Fleet management is no easy feat, no matter how large the truck fleet in question is. There are a plethora of parameters that must be analyzed as precisely as possible. If there are any mistakes, they result in a lot of issues down the road. These issues are most notably in work efficiency as well as unnecessary additional expenses. Needless to say, fleet managers undergo a lot of stress to make sure that everything runs smoothly. Having all that said, ensuring that you reap the benefits that modern technology offers for fleet management is invaluable. Luckily, there are indeed methods that can help you optimize fleet management exponentially. In this article, you will find different tips that are going to help you upgrade your current methods for fleet management.

Rely On Empirical Data Rather Than On Vague Planning

The most complicated part when it comes to fleet management is planning and predictions. Accurate predictions are difficult due to the fact that they require complex data analysis. Considering the fact that fleet managers also have different responsibilities other than these, spending hours on data analysis isn’t always feasible. So, the way to overcome this obstacle is to opt for an alternative route: vehicle tracking and data analysis software. These options offer you clear and precise empirical data which is essential for fleet management. Gaining insight into route efficiency, ETAs, and driver performance are a few of many things which you can do with fleet dashcams and GPS trackers. Furthermore, utilizing software that helps with data analysis will result in clear and representative data that you can use for various purposes. All this can also be automated, but more on this later.

Providing Accurate ETAs

With the technology of today, customer expectations are set high when it comes to what they pay for. This is especially true for predictable parameters such as ETAs, and vague arrival times just don’t cut it anymore. So, it is up to fleet managers to ensure that their ETAs are as precise as they possibly can be. It is important that you focus on this parameter, as it is a direct reflection of how efficient and organized your fleet is. The way in which you do this is by extrapolating preexisting data while combining it with relevant parameters. Simply put, this means that first, you track drivers with a GPS tracker and additional tools. Secondly, you analyze their performance with software dedicated to such purposes. Finally, you combine average ETAs with any parameters such as weather, different road situations, and similar.

Tracking Driver Performance

Tracking driver performance was mentioned previously, but let’s talk about it in more detail. On the surface level, compiling data from different jobs is what allows you to make further predictions. But, organizing this data based on different circumstances will ensure enhanced precision. So, what are these circumstances that you should focus on? The most obvious one is driver differentiation. You should, of course, compile data on all drivers in one place. But having data on performance for each driver will allow you to have more accurate predictions in the future. Secondly, you should also differentiate data based on weather and similar, as this will allow you to reflect on these parameters for more precision.

Automation Is Invaluable, Here’s How To Achieve It

Route planning can take hours if done “on foot”. If you opt for tracking software, you will be able to utilize all data discussed in the previous text and get the results in the manner of minutes. Automation allows fleet managers to focus on other tasks without having to sacrifice precision and efficiency. So, it would be best if you were to automate all the tasks that require data analysis.

Clear Communication Channels

Barely anything is as important when it comes to fleet management as communication is. If anyone in your fleet has any questions or runs into an unexpected situation – time is of the essence. Having clear communication channels ensures that the situation is dealt with as soon as possible. Once you, as a fleet manager, have all the data on the situation, you can easily start comprising the plan of action. Needless to say, clarity in information exchange between the driver and the manager is of the essence here. So, opting for communication software is way better than using everyday apps such as WhatsApp or other basic messaging platforms.

Finally, there will always be unpredictable parameters when it comes to fleet management. So, don’t be too hard on yourself if there ever is a problem that you weren’t able to predict. Instead, focusing on the analysis of data that you do have and can find is essential. In doing so, tracking services and software help greatly, both when it comes to the complexity and efficiency of your work. Good luck out there!