Fleet Management Tips

If you have a fleet of business vehicles, it is important to make sure you are protecting the safety of your vehicles and drivers. You also want to keep them productive and on the road to make sure you are keeping your organisation’s sales and service goals. Keeping your fleet in the best shape is smart business. 

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Know the importance of cost savings with preventative maintenance

A properly maintained business vehicle will reduce the risk of unscheduled repairs and downtime of the fleet. Preventative maintenance might include things like regular oil changes, tire inspection and vehicle safety checks. You can change the oil at set mileage or use an oil life monitor. Make sure you also maintain tire rotations and overall vehicle inspections. Vehicle inspections are often the only time a vehicle is checked for fluid levels and air pressure in the tires. 

Pay attention to the total cost of ownership

Make sure you pay attention to maintenance costs and notice if they begin to creep up based on the age of your vehicles. Make sure you understand the manufacturer’s warranty coverage and how it impacts your total cost of ownership. Understand the value of the asset, trends in the used vehicle market and the optimal time to sell the vehicle for a cost-effective fleet. Fleet management software can help you to keep an eye on these costs. 

Spec vehicles properly

It’s important to know about the demands of each vehicle so you can make sure they’re properly maintained. Outline vehicle usage, as properly specced vehicles can reduce the cost of running them. If you under-spec, based on usage and load, then this can lead to maintenance issues down the road that could cause issues with your budget. On the same level, if you are using a vehicle that has been over-specced, then this can increase the cost. Work with your fleet management company to make sure vehicles are to proper spec based on usage, what will be carried and operating conditions. 

Communicate company policy with drivers

Make sure all your drivers are aware of the responsibilities and any company policies on vehicle use. Your drivers need to have a complete understanding of your company schedules, maintenance policies and know what they are expected to if the vehicle needs repair or they are involved in an accident. 

Check tire pressure regularly

It’s important to check tire pressure, but this is a task that is often overlooked. Tire pressure can affect the way that your vehicle handles, and will affect tire wear and fuel mileage. All these contribute to the safety of both your driver and vehicle safety. The effect of air temperature on the tire pressure is also overlooked, but this should be checked too. 

Develop a partnership with your fleet maintenance provider

If you run into issues with your fleet, you should work with your fleet management provider to solve it. If a vehicle is in for repair and a delay occurs, make sure you notify your fleet maintenance provider. They can step in and make the repair go faster.