When fleet assets break down or undergo unplanned maintenance, customers feel it. The key to efficient fleet management is careful planning, maintenance, and replacement, thinking hundreds of thousands of miles ahead of today’s fleet operations.
If you’re managing a fleet of vehicles, you know there’s no margin for error.
Take a fresh look at your long-term planning with these winning fleet management tips and best practices …
First, What Is Fleet Management?
Fleet vehicle management is a complex process of efficiently managing commercial vehicles from acquisition to retirement, as well as optimizing day-to-day utilization of fleet assets. Managing fleet maintenance, anticipating acquisition and disposal timelines, and streamlining operations are demanding but critical tasks.
Five Auto Fleet Management Best Practices
A comprehensive vehicle fleet management strategy combines long-term planning, software and technology, and a robust maintenance schedule to ensure safe, compliant operations across the service area.
We have a few fleet management ideas that even experienced managers will appreciate.
1. Find the Right Vehicle and the Right Number of Vehicles for Your Fleet
As fleet assets rack up miles, the risk of breakdown increases accordingly. That truism is compounded when vehicles are regularly overburdened with extended schedules and delayed service periods. This overuse occurs when fleet managers are forced to keep cars, vans, or trucks on the road so often that scheduled maintenance and safety inspections are delayed or skipped.
Even with the right vehicle, overloading trucks to meet demand negatively impacts performance. For example, placing too much weight on the vehicle can cause significant wear and tear and may exceed Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulations.
Overloading can lead to:
- Longer braking distance
- Poor vehicle handling
- Accelerated wear and tear
- Uneven tire wear
- Reduced fuel efficiency
- Reduced lifespan
For heavy goods fleet management, prioritize having a fleet of the right-sized vehicles to meet your needs, as well as the correct number of vehicles. Evaluate your load capacity requirements and factors like fuel mileage, average trip distance, and expected intervals between maintenance. All of this information will help you make smart maintenance and replacement decisions.
2. Replace Fleet Vehicles on Schedule
Vehicle acquisitions and disposal are critical to better fleet management. To reduce downtime, fleet managers always aim to replace high-mileage vehicles before breakdowns and safety concerns become a problem. Replacing vehicles on time also allows fleet managers to re-evaluate the company’s current and forecasted needs.
You can significantly reduce new vehicle acquisition costs by establishing (and enforcing) a clear, consistent vehicle purchasing policy for your organization. This prevents other departments from purchasing fleet assets as needed or retaining vehicles longer than is advisable. Consolidating purchasing maximizes the advantages of bulk vehicle acquisition and optimizes the timing of used vehicle sales to achieve peak market values.
3. Schedule Safety Inspections More Frequently Than Maintenance and Repairs
Fleet maintenance and compliance require proactive attention from your most trusted team members. Task an experienced technician to inspect fleet vehicles every six weeks or less to identify issues well before they take an asset off the road.
Consider checking older vehicles more often to reduce the risk of breakdowns and protect your drivers. This prevention-first approach improves fleet safety and makes it easier to source and install replacement parts before vehicles need to be removed from service completely.
4. Use a Fleet Management Tool
Fleet management software automatically flags vehicles for safety inspections, maintenance needs, and other tasks for managers. Many modern fleet software packages also relay information on driver behavior to ensure your team is driving responsibly, conserving fuel, and using company-approved routes. These tools play an increasingly important role in effective vehicle fleet management.
If possible, demo multiple fleet software solutions well before your current subscription expires, so you know what options are available. Some products are specifically tailored to industries that rely on fleet vehicles, including logistics, construction, healthcare, and food and beverage distribution.
5. Find Fleet Management Partners You Can Rely On
Even with regular, professional maintenance, vehicles will break down. While most fleet managers will keep important parts on hand, it’s vital to have a fleet vehicle distribution partner that can source and deliver the components and lubricants you need to get your assets back on the road.
The right OEM parts distributors cater to fleet managers by offering fast and easy ordering, bulk pricing discounts, and fast shipping.
Other third-party services you might consider include:
- Automotive parts suppliers
- Telematics providers (fleet monitoring)
- EV charging ports and assistance in transitioning from fossil fuel vehicles to EVs
Stay on top of truck maintenance with expert recommendations from the team at Mobil Delvac. Download must-know maintenance tips for your fleet!
How to Reduce Costs in Fleet Management
There are many ways to cultivate a safety and cost-conscious culture across your organization.
Incentivize. Encourage drivers to focus on high fuel efficiency, regular inspections, and meet the driving standards established by your team.
Measure performance. Monitor fleet metrics to monitor positive trends in fleet management or address issues before they take a toll on operations. Focus on insightful data points like:
- Asset downtime
- Cost per mile
- Total cost trend
For more fleet management advice from our expert team, get in touch.
Stay on the Road with Tilley Distribution
At Tilley, we work with heavy-duty fleet businesses to deliver fleet vehicle lubricants, diesel exhaust fluid (DEF), antifreeze, and other essential products you need to maintain your vehicles effectively.
Elevate your fleet management operations to add measurable and lasting value to your organization’s success.
Ready to get started? Speak with a Tilley representative today.
