If you’ve recently needed to acquire a truck fleet for your business, you’ll realise that managing it is a full-time job in itself. Trucks are huge and highly demanding vehicles that can end up costing you more than they’re worth if not managed correctly.
However, for some companies, a fleet is a vital part of your business operations and you’ll need to figure things out one way or another. Hiring a full-time truck fleet manager might be in your best interests. Here are a few important things to know about managing a truck fleet.
Who is a Truck Fleet Manager?
A fleet manager is someone who handles every aspect of your truck fleet – from daily operations to major issues that could arise. It’s also part of their job description to avoid those major issues.
A good fleet manager will typically have a degree in logistics or accounting (or a similar field), be incredibly well-organised and also have experience both in logistics and in transportation. If you’re planning on hiring a fleet manager, you’ll also want to look out for an analytical mindset and good interpersonal skills.
What Do They Do?
Your fleet manager will take on all responsibilities relating to your trucks. They’ll be responsible for choosing the right types of trucks for your company as well as purchasing them for the best price. They’ll also take charge of seeking out international truck parts as part of damage repair and routine maintenance, and ensuring that the trucks are well-maintained at all times.
They are also in charge of fuel management, and often make use of fuel cards to make this easier. Data is another element that your fleet manager will need to attend to – insurance data, services, and even oil changes will all be monitored, managed and analysed by your fleet manager.
Why is Their Work Important?
For your business to run smoothly, you need every aspect of your truck fleet to run smoothly, which places your fleet manager in an integral role. They’re experts in their field and will ensure that everything related to your business transport is always on track.
Fleet managers are also largely responsible for helping to keep business costs low. By managing fuel and services, and even maintaining the resale value of your trucks, fleet managers will do whatever it takes to be financially savvy in their department.
How Can They Improve Their Practice?
Of course, there will always be room to improve. Fleet managers will need to ensure that your trucks are always compliant with the laws and regulations, but further, they’ll need to constantly be on the lookout for ways to improve, reduce costs or be more efficient.
Fleet managers will also need to stay on top of trends at all times. For example, the electric car revolution is happening right now, and sooner or later there will be electric truck options too. Switching over to these types of vehicles along with the use of solar energy could be a huge money saver and a much more sustainable practice for fleets.
