5 fleet management tips to improve efficiency

When part of your business relies on the operation of a fleet of vehicles – be them company cars or HGVs for distribution – how your operation can impact on both your costs and efficiency levels as well as ensuring your drivers have had sufficient HGV training.

To help you manage your fleet efficiently – and possibly save you money – we’ve got five tips for you to take away and implement.

Reliable repairs & maintenance companies

Don’t underestimate how valuable a reliable repair and maintenance company can be for your vehicles. If any of your vehicles are out of action it can be costly for business, but worse still is sending out vehicles in disrepair and incurring fines, or worse: causing accidents.

Have companies who can tackle mechanics, but also look for a reliable windscreen company. With the amount of mileage on your vehicles, it’s highly likely some will develop chips, cracks and other damage, so the sooner you can get them repaired or replaced, the better.

Recruit safe & efficient drivers

Your recruitment policy can have a big impact on how much your fleet costs are at the end of each financial year. Bad drivers will cost you more in fuel, may incur fines and could damage your vehicles more frequently, all of which adds up over the years.

It may be the case that you spend a little more time and money searching for the best drivers, but the payoff is knowing you have safer, cost-effective drivers who you will want to keep.

Store documentation digitally

It can be hard to change your ways in business, especially when it comes to technology, but if you haven’t done so already, you should be converting all your documentation to digital files and folders. There is really no excuse, with numerous free, cloud-based systems available. This way, you save space, cut down on paperwork and have a central database of everything which you can access whenever and wherever you are.

Telematics and fleet cards – use your data

If you’re using fleet cards and/or telematics, you’re sitting on a data goldmine. Using what you’ve gathered, analyse the driver behaviour and implement training where drivers need to improve, helping to save money and avoid accidents. You can also see what types of journeys are costing you the most and decide whether they are worth the cost, or explore alternatives.

Choose your fleet vehicles wisely

Whether you’re updating your fleet or looking to add to what you already have, choosing the right vehicles could help you make cost savings in the long run. There are a number of considerations for choosing a new vehicle, but here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Clean vehicles – the lower the emissions, the less tax you pay.
• Size – too large and you waste fuel, too small and you make more journeys.
• Purchase or lease – what’s the best model for your business?
• Terrain – do your vehicles need to traverse tough landscapes and roads?
• Journey type – some vehicles are more efficient for short runs and others for long distance driving.

So, if your business relies on a fleet to operate, take some of the above into consideration for ways to reduce how much you spend on your fleet – and maximise how much you get out of it, too.

Written by The Windscreen Company, who provide repairs and replacements for fleet and commercial vehicles. The Windscreen Company have years of experience and operate across Birmingham, Ipswich and Essex.