Managing a fleet is anything but easy. As a business owner or fleet manager you will have to try out different strategies sometimes in the hopes that it will make your fleet more efficient and productive. Finding the right strategy for your company is a process that involves trial and error. After all, you will never know if a strategy will work until you test it out.
To save you some time, we have decided to compile a list of four different ways you can optimize your fleet. Although you may have heard of some of the strategies mentioned below, we hope that you will be able to use some of the new ideas to help reduce costs and make your fleet run more efficiently.
Ready to get started? Here are some tried and tested methods you can start implementing in your business right now to fully optimize your fleet.
#1. Find Ways to Fully Utilize Your Vehicles
If you aren't careful, your company can easily have too many or not enough vehicles in your fleet. For example, some businesses have several vehicles that are just collecting dust in a garage, while others with only one vehicle are running it into the ground because they refuse to buy or lease another one.
One way to prevent this is with data visualization tools. The software can examine your fleet and make sure your company is fully utilizing every vehicles. You can also work with a fleet management company like Wilmar to get a professional fleet analysis and better strategy on how to select more vehicles for your fleet. After we collaborate with your decision makers and examine your current business needs, we can recommend better options.
#2. Examine Your Operating Expenses
Another method you can try to optimize your fleet is to always look for ways to save money. You can do this by examining your fleet's expenses to gain more insight into how you can cut costs.
After further reflection, you may realize that certain clients are not worth it due to extra transportation and fuel costs. Or that your drivers should use different fuel efficient vehicles when they have to commute long distance. There are many ways you can minimize operating expenses by utilizing fleet policies and procedures.
#3. Set Up A Toll Management Program
If you don't have a toll management program, you should seriously consider implementing one as soon as possible. It will not only maximize the effectiveness of your vehicle assets, but it can help reduce the amount of headaches you experience in the main office.
If you suspect your company has spent an absorbent amount on tolls you should consider forming a toll management program. This method will reduce expenses and make your company more efficient. A well organized toll program will allow drivers to directly identify and pay for their personal tolls while you protect the company from making reimbursement errors to drivers.
#4. Invest in Your Drivers
Lastly, you can optimize your fleet by investing in your drivers. It may be tempting to overlook driver education but it's very important. Good driving habits can reduce the likelihood of your driver getting into an accident. Fleet safety and driver education programs can really benefit the company. The training can also help you identify potential at-risk drivers and try to train them before they get on the road.
Contact Wilmar for Personalized Fleet Management Services - If you want to learn more about our company's end-to-end fleet solutions, please don't hesitate to contact us today. Feel free to also check out our frequently asked questions section for more information on what we do.