Fleet management can be one of the most time consuming and resource-intensive aspects of a business. Knowing the location and managing the activity of an entire fleet of vehicles in real-time is extremely time-consuming. Making sense of any data gathered, and using it to plan future operations is another job in itself.
Fortunately, RAM Tracking’s fleet management solutions are here to help businesses improve efficiency and productivity whilst saving money too. The RAM Assist Fleet Management App from RAM Tracking eliminates paperwork and keeps all fleet documents in one safe place.
Fleet management falls into many areas for a business, some of which will be suitable and relevant to all, and others will use some specialisms only because of the nature of the business. Even the smallest of businesses will have an element of fleet management on one vehicle as in order to keep the vehicle on the road and compliant with laws, certain processes need to be completed. Fleet Management can be broken down into a few main areas:
With all these requirements needed it’s easy to start to see why some automations in these tasks becomes not only helpful but essential to ensure businesses don't fall foul of the laws and regulations which in the worst-case scenarios could actually lead to suspension or a ban on the businesses working practice.
GET A QUOTE
The first part of any fleet management could arguably be the purchasing of the vehicles with companies specialising in the help and acquisition of the fleet at best-of-time rates to keep the overheads as low a possible along with (if not in-house) the maintenance of the fleet which doesn’t just extend to general servicing and MOTs but recommends wear-and-tear replacements to parts after mileage milestones have been met. This falls under the banner of fleet repair management or fleet maintenance management.
Having a robust system in place to oversee and ensure vehicles stay on the road can seem like a daunting task but with the right fleet management system in place this can be overcome with success.
Our most used part of our fleet management software very much covers the area of fleet maintenance as drivers are asked to input a daily vehicle check as part of the DVSA regulations. By having this feature simplified and electronically uploaded and stored the reams of paperwork and lost or forgotten checks are a thing of the past. There are 37 points to check in the vehicle walkaround available on the government daily walkaround checklist. The main areas covered are:
Historic daily checks can be accessed to also see if any vehicle seems to be running less smoothly or having recurrent problems which could be reviewed and dealt with in order to minimise vehicles being off the road. Simplified workflows could be created off the back of the data to generate a plan to schedule maintenance most suited to limit disruption.
Our breakdown notification feature will also give the driver the opportunity to inform the fleet manager instantly when things don’t go to plan and an unexpected issue arises from the vehicle in question. Processes in place will swiftly let the breakdown services deal with the problem and get the vehicle back on the road as soon as possible.
Fleet fuel management has never been more important having seen meteoric rises in the cost of fuel. With the help of the convenience of fuel receipt uploads to instantly update the costs along with mileage and routes recorded, analysis can begin on where significant savings can be made.
Route optimisation considers ideal routes where engines are not laboured or running into traffic which burns fuel. Looking at driver daily routes it becomes easy to see which routes are causing problems to adjust and report back to drivers to amend.
Having all the vehicles in the fleet being tracked on the map it’s easy to see how jobs are progressing, where the workforce is in relation to new jobs or tasks that arise in order to deal with new customer requests or potential urgent tasks too.
If a breakdown was to occur, drivers in close proximity could pick up the slack and smooth over jobs being stacked up or start to run behind schedule.
Customers have often commented on the streamlining the fleet management software provides in relation to getting more done in the day having the communication and ability to see the workforce best place to increase the volume of work completed from the efficiencies made through route optimisation and job assignment based on being able to easily track vehicles using GPS tracking systems.
In the event of an accident, fleet accident management software comes into play.
Our system reliably informs the duty fleet manager to the problem with the driver able to either write or vocalise through recording the incident at the time which is essential for recalling what happened and who is at fault.
Fleet management software is a technology that, when in place, will help a business to manage and optimise their fleet of vehicles. With ease, it helps you to track both location as well as providing the real-time information which is based on various factors such as the fuel consumption of each vehicle and the various requirements for maintenance.
Fleet management software allows your business to quickly save time and money by providing your fleet manager with providing both accurate and real-time information on their vehicles. The fleet manager can utilise this to help improve the business's productivity, this is accomplished by identifying the most efficient routes and reducing the overall fuel consumption for each vehicle.
Some of the most common features included in a fleet management software include; real-time tracking, optimisation of routes, fuel usage, scheduling maintenance to reduce time off the road and monitoring your employee's driving behaviour.
Many fleet management software systems can be utilised within both company-owned and leased vehicles. It is best to ask your provider however if it is suitable for your type of fleet, as every business fleet is different. Whether you own your vehicles, lease your vehicles or even have a grey fleet, find out up front.
The cost of a fleet management software can't be put down to one single price, it all depends on the number of features and various capabilities that you require for your business. You will also find that the length of time that you are in a contract for will impact the price you pay. It is best to find out from your provider, letting them know the specific features that you need access to, this will allow them to give you an accurate quote.
Fleet management software is compatible with a variety of vehicles, from cars and trucks to HGVs and buses. The main thing to ask of your provider is whether the capabilities that you require are compatible, as they may have certain compatibilities for specific vehicles, such as construction vehicles. Asking this beforehand can save you a lot of trouble.
You will find that a majority of fleet management software systems will offer real-time tracking capabilities, this allows you to see the exact location of your vehicle at any given moment through the use of the web app or a mobile app (if this is offered by your provider)
There are a number of fleet management software systems that offer route optimisation as a feature which can work to identify the most efficient routes that your vehicles can take. Alternatively, you may have route replay as an option where you look at the routes which are often taken and work out from there how to change the routes of your drivers to make them more efficient. A more efficient route helps you to reduce your driver's fuel consumption allowing you to save your business money.
Yes, there are many fleet management software systems that offer maintenance scheduling capabilities across your fleet. This can help you to keep track of when different vehicles require maintenance and will help you to schedule your appointments accordingly. However, it is best to talk with your provider if this is a feature that you specifically require so you get the most accurate answer.
Many fleet management software systems offer some form of driver behaviour monitoring capabilities, which can help you to track factors such as rapid acceleration, harsh braking, idling time and much more. This allows you to take the time to identify various areas for improvement in each driver and make your fleet more efficient and much safer.
Do you have a question? Ask us anything
