4 Ways for Fleet Managers to Make Their Operations More Efficient and Cost Effective
The role of a fleet manager isn’t an easy one. You’re responsible for juggling the needs of clients, drivers, the resources you have available, and your commercial fleet. Add the weight of being cost efficient and staying under budget, and those are some big shoes to fill. We might be able to make your life a little easier and help you make your fleet more efficient.
Here are four important tips on how fleet managers can save money, time, and resources:
Data Measurement and Telematics
You may not realize it, but fleet managers have access to an incredible amount of information and data that can help you run a more efficient, cost-effective fleet of commercial vehicles. With the prices of telematics systems dropping dramatically over the past few years, even small businesses can benefit from using GPS and telematics systems.
By analyzing key information, you can get a better understanding of how your fleet operates and areas that can be optimized. Telematics allows you to monitor fuel consumption, the routes your drivers take, vehicle performance, and so much more important information about your fleet.
“Metrics are important—they can help monitor progress, but they can also become a bunch of numbers if they aren’t measuring anything useful. In order to be on top of your fleet operations, you need to make sure you’re measuring well. After all, how can you improve upon something when you don’t know the starting point?”
Lease Your Fleet
Leasing your commercial vehicles can provide major benefits, especially when it comes to upfront costs. The down payment and initial costs are much lower when you lease a commercial vehicle compared to buying it outright. Your company can conserve cash or avoid using a line of credit to pay for the commercial vehicles you need.
“The most significant benefit to fleet vehicle leasing is greater corporate cash flow options. A smaller up-front investment is required for a lease than for an outright purchase. A well-written lease agreement reduces fleet costs to a monthly operating expense, while keeping credit lines clear and cash on hand to reinvest in the company. Cash that would have been committed to fleet purchases can be used to grow the core business.”
Maintenance
Preventative maintenance is incredibly important for a fleet of vehicles. Whether your company has 5 trucks or 50 trucks, keeping your fleet maintained and running efficiently can save you a lot of money. Vehicles that aren’t maintained properly are more likely to break down and need extensive repairs; that all means downtime and a lack of productivity. Your fleet isn’t helping you if half of your trucks are stuck in the shop.
Safety First
On a personal level, you care about your drivers and want to ensure they are safe and healthy. On the business side of things, it just makes good financial sense to focus on driver and employee safety. If an accident happens your driver could be out for an extended period of time; losing an experienced driver and having to train a new employee are going to cost you money in the long run.
“In order to effectively run a safe and profitable fleet, it is critical to create a culture of safety within your company.”
We hope these tips are helpful and will help you make your fleet more efficient. Check back often for more useful information for fleet managers and business owners.
