Business vehicle management doesn’t have to be a taxing duty. Here are the best ways to audit your fleet automobiles’ performance so that they’re always running smoothly.
Secure Legal Documents
Maintaining the proper documents of an automobile is the first step to proper business vehicle management. These papers legitimise your ownership of these vehicles and lead to easier identification in the event of road checkups or accidents.
Have the following papers stored in your office and photocopies in the actual vehicle just in case:
- Tag/title information
- Insurance
- Driver certifications/CDL
- MVR
- Incident records like employee documentation, background checks, tax forms, drug/alcohol test results, and performance reviews.
Set Policies
After securing each vehicle’s formal documents, you now understand what kind of automobiles (compact, sedan, AUV, SUV, van, container truck, etc.) they are to set maintenance policies.
Maintenance policies are crucial processes to business vehicle management. These guidelines cover regular spot checks by your mechanics or scheduled maintenance visits to the car’s manufacturer.
You can also have your drivers comply with specific rules, such as filling up tire air pressure and refuelling after every 50 miles of travel to ensure fuel economy is retained and the next user has a full tank of gas for their trip.
On the human resources aspect, you can set a bi-annual meeting with your drivers to get honest feedback regarding their performance and maintenance of the vehicles. They may surprise you with fresh ideas that make spot checks more efficient and more vehicles out in the field, further contributing income to the business.
Gather Vehicle Data
A vehicle’s mileage and fuel consumption are just some of the details that business vehicle management should cover. Data like those enable fleet departments to project the lifespan and usefulness of an automobile before acquiring a newer model.
For maintenance purposes, drivers should also pay attention to changes in the driving apparatus, like when a brake pedal seems to bear less grip on the brake pad and disc when the handbrake doesn’t have the same latch power compared to when the vehicle was brand new, or when certain light bulbs stop working.
Recording the information above from the very start of a car’s service shows the wear-and-tear rate and just how often that vehicle requires repairs and maintenance.
Expense Records
The documented data can become a reference for a fleet vehicle’s maintenance over time. Comparing the expenses with records of its issues such as a worn-out brake pad, busted light bulb, or worn-out tires shows just how much you spend for one car and how often you spend on it.
Knowing this could improve your driver’s care and use of the vehicle since you can now advise them to watch out for those parts in other models or lessen the use of those devices to increase their lifespan.
Tracking Technology
Telematics must be part of any advanced fleet maintenance team. This technology includes GPS tracking, route optimisation, driver behaviour monitoring, and odometer readings to track vehicle performance when your fleet is en route. These metrics can corroborate the previous audit records done or justify the need for repairs or a new unit.
Never underestimate the power of machines to analyse both fleet and driver performance by tracking how much you’re making or losing on the road. They can undoubtedly benefit your bottom line.
Conclusion
It is also good practice to interview the drivers for anything else that constitutes valid data for your fleet audit, more than the vehicles’ components and performance. Since they’re the people who use these cars every day, they could notice something computers and mechanics can’t, saving you a lot more money on costly repairs and maintenance. Touch base with them weekly to better track your fleet’s performance.
For advanced fleet maintenance software and systems, contact Manage Vehicle today! We provide the best business vehicle management technologies for large and small fleets that reduce costs and prolong vehicle life. Check out our GPS tracking system’s features and get a quote now!
