Everything About Fleet Management

Introduction

 

Fleet management is a series of processes that enable a company to view and manage all information about a vehicle and other assets from acquisition to life. 

 

As technology advances, more companies are turning to fleet management software to provide better insights into vehicle and asset usage, improve maintenance plans, and manage operational costs. As the role of fleet managers evolves, more companies are finding value in digital processes that eliminate inefficient manual tasks and streamline their activities. 

 

Fleet management has changed completely over the last decade as companies are aware of the impact of efficient fleets on their business operations. Today, in addition to vehicle procurement and maintenance, the fleet management team is responsible for a variety of activities, including driver management, compliance management, operational efficiency, and environmental sustainability.

 

With the right software, fleet managers can gain a complete understanding of fleet operations, streamline their daily tasks, and identify deeper issues that are impacting fleet and business performance. (Source)

 

Responsibility of a Fleet Manager

 

First things first! The Fleet Manager is responsible for ensuring that things are always done as efficiently as possible, in accordance with the regular service and maintenance of the vehicle. This includes performing inspections, scheduling maintenance, reporting, and more. 

 

Fleet Manager is a key indicator that sets organizational guidelines for vehicle purchase and retirement, sets performance goals (and expectations), also provides valuable insights into the fleet and individual vehicle/driver performance. They are also in charge of monitoring, fuel consumption, and cost, as well as system utilization and route planning, which may also be a fleet manager's role. 

 

In general, fleet managers are owners of a company's telematics system or fleet management software and advocates of software such as TN360.

 

 

Why is Fleet Management required to conduct a business?

 

• Fleet management software offers many benefits, including real-time insights into fleet location and performance, cost analysis, and improved driver behavior. Modern vehicle management software crosses the threshold of location tracking by offering insights into vehicle performance and efficiency and presenting data in a way that companies can easily understand. 

 

• It also helps you get objective information about driver safety, highlights dangerous practices such as speeding and sudden braking, and identifies drivers who need more coaching. It is also an important part of ensuring that the fleet complies with federal and state law, especially ELD, DVIR, and IFTA. 

 

• This technology also helps fleet managers support preventive maintenance efforts to maximize their assets by implementing preventive maintenance plans. Many companies also use mobile apps that provide instant data transfer and accessibility. This allows you to quickly identify issues that may not have been detected or maybe a larger issue.

 

(Related reading: IoT in fleet management)

 

 

Fleet Management software and Digitalization

 

Over the past few years, Fleet management has become extensively digital, thanks to the continued development of fleet management software and applications. The scope of the Fleet Management solution is designed in a way to be able to digitalize the entire operation of people’s requirements. Following are the most important areas-

 

• Maintenance Planning: 

 

A digitized schedule ensures that the vehicle is serviced on a regular basis and allows the fleet manager to identify and correct excessive wear before it becomes a major issue. This reduces vehicle downtime and maintenance costs. 

 

• DVIR: 

 

Digital Vehicle Inspection Report (DVIR) allows drivers to report vehicle and maintenance issues quickly and efficiently. You can keep your vehicle on the road by avoiding unexpected downtime by using the photo upload feature to alert you to problem areas in real-time.

 

• Shipping / Order Management: 

 

Digital Order Management allows you to create daily circulation forms and individual orders, assign them to teams, monitor progress, and automate customer communication from a single application. These tools also include proof of delivery (signature and photo) to help streamline the process flow. 

 

• HOS / ELD: 

 

Many fleets that are required to keep a driver record of service status are supposed to legally maintain an electronic logging device (ELD) during business timelines(HOS). An ELD solution linked to fleet management software simplifies driver time management and assists in assigning work. 

 

• Driver Safety: 

 

By capturing real-time data on driver behavior and automatically creating driver risk profiles, fleet managers can identify high-risk drivers and develop customized coaching programs. Many fleet management systems can also create driver safety rankings that can be used for safe driving incentive programs.

 

These types of solutions act as a single source of real-time visibility into the status of the entire fleet, greatly facilitating the role of the fleet manager. 

 

In addition, information can be easily transferred company-wide, especially if the fleet management software is integrated with other applications used throughout the company. This speeds up data transfers, increases efficiency, and enables better and more informed decision-making. 

 

 

Features of Fleet Management Softwares 

 

It is best for Fleet Managers to invest in Cloud-based systems. This is really helpful for those who need to spend enormous time working on the fleets, however, still need to keep a check on Fleets.

 

1. Automation Tools:

 

Custom alerts and in-cab notifications allow drivers and fleet managers to be notified in real-time of route changes, vehicle deviations, and improper driving behavior. 

 

2. Data Insights:

 

Having data is one thing but it's important to be able to understand the data and turn it into decision-making. Customizable dashboards and reports that use artificial intelligence can proactively highlight and predict problem areas. 

 

3. Security Analytics:

 

Security Analytics is an important component of the fleet management software platform. To ensure a safe workplace, it is important to know where the vehicle is and how it is operated.

 

4. Performance measurement:

 

Vehicle performance and utilization are probably one of the most important factors in managing fleet-related costs. From performing regular maintenance to identifying vehicle performance issues before they become a problem, fleet management software can help you get the most out of your investment.

 

 

Potentiality of Fleet Management in India

 

According to Express Computer,  the Fleet management system in India has done one of the best things by providing real-time visibility to the vehicle owners into their trucks. The GPS on the truck is now a standard feature of fleet management systems and indicates the exact location of the truck. 

 

By being able to tell customers accurate deliveries and estimated times, operators have become more transparent in their delivery systems. Fleet managers today need to operate with optimal efficiency, especially when it comes to challenges of business criticals for example- the high fleet cost of operation, frequent repairs, and vehicle downtime. 

 

Here, vehicle diagnostics allow managers to remotely monitor vehicle performance, engine malfunctions, and driver behavior to improve vehicle reliability, safety, and reduce costs. 

 

The Feet management system is an effective innovation for the truck industry, not only improving the operational efficiency of operators but also coordinating operations. It provides the business transparency needed to build strong business relationships. However, vehicle telematics and fleet management systems have a long way to go as these technologies are still in the early stages of adoption in the Indian truck industry.

 

 

Conclusion

 

Fleet management is bigger and much better than it seems to be. Indeed, its use is widespread in companies focused on transportation. But it is also an important part of public life. 

 

For example, the US government is spending a huge amount on this technology to support tens of thousands of vehicles. This includes ambulances, trucks, and a fleet of other types of public vehicles to continue public services. 

 

For many, this is not easy to understand. But that's an important part of a successful business. Many people do it without much thought, but top experts surely do it.