What Is Fleet Management?

With multiple vehicles and several drivers in various locations, how can you possibly know what your fleet is up to? If you don't, it could be costing you money. The most efficient way to take control of your business' vehicles and drivers is through fleet management.

Businesses are increasingly looking for ways to improve efficiency and performance. Having a complete overview of your fleet's performance is critical to making informed decisions and ensuring compliance.

Fleet management improves visibility into vehicle and asset utilisation, improves maintenance planning, and helps businesses manage costs. As fleet managers' roles evolve, they are increasingly dependent on digital processes to eliminate repetitive manual labour and streamline operations. Fleet management software is an invaluable tool in this regard.

So, what is fleet management and what does it involve?

Fleet management is all about helping you take care of your business vehicles and their drivers. It’s an instrumental part of running a successful business. This is because it can help you to reduce the costs and risks associated with running a fleet of vehicles, as well as improve your efficiency.

For most businesses, fleet management is an invaluable part of their overall transportation strategy. It is necessary to track the number of vehicles used in the business and how often they are driven. Managers can use this information to manage drivers, comply with regulations, improve operational efficiency, and mitigate environmental effects.

What are the duties and responsibilities of a fleet manager?

Fleet managers are in charge of the day-to-day management of company vehicles. They need to be able to recruit and retain quality drivers, as well as maintain accurate records of vehicle inspections. These duties include scheduling regular maintenance for all vehicles, ensuring that each vehicle is up to date with paperwork and free of any outstanding issues.

In addition to managing the fleet, fleet managers must be able to schedule drivers' work hours to ensure that they meet the needs of their clients and customers. Knowledge of working hours legislation is therefore essential, as is a deep understanding of how an efficient fleet can help a business succeed.

Among the many duties of a fleet manager are:

• Purchasing and maintaining vehicles
• Helping to recruit quality drivers
• Optimising driver schedules to maximise profits
• Making sure drivers follow precise schedules
• Manage all vehicle registrations and licensing
• Enhancing fuel efficiency with strategic planning
• Follow UK transport regulations and laws
• Observing driver behaviour and ensuring excellent customer service
• Enhancing business efficiency with data analysis

What is the fleet management’s duty of care?

When it comes to safety, there's no room for error. All fleet managers must follow duty of care requirements to protect their employees, vehicles, and business in general. After all, your drivers are an important part of your business, and you want them to be safe at all times. With the right information, fleet managers can track driver behaviour and respond quickly to any safety concerns that arise.

Whenever an incident occurs, the company's financial loss is much higher than the monetary cost of repairs. This includes lost working time because of an injured driver, the time a vehicle is out of service, costs related to short-term and long-term replacements, as well as the costs associated with administration time. 

This is why it is vital to invest in fleet insurance.

First of all, you can reduce the cost of maintenance and repairs. Additionally, you can lower your operating costs and increase your productivity by reducing downtime due to accidents. Lastly, you'll have peace of mind knowing that your fleet is covered by an experienced team of experts.

Other ways to save on fleet management costs include:

Defining fuel policies: Often, drivers do not prioritise finding a cheaper petrol station to fill up because they have company cards or are reimbursed for fuel expenses. By educating drivers about fuel expenditures, these costs can be significantly reduced.

Hybrid or electric vehicles: Aside from the obvious benefits of reducing CO2 emissions, hybrid and electric vehicles could also save you money over time. Despite the initial investment, the huge savings in fuel and maintenance costs make hybrid and electric vehicles an attractive option for fleet managers.

Fleet management software: Whether you are looking to improve fleet performance or lower maintenance and operating costs, fleet management software provides all the tools you need to make informed business decisions.

What is fleet management software?

A far cry from the manual processes previously used, fleet management software gives your business all the necessary information on the performance of your fleet at any time. Essentially, it is a technologically advanced database with numerous features that can help improve efficiency and reduce costs by monitoring and reporting key attributes.

But what is fleet management software used for? I hear you asking. By integrating this software, you can see benefits such as:

Vehicle management

This software automates all those time-consuming daily tasks. Fleet software scales as your fleet grows, making it easier to manage your fleet as it grows without increasing administration costs.

Safety

Safety checks are required by law, and they must be conducted thoroughly every day. With fleet management software, you can speed up administration and stay up-to-date with changes in legislation via your dashboard, as global notifications are sent out automatically.

Driver management and route planning

Every vehicle in your fleet can be tracked in real time using telematics, such as GPS. By doing so, you can plan more efficient routes, inform drivers of delays, and make other adjustments as they drive.

Compliance

Compliance is one of the most significant, but most complex components of fleet management. Fleet management systems are the only way to ensure your company stays 100% compliant with industry standards and policies.

Fleet management is a critical part of any successful business fleet. It's how you keep your employees safe and your vehicles in good condition, which means you can spend more time working on your business and less time worrying about the day-to-day details.