While there’s some debate among fleet managers regarding the most efficient and cost-effective solution to handle vehicle maintenance and repair work— in-house, outsourced or a hybrid of the two — there’s absolutely no debate that routine maintenance and timely repairs are crucial to operational safety, productivity and customer satisfaction.

Just as with choosing a telematics solution or the right vehicles for your fleet, there’s no one-size-fits-all maintenance solution. In-house may be the most beneficial for some fleets, while outsourcing may be best for others. Or, maybe a bit of both is the most efficient and cost-effective.

If you manage fleet vehicles for your organization, you’re well-versed on all the ins and outs of the most common methods for obtaining fuel — bulk deliveries to fuel tanks, mobile fueling and purchasing at retail locations with fuel cards. However, there’s another fuel delivery method that you may not be quite as knowledgeable about. And, that’s unattended fuel outlets or UFOs.

Unattended fuel outlets are exactly what the name implies — unmanned fuel stations. They are also known for being reliable, computerized, fully-automated and a fast and convenient way for drivers to fill up vehicles and get back on the road without the time-consuming hassle of convenience store lines and the safety hazards associated with crowded lots.

While there is some uncertainty over the origin of the saying, “that which is measured, improves,” there is zero uncertainty regarding the value of measuring and its relation to fleet performance.

Whether your fleet is comprised of a few vehicles or several hundred, it’s essential to keep your operations moving forward and running on all cylinders. That means taking the time to stay on top of what’s trending in the industry. In the constantly shifting trucking industry, this is not exactly an easy task, but it’s one that might not be as difficult as you may think.

Many fleet managers stay on top of trends by subscribing to trade journals, reading newspapers, websites and blogs, scouring news sites, watching videos, listening to podcasts, talking to customers and colleagues, keeping a watchful eye on the competition and attending conferences and seminars. While it takes time, building a habit of learning in 2018 will help you advance your career and help you build a safer, more productive fleet.

It’s no secret that change is a constant in the fleet industry. To stay on top of challenges and to stay competitive, changes in the industry can’t be ignored but need to be viewed with an open mind. 

No longer can fleet managers afford to live by the mindset of “this is how it’s always been done” and expect to thrive, as increasingly the industry is becoming more tech focused and data driven with telematics technologies leading the charge. Transparency Market Research predicts that the worldwide fleet management market will grow to almost $16 billion by 2025.

Taking steps to winterize your fleet vehicles, including keeping tanks at least half full, using the right viscosity of oil , topping off fluids and checking wiper blades, tires, brake pads and shoes is key to ensuring your vehicles are prepared for the challenges associated with winter weather.

The Electronic Logging Device Mandate, which is more commonly referred to as the ELD Mandate, is a federal rule published December 2015 by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DoT) and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). 

Implemented in three phases, with Phase 2 going into effect in less than a month on December 18, the rule applies to most motor carriers and drivers who are currently required to maintain records of duty status (RODS). The rule’s intention is to help create a safer work environment for drivers and to make tracking, managing and sharing RODS faster and easier.  

Compared to highway accidents, parking lot accidents involving fleet vehicles may not seem like a very big deal. In terms of serious injury or fatalities, they’re not. But in terms of the cost of dents, dings, scrapes and driver downtime all adding up, well that’s another story. The truth is that parking lot accidents can be a very big deal that can decrease profitability.

Accidents in parking lots are responsible for a significant amount of a fleet’s overall annual operating costs. They often end up costing more than a serious highway accident in that if the insurance deductible isn’t met, the cost to cover an accident is out of pocket and straight out of profit.

Fleet telematics has come a long way since it first emerged in the early 1990s. What was initially a simple GPS system to pinpoint the location of a vehicle and tell if a vehicle was or wasn’t in motion has evolved into a sophisticated data gathering tool that can drive bottom-line benefits to fleets of all functions, compositions and sizes.

Today, fleet telematics technology integrates routing, geo-fencing, navigation, two-way communication, vehicle diagnostics, dashboard, real-time driver and vehicle alerts, customizable reports and a host of other features that collect critical data about vehicles and drivers that fleet managers use to shape strategy and improve efficiency.

To put the destructive power of nature in perspective, look no further than the damage estimates from Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria—between $65 billion and $190 billion for Harvey, between $50 billion and $100 billion for Irma and between $45 billion and $95 billion for Maria.

Most of the recovery expenses will go toward property damage, but a good bit of those expenses—at least in the case of Harvey and Irma—will also go toward vehicle replacement.