Learn Better Fleet Management With These Tips
Managing a fleet is a tough business.
You know that people who are not in your shoes understand the responsibilities that you face. It is tough to keep track of all those truckers, regulations, and company-mandated rules as well.
Here are some tips to help make your daily work a little bit more streamlined and hopefully a little easier.
Agreements That Work For You
Trucking is the type of work that requires some degree of flexibility in its nature. Mother nature has her say, the truckers have theirs, and your customers are fickle.
They all can change their minds. For this next example, assume that you are a residential moving company, even if you deliver donuts or empty pallets.
You definitely can understand how a flexible leasing agreement is useful if you are dealing with the general public. They are fickle. They decide one day that they are moving clear across the country.
They talk to you, and choose you to do their move. Then a month later, they change their mind. Flexible agreements keep it professional without tarnishing a perfectly good relationship and its potential future.
For other types of fleet leasing agreements, it also makes sense to be flexible to meet your business needs.
Use rolling contracts and short-term lease options, particularly if you have a team of sales representatives out in the field.
Even more so, these contracts are useful when you contract with freelancers instead. The more freelance of a relationship, the more frequent the vehicle changes will be typical. That means that long-term leases are less favourable, so avoid them when possible.
See how you can save money
Use emissions credits to your advantage wherever they apply. Consider how you might save on insurance as well.
Have all of your drivers commit to safety and take advanced safety classes to ensure their driving beats the normal standard.
Check first with your insurance carrier to see if this will help make better rates.
Make buying fuel more cost-effective by using fuel cards
One company-sanctioned fuel card will save money when employees purchase fuel. It is a lot less time-consuming than having them buy it and claim it back through expenses. A fuel card cuts costs and cuts administrative expenses as well. Plus, it is easy to cancel a card such as when an employee leaves the company.
When you are choosing a fleet for your employees, consider choosing wisely. Consider fuel costs, reliability, maintenance fees, and other expenses that impact the purchase price and the overall cost of ownership.
A commercial fleet insurance policy can be a good way to cut costs too and is better for fleet management.
Make it easy for all of your employees to have maintenance or repairs performed on their vehicle.
Find a company that is local to every employee who has a vehicle, whether they are in the city or in the countryside.
Do keep track of mileage, maintenance, and cost-effectiveness of programs such as a fuel card in your company.
By tracking actual expenses you may be able to find further opportunities for savings in the future. Always read up on fleet maintenance as well.
These tips will help you make the most of your fleet. From nationwide chain store mechanics to central fuel cards, consider how else you might save on your fleet costs.
