Running a fleet management company isn’t a walk in the park. There are several operational areas to assess to ensure efficiency and a stable revenue stream. Safety, vehicle maintenance, and digital storage platforms are just a few things to consider.
Below are four tips on how you can better manage your fleet.
Make safety a priority for everyone
It isn’t just drivers that should be concerned about safety. Everyone in the entire organization should make the latter a priority — from the risk management department to the legal and administrative teams.
Whether you’re new to the fleet management industry or have decades of experience already, safety is one of the main pillars of a successful fleet company.
Implement systems and incentives that encourage help to create a culture of safety. For instance, managers can reward compliance with protocols through cash bonuses and physical gifts.
Use technology to track key results on safety initiatives. Accident ratios and chargeable accident percentages can help organizations see potential gaps in implementation that need to be addressed.
Invest in preventive maintenance
Skimping on preventive maintenance for vehicles in your fleet can have disastrous results. Not only will you have to spend more on unscheduled purchases and repairs, but you also have to deal with potential injuries or casualties.
Create a maintenance schedule and adhere to it at all times. Indicate how often each vehicle will require an oil change, tire pressure check, or transmission fluid replacement.
Timely inspections can help a fleet management company detect serious issues early on. For instance, timely checks on one of your trucks in the fleet can give you time to find an ideal package for a DD15 overhaul or rebuild kit.
Additionally, closely monitor tire mileage to address wear and tear ahead of time. That is often an overlooked aspect for some companies. To inform your maintenance solutions, collect key tire data such as typical carried load, established pressure data, and removal timeliness on retreads.
Maintain digital records
Speaking of collecting data, your fleet management company should be relying less on paper.
Physical documents are at risk of being easily damaged or lost. You’d also need to invest in physical storage (e.g., folders, file cabinets, storage rooms) to house all these essential documents. That doesn’t come cheap.
Nowadays, it’s relatively common to resort to online or digital storage. There are several options to choose from — Google Drive, Dropbox, intranet servers, and more. Just make sure to put in place an efficient filing system or process to help your staff quickly find the files they need at any moment.
Build a good working relationship with maintenance providers
Having a partner that can reliably service your fleet at a moment’s notice can save a lot of time and resources. That’s the value that fleet maintenance providers give you.
Repairs can be done much faster. Vehicle downtimes can be cut down to a minimum. And of course, clients won’t have to experience any service delays.
Working with a maintenance provider can be especially helpful for companies that are just starting. However, bigger companies can also benefit and further optimize their operations — which leads to increased revenue.