Defining The Fleet Manager Role
A fleet manager is someone who works in the trucking industry and is responsible for a company’s range of fleet vehicles. Within this umbrella are other duties a fleet manager has to ensure the company is running smoothly on all ends.
This job has a lot of hats the person in this position is supposed to wear. Fleet managers act as HR reps when it comes to their employees to make sure they are hiring the right and qualified drivers. They also ensure employees are working properly, company equipment is always taken care of, and maintenance is completed on time.
There are also the company assets fleet managers are responsible for. Fuel costs and consumption, maintenance repairs, company programs, and increasing efficiency and productivity all fall on the fleet manager’s shoulders.
When it comes down to the fleet manager’s overall goal, they are in charge of ensuring the company is running efficiently. Fuel costs and consumptions need to be preserved, drivers should be taking care of company equipment, and maintenance repairs need to be limited.
If you’re a fleet manager who oversees a company with many vehicles, it can become overwhelming to keep track of all the needs without some form of help.
Challenges Fleet Managers Face
The fleet manager role is not easy. There are a lot of productivity challenges fleet managers face daily that can have a significant impact on the overall performance and rating of their business.
Workplace morale and efficiency are in the hands of these professionals, but that’s not all. It’s the fleet manager’s job to also do time-consuming paperwork, and administrative tasks such as invoicing clients, quoting, and reviewing paper documents are all part of the job.
In a traditional workplace setting, these professionals have an office flooded with papers and folders scattered all around the desk or filing cabinets. It can be a lot to keep track of. There are insurance claims to file and record if an accident were to occur, and without a helpful system, it can become overwhelming.
Other challenges a fleet manager can face are the high fuel cost that affects the company’s budget and the rising maintenance costs. Fuel is the number one cost factor for fleet companies, so finding ways for drivers to practice consumption is vitally important.
Sometimes this can pose an issue if the manager doesn’t have a good system to track fuel consumption or find ways to monitor their drivers. Company drivers could be using the vehicle in a way that drains the fuel and is a reason why so much money is going to fill up.
To try and reduce the amount of fuel that’s being consumed, it’s up to the fleet manager to scan routes for shorter ways to driver destinations and make sure employees are practicing safety on the road. A great way to help out a fleet manager in this area is to implement telematics that gives real-time insights into fuel consumption and driver safety practices.
Maintenance cost is also a big factor looming over a fleet manager. Company equipment does not benefit from any downtime, but repairs are inevitable. In the current climate, repairs and parts are costly, which means companies can’t afford to see a lot of issues needing to be fixed.
This is another challenge in the fleet manager role since vehicle facing downtime negatively impacts company efficiency and delivery schedule. It can be harder to run certain routes when one vehicle is down, which can call for some unhappy clients if their delivery is delayed.
Daily Operations Fleet Managers Are In Charge Of
As we have already mentioned, there are a lot of daily operations fleet managers are in charge of. A lot goes on behind the scenes in these professional roles. Managers have a lot on their plates to make sure everything is running efficiently in-house, but let’s look more in-depth at some of the duties and how it affects fleet management.
Company Cost
Fuel cost is already the biggest expense of a fleet company. It is up to the fleet manager to find ways to reduce this cost and make sure drivers are using company equipment efficiently to preserve fuel and the amount of money the company is spending.
This is where telematics and a system that gives insight are very beneficial. Fleet management software can give fleet managers specific insights into how much fuel a company uses per driver, per vehicle, and even per day.
Implementing a GPS tracking system can give fleet managers the telematics they need that show them where their fuel is going and which drivers end up using most of the fuel on the roads.
Not only does it show who is using the most fuel, but it will also give details as to which vehicle is using too much, possibly from how it is running. Company vehicles requiring too many maintenance repairs are another reason why companies are spending too much. If fleet managers can identify the culprits affecting the company, they can quickly find the solution to save the cost it’s causing.
Driver Safety
While it’s nice to think your drivers are being honest on the road and implementing safe driving habits, the odds are that isn’t what is happening most of the time. It is up to the fleet manager to make sure employees are aware of driving practices and that each driver is protecting themselves and company equipment out on the road.
If a driver were to get in an accident with company equipment, this can not only put a bad press out there about your company, but it also increases costs from insurance claims and repairs.
Driver safety is very important for fleet managers to manage. Fleet management software can detail exactly how your employees are driving on the road, allowing you to see where they are at all times.
Company efficiency plays a part in how smooth the deliveries run and how your drivers take care of the vehicles. With fleet management software, managers can see how fast a driver is driving, if they are harshly using the brakes if they venture out of geofence zones, and more.
Instead of relying on someone’s word, a data system can tell you the truth about your company’s driver safety.
Fleet Tracking
Keeping along the same lines of driver safety, fleet racking can also improve efficiency for managers by making sure your trucks and vehicles are exactly where they’re supposed to be at all times.
High-quality GPS technology can increase company visibility and safety. If delivery is running late, you can track the location of your employee and customer’s item with this detailed feature.
How To Become A Certified Fleet Manager
If you like thinking of a management position and have a problem-solving passion for making operations run smoother, then you may find yourself wondering how you can become a certified fleet manager. While you likely need to have a little bit of knowledge about vehicles and business operations, there’s much more to it than that.
The trucking industry requires a high school diploma or GED to get started, though many managers opt-in getting an associate’s degree in business to make them more qualified for the job. Some fleet managers start as drivers or mechanics to become familiar with the vehicles and gain experience in their business and environment.
To be a fleet manager, you will need certain skills that will help you overcome or manage the stress of daily operations. Most fleet managers need to have:
- Problem-solving skills
- A keen eye for detail
- Fast learner
- Multitasking efficiency
- Hard work ethic
- Data-driven
- Organization practices
- Logistics knowledge
- Company awareness
Being in a management position is important for any business since you will be the one that is responsible for the efficiency and creating a great work environment. Fleet managers have to keep the drivers happy and up-to-date on company policies and new strategies they want to implement.
Technology is also something fleet managers need to have experience with since more companies are starting to use different software to boost morale and business operations.
Overall, the fleet manager is the one who faces the brunt of company performance. Because of this, it’s up to them to find new strategies to help the company and their jobs.
Where Fleet Management Software Comes To The Rescue
With everything that a fleet manager is responsible for, a fleet management software solution can come in handy to ease everyday duties. These modern pieces of technology have helped so many professionals stay more organized and on top of their business tasks that it’s also helped improve efficiency and how the company runs.
Usually, fleet managers rely on an outdated system to give them insights into running their business. Now they can rest and use software that shows data as they’ve never seen before.
GPS tracking software is an excellent way for fleet managers to see where most of their fuel is going and how their drivers use company equipment on the road. With a GPS, fleet managers will quickly make necessary changes to their daily operations to increase driver satisfaction and productivity.
Here’s what you can get with a fleet management software solution:
- Accurate data-specific reporting
- Visibility of where your fleet is at all time
- Driver habits
- Fuel usage and consumption metrics
- Geofence range and set up
- Vehicle maintenance data and needs
- Increase response times for deliveries and customer needs
The best part about implementing a fleet management software solution is that these modern technology pieces can all be accessed through a desktop, phone, or tablet. Instead of fleet managers feeling swarmed with piles of paperwork, they can be more organized and have all of their information at their fingertips.
Most fleet management software can also be shared with other members and provide alerts for vehicle needs or arising issues.
How Fleetr Makes Fleet Management Solutions Easier
At Fleetr, we know that every fleet manager has the challenge to face ahead of them for ensuring their company is up-to-date. It can be difficult to manage a fleet of up to 100 vehicles, so we’ve decided to develop software that makes your job exponentially easier.
Fleetr is a leading fleet management solution software meant to help managers keep better tabs on their fleet and drivers every day. Our software gives managers the insight they need to see how their employees perform in real-time. Updates occur every 60 seconds, giving you live information about your vehicles and how your employees are using your company equipment.
With the Fleetr tracking system, fleet managers can easily run their business and track their equipment and drivers. Here are some features a fleet manager will have access to with our fleet management software solution:
- Free GPS tracker (up to 100)
- Real-time data refreshed every 60 seconds
- Desktop and mobile access
- Satellite maps
- Vehicle trip history
- Aggressive driver alerts
- Breakdown of fleet efficiency
- Monthly, weekly, and yearly reports
And much more!
One of our most popular features is the aggressive driver alert. After installing the GPS tracking device in your vehicle, you can receive alerts of your drivers’ speed, riding the brakes, or idling in your company equipment.
Getting started with Fleetr is simple and easy. With us, you don’t have to worry about signing any contracts. We operate on a monthly subscription basis, and you can cancel anytime. Unless you cancel, your next monthly subscription will automatically renew.
Once you sign up with Fleetr, we will send you up to 100 GPS trackers for your fleet. The tracker is free, but you will be responsible for returning them at the end of your subscription if you decide to cancel.
You will receive a tracking number within 1-2 days of signing up with Fleetr, and your trackers will arrive between 4-6 days. A green dot will appear to see if they are installed properly, and you’re good to go! The best part is that the device can be easily installed yourself.
Questions? We’d love to answer them. Call Fleetr anytime at +1 (415) 651-7575 to get started with your fleet management software solution today.
