Fleet management crews are frequently overworked. They typically turn to innovative problem-solving to keep important assets running when they are forced to juggle conflicting priorities. During digital projects, it’s easy to push fleet management down the priority list, reducing appropriate investments in service and repair. This is understandable, but it also poses a significant risk. Fleet vehicles, like shop-floor gear and equipment, perform best when they are properly maintained.
Five Major Challenges of Fleet Management
- Shortage of drivers
In the last decade, one of the main issues for fleet managers has been the driver shortage. Experts project that by 2022, the scarcity of delivery drivers will reach 250,000 as demand for freight transportation grows and new driver applications remain stagnant. Recruiting unskilled drivers might cause safety concerns and need the use of driver monitoring techniques. Driver responses and safety practices can be monitored using technology. While such solutions are advantageous, they add to the complexity of fleet maintenance.
- Vehicles are becoming more digital.
Managers can follow vehicle routes, obtain data on service history down to the component and part level, keep compliance records, and receive reminders when preventative maintenance is needed by using digital applications. Managers can now track all of these activities and more thanks to the advancements in telemetry and internet of things (IoT) technology with a vehicle tracking system.
- Fuel Costs
Depending on the type of fleet cars used, some plants must budget for significant fuel expenses. Even minor changes in fuel prices can have a considerable impact on a company’s financial bottom line. Maintenance workers must keep track of reports of fluctuating fuel usage and be on the lookout for faults that can be fixed or downtime that can be avoided.
- Environmental Factors
Extreme weather events have created awareness about climate change and prompted the adoption of new clean air standards worldwide. As environmental regulations tighten, fleet managers are faced with a slew of demands to meet and pressure to phase out the usage of internal combustion engines. The difficulties must be understood by fleet managers and the service professionals who assist them, who must develop their plans.
- Growing Popularity of Electric vehicles
According to current projections, electric vehicles (EVs) are expected to reach a tipping point between 2035 and 2040, when half of all cars sold would be plug-ins. Their popularity in the world of trucks, vans, and manufacturing plants is growing all the time. Advanced analytics can assist in determining charging costs, savings, and the financial impact.
How Can Technology Solve These Problems?
Modern enterprise asset management (EAM) systems provide fleet management and asset maintenance teams with powerful tools for tracking asset condition, including maintenance history, warranty status, and the next planned maintenance or service. EAM solutions can manage the whole life cycle of vehicles and the systems employed in fleet operations. The holistic fleet ecology includes a variety of assets, many of which are computerized. A solid EAM solution will aid in keeping these components in working order.
Data can be interpreted and insights derived by advanced systems. They frequently include business intelligence and analytics capabilities to delve further into the aspects that may influence service requirements. Predictive analytics can identify data abnormalities that could indicate a problem. If warning signals are detected early enough, action can be taken before a total breakdown occurs.
The EAM system must be highly adaptable, mobile-friendly, and accessible, as today’s technicians want solutions that are simple to use and have the same type of intuitive interfaces as their consumer gadgets.