The Essentials Of Fleet Management That You Need To Keep In Mind
If you’re running a fleet of vehicles, especially if they’re on the larger side, such as trucks and vans, then you need to make sure that you’re managing that fleet with great care. If anything goes wrong with one of the drivers or one of the vehicles, it can end up costing your company greatly and might have repercussions beyond even that. Here, we’re going to look at some of the essentials of fleet management that you need to incorporate into your business and why they matter so much.
Safety
First and foremost, your consideration should be the safety of your drivers, your vehicles, and everyone else on the road around them. You can begin by investing in those drivers, keeping them up with safety training, and paying attention to their driving habits so that you can offer more precise and specific training for those who need them. Of course, you should be taking the time to employ professional drivers who show not just the qualifications but the right attitude to driving, with experience running deliveries. Make it a company policy to prioritize defensive driving on the road and ensure that you’re giving your drivers time for breaks and avoiding issues like drowsy driving.
Maintenance
The vehicles that your drivers operate can, of course, play a huge role in their safety, as well. You should invest not only in routine maintenance for your vehicles, but you can do what many fleets have done and train drivers in doing the basics of this maintenance themselves. Of course, not all of the onus can be put on them. Creating a good working relationship with a local garage that takes care of your vehicles, promising consistent work for decent pay, can be vital. You may also want to get to know which parts of your vehicles are likely to need replacement most often, and to keep a stock of those parts ready to swap when needed.
Liability
With the tips above, you can do your best to make sure that problems don’t arise on the road or that, if they do, they are at least not the fault of your team. However, that doesn’t mean that collisions, breakdowns, and other issues will never happen. When it does, you need to be able to prove that your drivers aren’t liable, if they aren’t. This can include fitting each vehicle with dash and back cameras, but you should also have a legal team on hand like a truck accident lawyer that can help you fight any legal battles that come your way. Of course, insurance for all your vehicles and drivers is a must, but you should adjust your policy based on your needs as they evolve, rather than choosing what is simply the cheapest legally mandatory option.
Cost
As well as the topics already raised, every business with a fleet is going to find that it can quickly comprise one of the biggest costs of business. This should be no surprise. After all, the fuel costs alone can really start to add up, and then you add maintenance, replacement parts, and more beyond that. Finding ways to reduce your fleet’s fuel costs should be one of the first places to start. Aside from teaching drivers to operate vehicles in a way that is more fuel-efficient, you should always be on the lookout for the providers who are selling fuel cards at the best prices, and be on the lookout to detect issues like fuel theft, which can be prevalent in fleet-driven companies.
Control
Many of the decisions above can be made much more effectively when you have the data on your side. Aside from helping you see where your products are at any given point, equipping your fleet with GPS tracking devices also allows you to see how efficiently they’re driving, if they are committing any safety errors and other elements of their driving that could be worth addressing. With your dispatch team on the radio and able to react in real-time to the data as it comes in, you can also help your drivers be much more efficient in their route choice, by highlighting traffic jams or other issues that can impede their progress. Of course, the technology needs people to monitor and respond to it for the best results.
Given the amount of damage that vehicles can potentially do to your reputation, finances, and liability, great care has to be taken to ensure that they’re operating as effectively and safely as possible. Hopefully, the tips above help you do that.