If you have a business that uses a fleet of vehicles and equipment to run it, you know how time consuming it can be to keep track of all of them. You probably spend time every week doing something that pertains to your fleet.
Lucky for you, fleet management is something that can be outsourced. However, before you start looking for a manager for your business, it is important that you know exactly what it is.
Fleet management involves a series of diverse tasks for businesses who rely on transportation, aimed at controlling costs, productivity, efficiency and risks in vehicle acquisition, fuel management, compliance and more. It covers the scope of many industries from freight, to delivery, sales and service, oil & gas, and emergency services.
Here are some common fleet management tasks that you may want to outsource.
Fleet managers will prepare reports regularly (daily, weekly, and monthly) to keep track of many things, such as fuel mileage, safety, and much more. These can really help you make good business decisions when it comes to your drivers and fleet.
Not only does this include choosing the right vehicle for the job, a fleet manager will take care of the paperwork. Whether you buy or lease it, he or she will take care of the loan (or lease), title, and registration. However, that is not everything. A manager will also ensure that your vehicle is properly registered and licensed through the entire time that you have it.
Regular maintenance is essential for the success of your business. By making sure that your vehicles are running their best, you will have less break-downs and missed jobs. You will also be able to save money on fuel because a properly maintained vehicle has been gas mileage.
Many business owners who use a fleet often use fuel cards for their drivers. Ours are accepted at over 180,000 locations nationwide. We are able to put limits on them so that we can monitor the spending of your drivers. This can really help with your record keeping.
The safety of your drivers should be very important to you. Though accidents do happen, you should do everything that you can to prevent them. Many fleet managers have a safety program for their drivers to ensure that they are always careful. Businesses who have enforced safety programs have noticed a big change, with better drivers and less accidents.
This is also important to reduce your costs. Aggressive drivers will cost you more money in fuel, not to mention repairing damaged vehicles and workers who take time off of work.
If you have drivers, you need to come up with policies and regulations to ensure that your vehicles are being taken care of properly by your drivers. You may want to discuss safe driving, as well as things that your drivers can and can't do in the car (smoking, etc). A good fleet manager can help you decide what types of policies and regulations you want to have in place.
Once you are finished with a vehicle, you will need to dispose of them. We can help. We will remove the logos and graphics and make sure that you get the most money for the sale of your vehicles. If you are leasing them, we will ensure that they are in good shape to give back to the company. The paperwork that goes along with this is also part of a fleet manager's job.
Fleet management is important to ensure that your drivers and fleet are well taken care of. By hiring help, you can ensure that your vehicles are ready for the road and your drivers know exactly what is expected of them.
Tracking fuel mileage and other reports is a big part of a fleet manager's job. They are also in charge of safety. You want your drivers to be as careful as possible to avoid accidents and missed jobs.
If you have a fleet and you would like to talk about fleet management, don't hesitate to contact us today. We would be happy to discuss your options with you so that we can make your life much easier!