Running a big company means that you cannot escape having a fleet of vehicles. Some businesses require it for their employees and having stuff done. Others pretty much revolve around the concept. However, cars are getting pricier by the year and the concept applies to fleets more vehemently. So, it is best that one makes the most out of their fleet of cars. Here’s how you can increase your fleet’s life and performance.
Tips to Increase Your Fleet’s Life:
1. Tip: Maintenance
Source: elementfleet.com
This one’s the no-brainer on this list. Maintaining something is the key to increase its lifespan. The same carries over to the world of boxes on wheels. If you make the smart move and get a fleet of a reliable brand, you’re already on the right track.
These vehicles will do hundreds of thousands of miles before needing a major overhaul. The catch? You’ll have to schedule timely maintenances. How do you do that? Firstly, you’ll need to track how many kilometers each car does. Fix intervals for each car to get their tune-ups.
The cars should be taken out for changing their fluids. Some, such as engine oil will be replaced more regularly. Others such as transmission fluids and coolants will need to be replenished after longer intervals. Tire rotations are necessary.
Plus, any faulty part should be replaced before it leads to a troubling outcome or a breakdown. Try to use genuine spare parts only.
2 Tip: Route Management
Fleets of cars are either in the hands of assigned drivers that carry out routine tasks on them. Or they’re designated to different employees on leases as part of a benefits program. What is the common theme between the two? Both groups are your employees and they could care less about your pockets.
They’ll take whatever route that suits them. That route could be shorter and bumpier or it could be smoother but longer. The former affects your vehicle’s health and the latter your fuel budgets. Therefore, it is key that you manage the routes taken by your drivers.
This can be done with a tracking device and equipping the vehicles with a proper navigation system that helps the driver navigate through the best route. It’ll ensure that your fleet isn’t run roughshod over nasty roads and you’ll also feel elated knowing where your cars are at all times.
3 Tip: Driver Training
Source: pexels.com
This tip is one that business owners often tend to ignore or forget. If your company has a busy fleet of vehicles that makes all of your money, then your drivers are the heart and soul of your establishment. Of course, this applies to all your employees but with drivers, you should enforce better policies.
Drivers know their car the best and when they’re driving your company’s car regularly, it sort of becomes theirs as well. Hence, start with ensuring that they’ve got valid drivers’ licenses. Their driving needs to be verified with the state first of all. This is especially important for trucks and HTVs.
However, that’s not enough as you need to train them with your company’s policies as well. Ensure, that they’re well-versed with a proper schedule, driving tips and the features of their vehicle. If you give them new vehicles, ensure that they know how to do a proper engine break-in.
This and a rewards program for them should enable your cars to be treated and driven well, increasing their lives.
Tips to Increase Your Fleet’s Performance
1 Tip: Obtain Regular Reports
Source: cmmonline.com
Organizing and knowing everything about your fleet is important in order to bring about efficiency to it. It is vital that you collect information on a daily basis. Detailed reports about mileages, breakdowns and costs can only benefit you in the long run.
Oftentimes, businesses lose money because of their cars. Therefore, they’re unable to break even with their earnings. As cars get older, problems tend to accumulate. Breakdowns and increased fuel costs are harbingers of an ailing performance.
If you’re not careful, it’ll adversely affect your profit margins. Replacing troublesome cars from your fleet will increase its overall performance.
2 Tip: Have A Dedicated Supervisor
As indicated by the fleet management article, it is important that you hire someone that specializes in fleet management. Even if you run a small business, not only will this will take the burden off you, it’ll will ensure that your fleet performs well.
Have them use a dedicated fleet management software that sorts out all of the problems encountered by your cars. Allow your fleet supervisor to use the data collected from reports to bring the best out of your cars. They should be able to implement the company’s fleet policies for drivers and their habits.
The supervisor should also look at new trends in the car market along with depreciation rates should a car need replacing.
3 Tip: Keep A Good Inspection System
Source: chevinfleet.com
As mentioned above, routine maintenances are the top tip for maintaining a good fleet of vehicles. They help you keep your vehicle in stellar shape. But before you can maintain them at the selected intervals, they must be inspected for any problems beforehand. This can be done by calling in a freelance mechanic (or your own) to check out how the vehicles are doing.
Or, drivers themselves should be able to freely report any problems that their vehicles encounter. The process should be simple and automated instead of some lengthy, paper-based forms. The drivers should be allocated a reasonable amount of budget to get their cars fixed themselves.
This practice is encouraged because by the time that your maintenance milestone is reached, the vehicle might’ve encountered some serious problems. These wouldn’t have gotten to this point if they had been checked at the start.
Non-genuine parts decrease your performance and aren’t worth the cheaper price tag.
