Working in the logistics or transportation business, you know better than anyone else that everything must work like a Swiss watch. Even a few days of downtime or delays can cause the loss of tens of thousands of dollars in potential profits. A lot depends on how your fleet is organized, whether you have a 360 camera system for fleets, and other advanced systems installed. The larger your fleet, the more seriously you need to approach the issue of possible improvements.
What does improving your fleet mean? It means streamlining your workflow and minimizing delays or vehicle downtime. It should work as a single system, where every step is taken to achieve a single goal. There are several important tips to help you identify weaknesses or problems and turn them into a competitive advantage. We’ve compiled the most important ones in this article!
Tip 1. Check the Tire Pressure Regularly
The safety, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness of your fleet depend directly on the tire pressure. Cars that have underinflated tires are consuming more fuel, producing undue heat, and wearing unevenly, leading to a shortened life. On the other hand, overinflated tyres decrease traction and increase the chances of an explosion. The two cause increased maintenance costs and downtime. Frequent monitoring helps keep tires within the manufacturer’s recommended limits, providing your fleet with improved performance and reliability.
This can be made easier by technology. Tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) provide real-time alerts when a tire falls below safe levels by monitoring tire pressure levels, eliminating the need for manual inspections. This PDF to JPG technology, when applied to your fleet, reduces the human factor and provides uniform safety.
Tip 2. Implement the Onboarding System for Drivers
Lorry operators are the backbone of any fleet, and their performance directly determines the success of the operation. A well-finished induction process helps to ensure that each driver can familiarize themselves with the company standards, safety regulations, and vehicle care requirements on the first day of employment. By utilizing relevant onboarding practices, expensive errors can be mitigated, compliance can be enhanced, and the process of transitioning to normal operations becomes less complicated.
Successful onboarding incorporates classroom learning, physical training, and online materials to continue learning. The matching of new drivers to experienced mentors hastens the process and enables the new drivers to internalize expectations. Frequent feedbacks also strengthen healthy and effective driving practices.
Tip 3. Invest in Vehicle Equipment
The next tip we would like to share with you in this article concerns vehicle equipment. How many vehicles do you have in your fleet? What is the risk of theft, accidents, and other problems? The best solution is to eliminate most risk factors using modern technology. For example, 360 camera system solutions are a kind of profitable investment that will increase the level of safety for the driver. This way, every vehicle in the fleet will be equipped with full-view video surveillance, covering even blind spots. Here are some modern solutions that are worth your attention:
- V2G (Vehicle-to-Grid) technology. Allows electric vehicles to return energy to the grid. An excellent solution if at least 30% of your fleet consists of electric vehicles.
- Tracking gadgets. Using GPS trackers on all vehicles allows you to track the location of a vehicle at any given moment.
Most of these solutions will pay for themselves very quickly. By introducing modern technologies into your vehicle fleet, you gain a competitive advantage in the market and optimize many processes. The most important thing is to choose a reliable supplier. For example, Safety Net Installations provides comprehensive services for the installation of leading vehicle safety systems.
Tip 4. Monitor Driver Performance
Driver behaviour has a direct impact on safety, fuel efficiency, and vehicle longevity. Rushing, braking hard, and spending a lot of time idling use a lot of fuel and also subject the vehicles to unreasonable strain, which raises repair costs. To address this, most fleets implement telematics systems that monitor performance in real-time. Why is it so? The technology enables managers to understand daily driving patterns and guide them in recognizing potentially dangerous habits.
Monitoring with data allows individual feedback and training. Others, rather than generic lectures, are given direct advice on areas they need to improve. This identification of safe driving also creates motivation and healthy competition. Monitoring decreases accidents over time, decreases insurance premiums, and increases customer satisfaction.
Tip 5. Calculate the Workload of Your Vehicle Fleet
The next tip concerns the fact that you should monitor and, in some cases, even predict workload. The optimisation of a fleet is determined by the state of the vehicle and also by the utilisation of every asset. Underutilised vehicles are not adding value to the resources, and those overworked vehicles experience frequent breakdowns and increased maintenance requirements. Utilisation measurement can enable you to balance workloads, minimise waste, and align fleet sizes to the real business demand.
It becomes much easier with the help of Telematics and tracking systems that track the frequency of use, idle times, and mileage. Based on this information, managers can determine which vehicles are not utilized or overscheduled regularly. Don’t forget to try to estimate the demand for your services in advance. For example, before major holiday periods (Christmas and others), you can forecast an increase in demand if you are involved in the delivery of online orders.
Wrapping Up
Humanity constantly invents new technologies for various fields of activity. The automotive industry and logistics are no exception. If you want to increase the efficiency and profitability of your vehicle fleet, there are a few important tips you should know. First, constantly monitor how your drivers are performing. Manage workload by understanding the ratio of demand to supply.
What else? We recommend seriously considering installing a 360° vehicle camera system in your fleet for each vehicle. This solution ensures better safety for the driver and the vehicle while driving. You can get a full overview in real time, wherever the vehicle is located. To do this, you should contact professionals such as Safety Net Installations. We hope our article will help you improve the efficiency of your fleet.
