Successful fleet management systems are multi-faceted programs that work to optimize costs, reduce risks, and increase productivity in workplaces that regularly use company vehicles to provide services. These vehicles can be anything from commercial motor vehicles such as cars, trucks, or specialized vehicles such as forklifts, and private vehicles such as planes and helicopters. Fleet management is important whether or not a company has ten vehicles or five thousand. Regardless of how many vehicles there are, implementing a rigorous fleet management system will improve a company’s overall business practices.
Only using GPS tracking for company vehicles is not the most productive, or easy to use in terms of maximizing the available resources. With that being said, one of the most valuable tools a fleet manager can use is telematic software. This type of tool makes it incredibly easy for employers to monitor their employees, as well as their equipment, in a beneficial way. These aspects include:
- Preventative Maintenance – Using telematic software allows for managers to monitor engine hours rather than just knowing how many miles a vehicle has gone. This allows for regular maintenance to be scheduled and performed before a problem surfaces. In this case, CMMS would be useful to use.
- The Ability to Monitor Employee Safety – Monitoring software such as this can tell when an employee is speeding, stopping abruptly, and even if they’re wearing their seatbelt. Sometimes employees don’t even realize that they are being unsafe, which is why implementing telematic software can be a huge help.
- Reduce Fuel Costs – Say a truck is idling in the parking lot to warm up on a cold day and is left while the driver goes to get a cup of morning coffee. That truck is using gas even when it idles, which can cost the company thousands of dollars annually. By monitoring idle time, the company is then able to take action to reduce that time, therefore saving them money on fuel costs.
- Route Optimization via GPS – Another aspect of fuel optimization is taking the shortest route possible to the predetermined destination.
- Improved Customer Satisfaction – All the above lead to overall customer satisfaction. The drivers get to where they need to be in the shortest amount of time possible due to the prevention of breakdowns and accidents.
Overall, using a fleet management strategy with the help of telematic software improves the company efficiency and productivity levels by maximizing their resources. All of this is done while simultaneously preventing risky behavior from both employees and machine related breakdowns.
