they become costly downtime?