How to Manage Your Fleet as Efficiently as Possible
Managing a fleet can be a full-time job. But what if it’s only one part of your overall responsibilities? You need someone who has the correct people, expertise, and technology to get the job done right. With these pillars in place you’ll be able to save both time, and eventually money when it comes to your fleet.
The Right People
Having the right people in place means being paired with a dedicated service rep for the length of your relationship. This person has taken the time to understand your businesses and can be as involved as you deem fit. Whether it’s simply utilizing their expertise, or even having them take over much of the day to day operations, the decision is up to you.
Expertise
The fleet landscape is consistently changing. Rather than trying to stay ahead of all the moving pieces yourself, you just need the support of someone who does. By teaming with the right industry expert you’ll have access to someone who can answer almost every question. This way you can rest confidently knowing you’re always in the best situation.
Technology
Fleets produce a tremendous amount of useful data, so having easy-to-navigate technology makes things easier for fleet managers. You should be able to quickly track and isolate key data points, allowing you to spot and take action on them. But remember, data alone can never replace human judgement. To produce actionable steps, you need to combine analytics-driven technology with personalized fleet management expertise. Once both are in place you can start to focus on cost saving measures. The three data points most closely associated with cost savings are: total cost of ownership, fuel costs/MPG, and maintenance costs.
- Total Cost of Ownership: Total cost of ownership doesn’t end with the lease payment. Instead, it can be found by tracking items such as miles per gallon, maintenance, and even the remarketing process. This information should then be monitored against industry benchmarks to ensure effective action is
- Fuel Costs and MPG: Unsure if your drivers are in the most fuel-efficient options? Interactive dashboards make it easy to track various factors and make corrections. Use the data to measure your current fleet to one with upgraded models or even a different make altogether.
- Maintenance Costs: While some repairs are unavoidable, tracking routine maintenance is a good way to dodge costly repair bills. By monitoring overall and per unit spend fleet maintenance managers can mitigate non-preventative maintenance spend and manage their vehicles to the most efficient standard.
