Running a well-managed fleet is a complex task that requires supervision by someone with deep subject-matter expertise. As a result, a fleet manager’s capabilities and expertise can be easily overlooked by executive management not versed in the intricacies of fleet management.
A fleet cost reduction program goes straight to the corporate bottom line. If a company operates at a 10% annual net profit margin, reducing annual fleet expenses by $100,000 is the equivalent of generating $1 million in sales. Although fleet managers manage hundreds of thousands to tens of millions of dollars in corporate assets, only half are incentivized to achieve targeted performance goals. I advocate incentivization should be a universal best practice extended to all fleet managers.
One of the easiest ways a fleet manager can reduce truck acquisition costs is not over-spec’ing for fleet needs. But, there are a few out-of-the-box ways of thinking to further reduce costs.
Senior management exerts intense pressure on fleet managers to control and/or reduce vehicle acquisition and operating expenses. To accomplish this, a fleet managers can pursue three different cost-control strategies — cost savings, cost deferral, or cost avoidance. In order to implement a successful cost-control strategy you need to institutionalize the mechanisms to curb money-wasting behaviors.
The overwhelming majority of drivers want to do what’s right for the company; however, just because your company implements a written fleet policy doesn’t mean drivers are following it. A common problem is the fleet manager communicates policy to the drivers’ managers, but the word doesn’t get down to the individual drivers. How do you increase driver compliance with fleet policy? Here are 10 suggestions.
When corporate revenues soften, it is management's fiduciary responsibility to demand expense reductions and limit capital expenditures. Unfortunately, many fleet-related cost-reduction decisions are made for the short-term, with very little consideration on the long-term impact on the total cost of ownership (TCO). Many times senior management is more interested in the fiscal, rather than economic, consequences of their fleet-related decisions.
See real world examples of the benefits these fleet managers uncovered and discover how you can apply them to your business.
Fleet Manager in a Box is an all-in-one fleet management system that its maker estimates could save a fleet of 25 at least $42,000 over five years because of the program’s wireless capabilities versus the traditional GPS/AVL technologies.
Public sector fleet manager creativity is one key to “getting the most bang for the buck” in a time of tightening purse strings and unpredictable fuel prices.
The new reality of a tighter corporate operating environment has forced fleet managers to pursue two different types of cost-cutting goals - cost deferral and cost elimination. However, many cost-cutting decisions for fleet are made for the short-term, with very little consideration for total cost of ownership. Sometimes senior management is more interested in the fiscal, rather than economic, consequences of their decisions.
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