Having an iterative approach to processes is important in any company, but particularly in terms of the supply chain. Companies who manage large fleets need to avoid problems like mass breakdowns or accidents on the road, which they do with good preventative maintenance plans and fleet management strategies. If your business manages a fleet, there are many things that you can do to keep the vehicles running smoothly. Keep these tips in mind:

Preventative Maintenance:

In cases of mass breakdowns, for example, it’s unlikely that things go wrong simultaneously. Chances are, things begin to malfunction one at a time and before you know it, several vehicles are in need of repairs. A good preventative maintenance plan means developing a clear, comprehensive checklist to go through on a regular basis for inspecting and examining vehicles. If you find any faults, the vehicle should be pulled from the rotation and dealt with. While being down a vehicle isn’t fun for anybody, it’s a lot easier to have one out of use for a short while than have several off the road at once. Good record-keeping is crucial for storing preventative maintenance checklists and any data on your vehicles and allows you to set up alerts to remind you of when it’s time to evaluate them.

Improve Driver Habits:

Nipping any poor driving habits and patterns in the bud is another essential when it comes to good fleet management. Poor driving habits like unnecessary acceleration, excessive braking, and idling can all lead to wear and tear on vehicles, along with increasing fuel costs unnecessarily. The good news is that all these actions can easily be corrected. A good telematics system in vehicles will track driver behaviour and make it easier for you to determine which drivers need to be spoken to about improving habits on the road.

The Right Insurance:

Getting the right fleet insurance is crucial for keeping things running smoothly. Getting the right level of cover is essential to ensure that in the event of vehicles being taken off the road due to accident damage, your company will be covered financially. In addition, if an accident occurs, the right insurance cover will provide financial security if your driver is found to be at fault. You can compare fleet insurance quotes using Quotezone, a comparison site that makes it easy to get the right fleet insurance cover by entering your company and fleet details and the comparing quotes from a range of different providers.

Accountability:

Making sure that everybody in your workforce is accountable is crucial for good fleet management. You need to have comprehensive record-keeping and know which employee is in charge of each vehicle at all times, how many miles they drive per day, and the condition of the vehicle when it was returned. While most drivers are trustworthy, employees don’t always treat company vehicles like they would their own, so it’s important to have a process in place that records any damage that occurs on the job to encourage them to be more cautious. A good incentive is to provide rewards for employees who take the best care of their vehicles.

Good fleet management is all about comprehensive record-keeping and dealing with issues quickly.