Mike Parsons
Hupp Electric Motor Co.
In any business, whether you have two pickup trucks or 50 semi-trucks, you have a fleet. This fleet is as much a part of your business as any other asset.
Your fleet is an expense and an investment, and managing it is essential. Any business that has a fleet of vehicles should take steps to keep that fleet functioning effectively and efficiently. The right policies, combined with the right technology, can make managing a vehicle fleet much easier on your company's time and budget.
Whether you can manage that fleet with pen and paper or need a state-of-the-art computerized fleet management system will be up to you to determine. Here are a few questions to consider:
- How many vehicles do I have?
- What are my fleet expenses?
- What is my territory?
- Do I need to know who is driving a particular vehicle?
- Where is each vehicle?
- Have I lost work due to fleet logistics or organization (response time)?
- How much time do I spend on the tasks regarding my fleet?
- What are my goals for growth?
- Do I need to change my fleet management practices and equipment?
You should consider the many benefits of a fleet management system including:
- Saving time (and time is what? … MONEY)
- Tracking maintenance, fuel costs and other savings
- Reducing unexpected down time (breakdowns)
- Quickly locating and responding to a breakdown
- Logistics monitoring of both delivery drivers and sales staff
- In the U.S., staying up-to-date on Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations
- Ensuring safety by quickly locating and responding to an accident
- Improving customer service
- Prolonging vehicle life
- Increasing profit (which all the above do)
Tracking fleet with GPS
Today’s technology has given us new tools beyond the smart phone. The Global Positioning System (GPS) is one cool tool and it can help manage fleet activity much better than the old way of pen, paper, and a phone.
With GPS, you can “see” each vehicle location in real time. With some GPS systems, you are able to monitor and record all of a vehicle’s activities from the moment it starts, how fast it goes, and how long it sits idling. I talked with a local millwright company representative who saved 30 percent in fuel costs just by monitoring drivers’ idling time.
A GPS tracking device on your fleet vehicles is not required. However, it is helpful, especially if your fleet vehicles go very far into the field. GPS tracking devices will show you where the vehicles are at a specific time, and they can eliminate the need for a driver or salesman to call and check in. They can reduce unnecessary driving because driving patterns can be checked. GPS tracking devices are also very useful in case a fleet vehicle is stolen.
Two-way integrated messaging allows dispatchers to send and receive information to drivers and salesmen, alerting them of schedule changes, road conditions, and new routes.
Depending on the size of the fleet, it may be necessary to create an internal job position such as a fleet controller, also called a fleet manager or transportation manager. Some companies assign these responsibilities to the dispatcher or the person in charge of drivers and pick-up and delivery services.
More benefits of using GPS
For those who have to deal extensively with the DOT and its ever-changing regulations, there are some other benefits with using a fleet management system with GPS.
- Lowered audit risk: Days o f driving data can be available on demand. Reports and data are accessible for months and can be archived from six months to six years.
- Reporting: Dispatchers can view logbooks 24/7/365 - at a push of the button. Reports include State Miles reports, International Fuel Tax Agreement, and Miles Tax reports.
- Accountability: Systems alert drivers and supervisors of pending driver violations, with 60-, 30-, 15- and 5-minute rule violation warnings.
- Efficiency: Drivers can take advantage of better miles per gallon, more direct routes, less idling and less unauthorized usage. Average fuel consumption can be reduced by up to 25 percent.
- Streamlining: Truck drivers may no longer need paper log books. All data is recorded electronically and saved as a tamper-proof e-log.
I “Googled” fleet management and found many companies sell fleet management software and other services.
Your next and perhaps most important question is: What fleet management software is best suited to me and my needs?
I hope this information helps you to think about your fleet management options.
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