Fleets are the backbone of the utility industry. Analysis, planning, and scheduling are all based on accurate data gathering from fleets. Maintaining a fleet is only half the story; the other half is coming up with effective strategies to minimize costs.
Vehicle fleets are an integral part of your company. They are used to transport personnel, equipment, and supplies for both business and emergency purposes. Many variables can impact the cost of a fleet, including fuel usage, vehicle maintenance, insurance premiums, driver wages/benefits, vehicle purchase price, vehicle depreciation rates, vehicle amortization rates, accidents, and more.
Improper fleet management (or lack thereof) can have a negative impact on profits, customer satisfaction, and overall efficiency. To avoid encountering such issues, we at AndTechs have dedicated our work to ensure all of our clients receive the best fleet management solutions out there.
Reduce fatigue experienced by drivers through implementing a schedule. Schedules can also save money with reduced vehicle maintenance costs. Drivers will be less likely to drive during periods of low demand plus, having a standardized schedule means everyone can get used to it and know what to expect.
If your drivers have to follow a hectic schedule, chances are you’ll need to do more maintenance than expected. Create a proper plan and devise a route for your drivers that minimizes driving time which both reduces the need for maintenance and brings the transported goods to the destination quicker.
Fuel costs can be reduced by carefully managing your drivers and coming up with effective routes. You could also implement a speed limit that prevents your drivers from going too fast, thus saving fuel.
Shorter wait times mean happier customers. As a fleet manager, your job is to optimize the entire delivery and driving process, aiming to satisfy both customers and drivers alike. AndTechs solutions are perfect for this.
Revenue generation is possible with the efficient use of fewer vehicles and with fewer miles driven. In the end, your company can only grow if it turns a profit so finding ways to guarantee a profit is made is of utmost importance.
Employee satisfaction is possible with shorter driving times, more efficient vehicle maintenance, and better customer service provided by an employee. Also, communication is key and the less time you spend transmitting information, the better it is for everyone.
Utility companies can achieve optimal efficiency and control over the cost of utility fleets by implementing various fleet management strategies.
The following four factors must be taken into consideration when implementing fleet management strategies:
The amount of available space, age, and condition of each vehicle can limit the number of vehicles managed by a single company. As a new company, an individual can efficiently manage one vehicle. But, as a larger utility company, it is necessary to consider the entire fleet.
A schedule can save money by reducing vehicle and maintenance costs that come as a result of fewer miles driven. In addition to total savings, a regular schedule can save money by shifting trips from areas where fuel is expensive to locations where it is cheaper.
A well-maintained schedule helps increase customer retention due to better customer service with fewer missed deliveries. Customers expect deliveries to arrive at a certain time but in general, it’s more important to them that you respect your own deadlines.
Drivers want schedules because they want a planned routine for their days. On top of that, catering to all of their needs at all times provides them with the necessary focus for their side of the story. Keep your drivers happy and satisfied and they’ll repay you doubly.
Inventory the fleet vehicles. Define vehicle locations, conditions, and operating costs. The data collected will be used to calculate the number of required machines for an efficient fleet operation.
Determine cargo destinations involving seasonal requirements, time of day, frequency of shipments, and the level of capacity needed for each destination.
Determine the number of vehicles required for each route, calculate the number of miles to be driven, and determine the number of working days in a week.
Define zones that will require different schedules based on distance, travel time, customer requirement, and capacity by using day schedules showing hours per week. Calculate occupancy rates for various zones.
Assign vehicles to routes, calculate vehicle utilization (mileage), and create a route schedule.
Monitor vehicle mileage through the use of GPS technology and record the information in a database.
Maintain records of maintenance and repair data.
For more information on how we can help your organization, contact us and we will do our best to make your organization thrive.
With real-time data and video footage, you can stay on top of what is happening with your fleet remotely. It's the next best thing to actually being there. Which is virtually impossible when you have a fleet of multiple vehicles.
