Fleet management refers to the administration of a group of vehicles. The vehicles in a fleet may be passenger cars, trucks, buses, garbage trucks and so on. The vehicles are usually owned by a single entity and under their control the drivers have to coordinate with other departments. In this way a fleet manager is involved in the day-to-day operations of a fleet. This article provides an introduction to fleet management systems.
Fleet management systems are used to optimize the performance of a fleet. Optimization of the fleet requires the collection and analysis of data concerning the working conditions and efficiency levels of individual vehicles in a fleet. Analysis of data regarding the optimization of the entire fleet can help managers make important decisions regarding the purchase of new or replacement vehicles, changes in fleet maintenance programs and so on. The factors that affect fleet efficiency and the maintenance requirements of vehicles include:
Vehicle usage - fleet managers use fleet management systems to determine the optimal usage of vehicles in relation to operational schedules. This involves planning the frequency and time of vehicle use and determining what proportion of the fleet should be based on annual average mileage, daily use or weekend use. When determining how many vehicles should be made available for each purpose, weekly delivery rates are also considered. Other factors that need to be considered in determining vehicle usage include fuel economy, environmental factors, fuel type, driver characteristics, safety features and engine size.
Tracking and reporting - fleet managers use fleet management systems to monitor and report fleet performance and data. Typical reports include kilometers driven per day, average speed, maximum speed, total number of accidents, number of required driver hours, the ratio of required driver to fleet driving, fuel costs, number of required vehicle repairs and others. Some fleet management software programs allow tracking of aggregated data and report real-time information. Others send alerts when needed. Fleet managers may use fleet monitoring devices to send email or SMS messages when a driver notifies them of something unusual about one of the fleet vehicles.
Route mapping - fleet managers map routes using on-board GPS devices or GPS receivers. The system then generates a route with suitable vehicle speeds, turnarounds, turns, lane changes and traffic conditions. A route map is usually dynamic; however, some fleet management software can be set to take an existing route periodically. In this way, drivers will know ahead of time which turns they need to make. For example, when the route changes to take a shorter route at a certain point, the system will indicate this on the dashboard. Other devices such as radios or telephones can also be used to alert drivers about changes to the route.
Route optimization - another aspect of fleet management is route optimization. This entails analyzing the traffic patterns of various streets, individual route types (such as express lanes, throughways, or limited speed) and traffic density. Traffic flow is analyzed for each vehicle individually. Based on the analysis, a logical route is generated and the vehicles are moved in the most efficient way possible. Some fleet management software also includes tools for calculating the optimum number of turns that a vehicle should make at each stage of the journey.
Vehicle tracking - fleet maintenance is made easier with vehicle tracking. Most fleet management software has the ability to track the speed, direction and position of any vehicle in real-time. This information is then fed into a centralized system that tracks the vehicle's maintenance records. Maintenance orders can be prioritized and work orders sent out automatically.
All these tools and more can make your fleet management tasks easier, but efficient management requires a comprehensive plan. The plan should include a detailed cost model, the flowcharts of all assets tracked, a distribution chart of assets used in specific areas and a system for asset tracking. Fleet managers must also ensure that their workforce has the right knowledge and skills required for safely driving commercial vehicles. These include both classroom training and on-the-job training.
