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What is fleet management?
Any organization that needs commercial vehicles to function engages in some form of fleet operations and fleet management. The purpose of fleet management is to oversee all fleet performance and fleet maintenance in order to increase productivity and help a business run as smoothly as possible.
Fleet managers are in charge of fleet operations and might be tasked with responsibilities that include vehicle maintenance, overseeing fuel consumption and fuel costs, driver management, asset utilization, route planning, and the implementation of any programs that increase company productivity and decrease instances of waste.
Fleet management companies often use vehicle telematics or fleet management software, like Samsara, to increase fleet efficiency and help reduce operational costs.
Fleet Maintenance Program
What does a fleet manager do?
In essence, a fleet manager takes care of the following tasks:
1. Driver safety
A major challenge for fleet companies or any fleet manager is keeping drivers safe. Ensuring safe driver behavior can be difficult, particularly when fleet managers are hundreds of miles away from the moving vehicle. There are helpful tools fleet managers can use -- like dash cams or vehicle tracking systems -- that bring real-time visibility into an otherwise remote vehicle and provide evidence or materials to implement driver training.
2. Driver retention
Driver shortages are a growing issue in the trucking industry. Stabilizing and increasing driver retention is something fleet managers need to always aim for. By creating mentorship programs, improving workplace conditions, or simply building stronger trust between driver and manager, fleet managers look to different approaches to ensure drivers are happy at work.
3. Fleet tracking
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To ensure driver safety, fleet managers need to know exactly where individual vehicles are at any given time. Although this might seem simple enough, tracking vehicle location can be a challenging feat whether a fleet includes 5 vehicles or 5,000. Fleet managers often rely on GPS technology and other GPS tracking systems to know where their vehicles are and increase visibility into their fleet operations and vehicle safety.
4. Electronic Logging Device (ELD) compliance
The ELD mandate is a congressional mandate that went into effect December 2017 that requires commercial vehicle operators to record Hours of Service (HOS) electronically. The mandate intends to replace paper logging and reduce instances of dangerous driving caused by fatigued drivers. For fleets that are subject to the mandate, fleet managers must implement ELD compliant systems to ensure they have an accurate recording of drive time.
5. Total cost reduction
Whether it's fuel management or lowering operating costs, fleet managers are expected to identify and weed out any unnecessary expenses to help create more cost-friendly and efficient fleet operations. Operational, fuel and maintenance costs can quickly add up. Whether it’s instating fuel efficiency programs (no matter if fuel prices are high or low) or asset tracking, it's the fleet manager's responsibility to determine cost-saving solutions and help a company increase productivity.
6. Vehicle acquisition
In order to effectively manage a fleet, a fleet manager needs to forecast how many and what type of vehicles a fleet will need in order to operate efficiently. It might seem straightforward to purchase new vehicles when the need arises, but correctly understanding and forecasting fleet vehicle utilization is paramount in correctly determining a purchase strategy. Employee eligibility for a vehicle class, vehicle lifecycle, and even market timing are all significant factors that contribute to a sound vehicle acquisition strategy.
What are the benefits of fleet management?
Managing a fleet of vehicles can be challenging, no matter the fleet size. That's why over 75 percent of fleet managers rely on fleet management software or vehicle telmatics to help support day-to-day operations in at least some of their vehicles, according to data from Government Fleet’s annual benchmarking survey.
White the melody of the curse full movie eng sub download pc. Fleet management software can help fleet managers gain real-time visibility into their operations while increasing driver satisfaction and decreasing fuel usage through predictive analytics and accurate reporting.
What is the best fleet management software?
Samsara is a system that helps businesses improve efficiency, safety, and quality of their fleet operations with internet-connected sensors and software. From transportation and logistics to food production and construction, Samsara’s fleet management system can help you stay compliant and streamline your fleet operations. Reach out to us for a demo and free trial today.
Learn more about Samsara's fleet management software solution
Keeping your vehicles and drivers safe, productive and on the road is essential to achieving your organization’s sales and service goals. So, what can you do to keep your fleet in top shape?
1. Know the importance of cost savings with preventive maintenance
Properly maintained vehicles reduce unscheduled repairs and downtime. Preventive maintenance may include oil changes, tire rotation/inspection and general safety vehicle inspections. Whether you’re following oil change intervals at a set mileage or use an oil life monitor, be sure to maintain tire rotations and overall vehicles inspections on a regular basis. All too often, this is the only time a vehicle is inspected all over for fluid levels, air pressure in tires and more. If maintenance costs are growing faster than profits from incoming work orders, consider outsourcing maintenance management to a Fleet Vehicle Maintenance provider.
2. Pay attention to your total cost of ownership
Keep an eye on your maintenance costs and notice when they begin to rise based on vehicle age. Additionally, understand the manufacturer’s warranty coverage and how it impacts your total cost of ownership. Understand the residual value of the asset, trends in the used vehicle market and the optimal time to sell the vehicle for a cost-effective fleet.
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3. Spec vehicles properly
It’s important to be aware of the demands each vehicle will face. Take the time to outline vehicle usage – properly spec’d vehicles can reduce cost. Under-spec’ing a vehicle, based on usage and load carried for instance, leads to maintenance issues down the road that could impact your budget. Similarly, utilizing an over-spec’d vehicle will drive increased cost. Work with your fleet management company when spec’ing replacement vehicles based on usage, operating conditions, what’s being carried, etc.
4. Communicate company policy with drivers
Make sure all drivers are aware of their responsibilities and company vehicle use policies. They should have a complete understanding of your company’s PM schedules, maintenance policies and know what to do if the vehicle needs repair or is involved in an accident.
5. Check tire pressure regularly
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We hear about the importance of tire pressure all the time, but oftentimes overlook this important aspect of vehicle maintenance. Tire pressure affects vehicle handling, tire wear and fuel mileage – all contributing to vehicle and driver safety. Also overlooked is the effect of air temperature on tire pressure with the changing seasons. Instill the importance of checking and maintaining tire pressure with your drivers.
6. Develop a partnership with your fleet maintenance provider
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When you run into issues, work with your fleet maintenance provider. For example, if a vehicle is in for repair and there’s a setback, be sure and to notify your fleet maintenance provider. They’ll be able to step in and assist in expediting the repair. Minimize downtime, improve customer satisfaction and optimize productivity with successful fleet maintenance solutions.
Fleet Truck Maintenance
Want more fleet maintenance tips? Download our maintenance guide.