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Fleet management is a complex process, in which decision making is an vital skill.

In making decisions, assumptions can influence your choices and dominate the way a fleet is run. Often this can be down to not having reliable data to inform decisions, rather than a lack of expertise or knowledge, and can lead to guesswork. Here are some of the top assumptions which can hinder business in the transport industry.

  1. “This is how it has always been done.”

In all industries, technology and businesses develop and change over time. If something no longer meets the necessary requirements or causes issues with legislation, being open to new ideas and solutions can ensure you don’t get held down by old routines.  Change and innovation breathe fresh air into your company, improve efficiency and help you gain the edge over competitors. This is particularly important for safety features on vehicles, where the legislation in the UK has changed rapidly, with the likes of FORS promoting best practice amongst the transport industry.

  1. The company policy is perfect

Fleet policies can organize fleet activity, by providing clear cut rules to follow by everyone within the company. However, just because one person is happy with it does not mean that the policy is perfect for everyone else. Similarly, with changes in legislation and within the company, the policy should be updated regularly and often.

  1. The more vehicles, the better

While vehicles are huge asset for transport companies, this doesn’t equate to more equals better. Fleet size should match the needs and workload of the company, and if operations can be streamlined, they should.  By optimising vehicle efficiency and managing operating routes well, you can ensure vehicles are being used properly without excess fuel costs. Having unused vehicles costs money, while absence of vehicles can mean missed business opportunities.

To make sure you avoid making these assumptions it is important to stay informed. Here are some of our tips:

  • Make sure you have the correct data to inform decisions and back up decisions with evidence
  • Ensure you are up-to-date, and looking forward to, new legislation and regulation and proactively make decisions ahead of time.
  • Be open to safety and management solutions, such as fleet tracking and vehicle CCTV, which can have a huge impact on your business. Technology is not just a cost, it is a full investment with a lot of good returns.