The fleet industry is on a rise and this is why it is so important that fleet businesses start to think of ways to effectively manage their operations. Fleet management is an effective way of not only ensuring that your fleet is performing well but also mitigating any issues you might find on the way.
A fleet business has managers that need to look after the fleet’s operations, and their vehicle’s status and also become liaisons between the business owners and drivers. Sounds like a lot of work doesn’t it? Let us understand how managers execute this process and where technology comes into the mix.
What is Fleet Management?
As we mentioned earlier, fleet management is the process of ensuring that all is right in a fleet business. Managers have the duty of planning and scheduling tasks for their drivers and then ensuring that no hurdles delay these tasks. Most fleet business falls under one of two categories; ones that use manual management, or the ones that rely on technology.
Manual management is when the managers themselves perfume all the tasks the fleet business requires to run. They track their vehicles via regular communication with drivers, plan out their routes, budget their fleet and so on. While cost-efficient, this system can also be a window for several errors and inconsistencies.
The other management method is with the help of a fleet management system. This system reduces a lot of managers’ work, requiring only their supervision. With the solution that this system has to offer, management can ensure that their fleet does not face any issues. They can rely on accurate data for decision making as well.
Challenges to Fleet Management
So what do you think are the challenges managers face while managing their fleet business? Some of them include the following:
- High Operation Cost: From fuel costs to vehicle repairs, fleet businesses have to pay for the expenses. But budgeting can be hard with the high fuel costs. To take the situation further, managers can lose money because of their driver’s irresponsible driving as well. They will have to pay for the accident compensation and vehicle damage.
- Low Productivity: In a fleet business that is unsupervised, drivers can easily indulge in leisure, affecting their productivity. Other things like improper routes and bad instructions can lead to less productivity.
- Inefficient Maintenance: Maintenance is a very important thing that directly affects the fleet’s productivity and profits. Managers have to ensure that their vehicles do not incur damages due to a lack of vehicle servicing.
- Diminished Clientele: A fleet business that is not able to deliver its tasks properly and efficiently, will not be able to get good reviews. This means that there will also be a broadcast of their shortcomings in the market. Ultimately, it can result in a shrink in their clientele.
Is There Any Way Fleet Management System Can Help
A fleet management system is the toolkit that can help fleet businesses ensure that their operations do not face any issues. The following solutions can be a huge help for this process:
Live Tracking
Managers do not need to look for their vehicle’s location because the system tracks these vehicles in real time. It helps managers get live updates on their activities to reduce any chances of theft as well. The system also calibrates reports that help managers study the long-term activities of their fleet vehicles.
Managers do not need to worry about data collection as well. This means they can redirect the time spent collecting data to other operations. This boosts their time efficiency.
Driver Behaviour Monitoring System
The system reduces accidents in vehicles to a great extent. It helps managers reduce any bad driving behaviour from the drivers’ end. It alerts managers every time a driver over speeds, corners harshly, idles or indulges in any other bad deriving practices. Thus, fleet businesses can save a lot of money previously spent on repairs as well.
Route Planning Solutions
This system allows managers to pre-decide their routes. All they have to do is add the desired halts into the system and their sequence. The system will create a route keeping the given information in mind. Fleet managers can also add geofences to this route for better tracking of the vehicles.
Video Telematics System
This system adds dashcams to the mix, allowing fleet owners/managers to view the live footage of their drivers and the vehicle’s surroundings. Thus, they can not only maintain surveillance but can also detect any activity that can prove to be harmful. This includes collisions, distracted driving, abrupt lane switch and so on.
This system has two parts, both means t for fleet safety but working in different ways:
- Driver Monitoring System (DMS): The system is useful for ensuring that drivers have their undivided attention to the road. It uses advanced AI to study the body language of the driver and see if they are exhausted or drowsy. Ultimately, fleet businesses can avoid several accidents.
- Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS): When on the roads, there are several external factors that also affect the vehicle’s performance. Road facing cameras help managers ensure that their drivers are not braking road rules or jeopardising their safety. They can also warn drivers of any dangers that their vehicles might be in.
Asset Tracking
This system used GPS tracking software to track the consignment being transported by a system. This means that they can ensure that the goods stay safe from theft and misplacement. This solution is very useful in third party logistics and multi modal logistics as well.
Conclusion
While fleet management can be very extensive, it can be made easy with the help of automation. This is why investing in a fleet management system is very essential for fleet businesses. With its wide array of solutions, it can help managers optimise their fleets so much more efficiently.
TrackoBit is a fleet amendment system that is considered one of the best in the market. It can help managers ensure that their fleet operations are as smooth as butter. It can also help them become time efficient, profitable and productive. Thus, a win-win! Why not try a demo and see how the system can help your business for yourself?
