Driving Business – 4 Tips for Your Company Fleet

Your business fleet is, quite literally, the engine that drives your business. Whether it’s a fleet of transport vehicles delivering your product on time, a fleet of dispatch vehicles making plumbing calls to customers, or a fleet of sales vehicles heading out to make the next big sale – whatever the use, these vehicles play an integral role in the shape and function of your company. 

So why do they so often go overlooked? When searching for ways to save money, who thinks of the fleet? When brainstorming operational optimization, who thinks of the vehicles? When considering work culture and safety, who ponders the role of fleet vehicles? 

If your business already asks itself these critical questions, that’s fantastic. And, if not, now is the time to begin. To make the most out of your fleet vehicles, whether financially, operationally or culturally, read these four simple tips. 

Lease, Don’t Buy

It’s often taken for granted the way in which businesses acquire vehicles. For the last century, purchasing has been the dominant method of financing, and, unfortunately, that conventional wisdom rarely gets questioned. It definitely should. 

Leasing doesn’t require your business to put up a sizeable down payment, nor does it require high monthly loan payments, since you’re not paying for the car itself – you’re paying for the depreciation of the vehicle. This allows you to free up cash flow and re-energize other parts of your business. Plus, with commercial car leasing at Auto One you get more flexibility when it comes to upgrades, allowing you to replace vehicles every 2-4 years, therefore keeping your fleet current and reliable. 

Understand Maintenance

Maintenance is a key part of keeping your fleet at peak performance. A well-maintained fleet will transport, courier, haul and call on clients with greater efficiency and better image. A fleet, on the other hand, that is mishandled, is more liable to break down, waste time and – in the case of your business image – turn a few potential customers off. 

Step one in a robust maintenance plan is setting policy. How often do you want your drivers to do engine checks, tire checks, fluid checks? How often do you require drivers to clean the vehicle interiors? Systematize your answers to these questions and create a schedule for employees to follow. 

Create a Drive Safe Program

Driver safety benefits everyone. Chiefly, it benefits the drivers themselves, who should never be exposed to undue risk in the workplace. Mockup a safety program – you can find drive safe resources here – and implement it immediately. This program might include policy around cell phone and seatbelt use, as well as policy to prevent overworking.  

Consider Fleet Tracking Software

Fleet tracking software isn’t essential, but its use can give you a window into how (and how often) your fleet vehicles are being used. Further, the presence of fleet tracking software deters drivers from using the vehicles for personal errands and other non-work related trips. 

Your fleet of vehicles drives your business. Make sure it drives the right way, by leasing fleet vehicles, maintaining them properly, driving them safely and monitoring their use.