Taking ops to the next level: three ways to organise your fleet
Running a commercial fleet is a complex task with its fair share of challenges. However, one thing which can help any operation and fleet manager is getting on top of your organisation.
This can be done in a range of ways, from making small investments to simply streamlining protocols. We take a look at how you can take your operation to the next level.
1) Join a fleet association
One of the first things any fleet operation should do is join an association. The rewards are huge and can help develop a business. Some of these associations also provide accreditation for your company and so being a member of one can set you above the competition.
Not only this, but they will host regular seminars and events on how to improve your fleet and keep you updated on any compliance issues. These events are good networking opportunities to help one another in the industry and share best practice on staying organised.
2) Invest in a fleet management system
This will take a little investment, but the rewards far outweigh the cost. Fleet tracking is a useful tool which helps you monitor your vehicles and drivers and can help with finding if there’s room for improvement. It’s an excellent resource which helps to improve productivity and save time and money.
Some of the benefits include:
Organising routes
Fleet management software can allow managers to see real-time vehicles and track them. With this tool, it gives them the ability to reroute if it is needed (no one wants one of their vehicles stuck in traffic with the prospect of missing a delivery time).
Alternatively, if an emergency has cropped up, you can see which driver is closest to it and set the route – boosting productivity and improving customer satisfaction along the way thanks to the speedy response.
Organising finances
If the route optimisation technology is used to its fullest potential, you could save money on fuel and reduce wear and tear on a vehicle thanks to proactive rerouting of drivers.
Organising drivers
The system will also analyse a driver’s behaviour. Did you know that going from 55mph to 75mph can increase your fuel consumption by as much as 20%? If you notice a vehicle is using more fuel than it should be for that route, you can see how the driver has been driving – harsh braking/accelerating and speeding may be the reason for an increase in fuel spending.
With a clear view on the cause, you can tackle it head-on and prevent it from occurring again. A specialized fleet management system like CameraMatics can help boost efficiency and help to organise routes easily.
And if you need to organise any additional driver training, you can see which drivers will need it most – again saving money thanks to only training drivers who need it.
3) Digitise your records
Running a fleet operation brings with it a wealth of paperwork. Whether it is a driver’s daily walk-round check or a logbook – paperwork is part of the job.
However, you should invest in appropriate technology to help reduce paper. Not only is it more environmentally friendly, but when it comes to finding a document, it is much easier.
Any documents you have should be filed accordingly, and having digital and hard copies is recommended to prevent any information from getting lost.
Consider these three easy ways of better organising your fleet and enjoy a happy workforce and more efficient routes and planning in the future.
