| Fleet Management is a very important tool in the | | | | be as fuel efficient as possible. This can be through |
| fleet industry. It primarily helps fleet managers | | | | the mapping of the most efficient routes for the |
| manage the vehicles in their company's fleet. Instead | | | | vehicles and even coming up with fuel plans to |
| of leaving the drivers of vehicles to track cash | | | | optimize fuel spending. Perhaps running as few |
| purchases, fleet management gives them tool they | | | | vehicles as possible may be part of the plan on light |
| need to effectively ensure that transport is handled | | | | days rather than running multiple vehicles when it isn't |
| smoothly and that time is not wasted. This tool helps | | | | needed. Such strategic planning can keep productivity |
| with planning the most efficient routes for vehicles, | | | | at optimal levels while saving money at the same |
| tracking vehicles, tracking mileage and most | | | | time. |
| importantly monitoring accounts against fraudulent | | | | But it is through productivity that profits are going to |
| purchases. | | | | be made, so fleet management systems must map |
| There are other factors involved in fleet | | | | out plans to make sure the job gets done in a timely |
| management which includes fuel and maintenance | | | | manner. This also ties in with using vehicle tracking as |
| management, vehicle financing, diagnostics, health and | | | | a way to make sure vehicles are not straying from |
| safety management. These functions are extremely | | | | the plan and if they do, they can be put back on |
| helpful when a company relies heavily upon their fleet | | | | track through GPS systems based on cellular |
| of vehicles to conduct business. This is especially true | | | | triangulation platforms. This is especially helpful if a |
| for companies who have to keep track of many | | | | vehicle is lost. Instead of driving in circles to find |
| vehicles and drivers. | | | | where they are going, a GPS system can quickly get |
| The Convenience | | | | them back on track. |
| Fleet management is convenient, easy to implement | | | | Mechanical diagnostics is another great benefit of |
| and use because it removes the risk that is involved | | | | fleet management and advanced fleet management |
| in vehicle investment and provides 100% compliance | | | | systems can perform such functions by being able to |
| with Duty of Care government legislation. A company | | | | connect to the onboard computer of the vehicle. The |
| can choose to deal with these operations in-house or | | | | computer can then gather information such as |
| they can outsource the operations to a Fleet | | | | mileage, fuel consumption, and other aspects that |
| Management provider. Fleet management is so | | | | ensure compliance. |
| convenient that it is estimated that it will increase | | | | So you can probably tell how important fleet |
| significantly in 2008, especially with the expected rise | | | | management can be for a business. Having a good |
| in fuel costs and the need to curb those fuel costs | | | | system in place can benefit a business in many ways |
| as much as possible. | | | | whether it is knowing when to dispose of an old |
| To make fleet management more convenient, there | | | | vehicle and invest in a new one, or monitoring the |
| are computer programs available to aid a business in | | | | activities of the fleet to ensure that business on the |
| its fleet management tasks. These tasks can be | | | | road is being conducted reasonably, cost-efficiently, |
| vehicle acquisition, vehicle disposal, trip profiling, | | | | and in a timely manner. How you want to manage |
| vehicle dispatch, and can provide functions such as | | | | your fleet is up to you since there are so many |
| active disabling (remotely preventing an engine from | | | | levels of management available from basic functions |
| starting) and Geo-fencing. | | | | to advanced functions such as performing mechanical |
| The Benefits | | | | diagnostics remotely by communicating with the |
| The benefits of fleet management more or less | | | | vehicle's onboard computer. It more or less comes |
| speak for themselves. One concern is fuel efficiency. | | | | down to how many vehicles you have and how |
| Fleet management systems must develop a plan to | | | | advanced you want to be. |