LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM -- (Marketwire) -- 11/22/12 -- CTEK, a global vehicle battery maintenance and care brand, is highlighting the consequences that poorly maintained batteries could bring for bus fleet brands. Down-time from battery failure could prove disastrous for the company and, in turn, its customer base who rely on the transport service.

A common problem during the winter months is battery failure due to the power source freezing. Whist the temperature has to be extreme before this occurs, if a battery is not correctly maintained and kept at the optimal charge level, it is more prone to freezing. Furthermore, cold and icy conditions reduce a battery's charge, making it even more important to undertake inspections and top up the charge when required. Ultimately, improperly maintained batteries can cause troublesome, but avoidable, breakdowns and if vehicles are out of service, even for one or two days, it could result in a reduced service, a loss of revenue and unhappy customers.

Utilising a smart battery charger, such as CTEK's MXT14, will ensure that the battery is kept at the correct level of charge at all times. The MXT14 is a professional 24V charger ideal for recharging batteries for commercial vehicles such as busses and trucks, and it can be left safely connected, maintaining the optimum charge, for days, weeks or months. As well as it's charging and analysis features, it is also able to recondition older, highly discharged batteries, which will help to prolong their lives.

Jan-Ulf Soderberg, head of brand and marketing at CTEK, said: "It is extremely important that batteries are kept at the optimum charge level, especially throughout the winter months. With commercial vehicles, such as busses, it is essential that extra care is taken in order to avoid costly breakdowns, which could easily result in lost income and dissatisfied customers."

"We recommend that bus companies, like any other brand with a commercial fleet they rely on, regularly check the charge levels of their buses' batteries and undertake a maintenance regime to ensure that they keep their customers happy this winter."

For more information about CTEK's range of 24v and 12v battery chargers designed for vehicle owners and professional workshops, please visit www.ctek.com. Follow CTEK on www.twitter.com/CTEKChargers and like at www.facebook.com/CTEKBatteryChargers.