Rightsizing is a concept sweeping the business world. It addresses common problems in which a business either has too many or too few of an essential resource. It pairs with the concept of scaling and scalability, so that the rightsized resource is just the "right size" to suit your business needs with the ability to scale up or down within predictable or common circumstances.
Rightsizing a vehicle fleet is defined as having just the right number and composition of vehicles to meet your needs. Today, we're talking about what rightsizing means for fleet managers and how to approach rightsizing your fleet for optimum costs and performance.
The Right Number of Vehicles
First, estimate how many vehicles you need. This is the core of rightsizing a fleet. If you regularly have five or more vehicles in the lot or vehicles that haven't been used in months, your fleet may be too big. If you find yourself scrambling when a single vehicle is down for maintenance, your fleet is likely too small.
Use data to identify how many drivers you need daily vs. the maximum number of vehicles you may need during regular peak demand periods. This, plus one or two backup vehicles per location, is approximately the "right size" of fleet for your operations.
The Right Vehicles for the Job
Next, examine whether the vehicles you have are the best models and designs to meet your fleet's daily needs. Is your fleet uniform when you would benefit from some size and cargo variety? Do you need a few heavy-duty vehicles to reach distant clients in bad weather? Or would you benefit from reducing the variety of your fleet in favor of a perfect model that suits your needs?
Consider not just the make and model, but also upfitting options that would make a vehicle ideal.
Easy Access to the Vehicles You Need
Can your drivers easily access the vehicles they need to fulfill their routes when and where they are needed? Are your vehicles difficult to get to or are some essential vehicles always stored at the wrong location? Rightsizing your fleet isn't just about choosing the right vehicles and models, but also managing your assets efficiently.
Selective Emergency and Rare-Use Vehicles
Do you have equipment or vehicles that are rarely used, or only needed for emergencies? It's quite common for fleets to accumulate specialty vehicles that they do not need to maintain or use year-round. It may be more expedient to get rid of rare-use vehicles or arrange for alternate access to emergency vehicles that are taking up room on your lot.
Paring Down Unnecessary Vehicles
Once you have done your rightsizing calculations, consider whether there are vehicles in your fleet that you don't need. If you have an overage of standard vehicles or an unnecessary collection of rarely-used vehicles, don't be shy about paring down the collection. If you lack vehicles for in-demand models and purposes, increase that count instead.
Redistributing Vehicles to Multiple Locations
If your fleet stores and deploys vehicles from multiple locations, make sure that the fleet vehicles are distributed evenly (or based on demand and use) across these locations. Drivers who start their route in each location should have access to vehicles of the right size and features for their assigned tasks.
Continuity Solutions When Rightsizing Your Fleet
If your fleet does occasionally need emergency and rare-use vehicles, or sometimes needs more 'flex' when vehicles are in the shop, be sure to cultivate local partners for continuity solutions. A fleet-building partner like Wilmar, for example, can help you secure access to emergency vehicles when emergencies occur without the need to maintain vehicles that are used once or twice a year. Contact us today for strategies and resources to rightsize your fleet for optimal year-round performance.
