Vehicle fleets need care and attention to maintain their performance level. This is why fleet monitoring is critical in helping you make better decisions about your business’s vehicles. When you do it right, you will have more control over your fleet, resulting in more time and saved money. With effective monitoring practices, you will be able to receive information in real-time. Still, there are a few best practices to follow if you want to get the most out of your tracking.
Using GPS Tracking Systems
There are many advantages to using GPS tracking systems, and it’s about more than just being able to see where your vehicles are. Of course, knowing the location of each vehicle can help you meet expectations and deadlines better. But GPS tracking also helps you reduce expenses since you can choose shorter, more efficient routes. This reduces the expenses of additional fuel. When you are using GPS tracking systems, you will be able to keep vehicles away from construction or accidents, which can eat into drivers’ time. Consider using fleet telematics in combination with GPS tracking for a more complete solution. Telematics allows capabilities for tracking vehicles to view vehicle speeds, mileage covered, and other pertinent data. Analyzing the data allows you to spot trends so you can do even better in the future.
Use an Asset Management System
To help make your business financially stable you have to learn how to track and monitor assets. If you have many assets in your fleet, it becomes even more important to track each asset. Even if you have a large number of vehicles, each one requires you to stay on top of equipment needs, warranties, documentation, and orders. You can find systems designed to help you track these things and keep everything in one place. You can look at which vehicles are a drain on resources so you can decide when to replace them.
Perform Consistent Maintenance
An important aspect of fleet management is the monitoring of each vehicle’s maintenance records and making sure preventative maintenance is done. This will keep customers happy and things running. If a truck breaks down, it can lead to downtime that results in lost productivity. Keeping an eye on maintenance records will also reduce any risks your drivers might face. When a vehicle is not operating as it should, it can result in an accident that might kill or injure your driver. The most important areas to watch are the steering and brake systems. You can keep an eye on these records based on the age of the vehicles, the number of miles driven, or both. Set alerts in your system when it is time for routine tasks, such as oil changes or brake pad replacement.
Use Updated Metrics and Data
You can manage your fleet better if you use metrics and data along the way. Using these things can help you keep an eye on progress, and improve productivity, but only if you are imputing the correct information. You should look at aspects like cost trends, expenses per mile, and the total operating costs. Collecting information that directly impacts your bottom line is often the best solution. After you have these things, document everything on your digital system. Make sure you have all records, including receipts, invoices, records, manuals, and any other important documentation. Store this information in the cloud so you have access to it at any time.
