Improving fleet efficiency and performance is crucial for logistic organisations

Running a logistics company is challenging, especially when the size of the fleet grows. You need to control expenses, check vehicles to make sure they meet safety requirements and keep your staff safe and secure. In this industry, it’s little room for error. But the worst part is that you need to do all the above while staying in a budget that is often limited because you also have to make a profit. But if you want to keep the operations rolling, you need to boost your fleet’s performance and efficiency. 

Until a few years ago, only companies with more than a hundred trucks could use advanced tools to monitor their fleet and analyse its performance. Now, technological help for fleets is affordable, and even people with low IT skills can implement and operate the software. 

But let’s find out how you can improve your fleet’s efficiency. 

Perform preventive maintenance

The key to run a successful logistics business is the keep the vehicles on the road as long as possible. And you can do it only if you maintain them in top state. Regular preventive maintenance will identify small problems in time and prevent more significant issues from arising. A vehicle breakdown delays shipment and disrupts operations. The freight industry is quite competitive, and you don’t afford to fail clients’ expectations. 

Use software to schedule the vehicles for routine services and notify your drivers when the time comes for an inspection. Oil changes, tire inspections, fluid refills, and hose inspections influence a vehicle’s performance, and you shouldn’t miss them.

When you regularly maintain your vehicles, you save operation time because fixing a breakdown takes from 3 to 8 hours, while a routine inspection takes around an hour. Preventive maintenance also allows you to keep an eye on parts usage. Make sure your team updates data every time a vehicle goes through preventive maintenance. Vehicle history is essential when running a logistics company. 

Use a tire management program

Tires are more than vehicle parts; they are business assets, and you must treat them accordingly. Tires are one of the three leading operating costs freight forwarding companies have (the other two are payroll and fuel). It’s paramount to properly care for them and maximise their lifespan. Your drivers should take the vehicles for regular tire maintenance appointments to check their alignment and rotate them. Tire service also implies checking the overall usage, inflation, and tread because they influence a vehicle’s performance. 

You can use a tire management program to track tire maintenance. It can also provide information about the cost of tires by their performance and miles travelled. Technology can help you save money on tire replacements, but it’s essential to identify the right system for your organisation because not all software provides the same features.  

Change driver behaviour

Your drivers are your organisation’s most valued assets, so coach them to adopt healthy driving habits that boost their safety and productivity. A GPS vehicle tracking tool provides data that helps you increase driver safety, lower unnecessary idling, control operational costs, improve fleet utilisation, and improve customer service and business productivity. 

Before implementing software, tell the drivers how the system will improve their performance and benefit the company. Emphasise that the role of the GPS tracking tool is to boost their performance and help the organisation grow, and not to micro-manage them. Train them on how to use the system because it does more than tracking their location and operations; it can also provide roadside assistance, and offer data that influences their job. 

Driver safety is a priority for logistics companies, but drivers are humans, and they often put themselves in danger. With the help of a GPS tracking system, you can curb their risky driving behaviours and improve their performance. You can also collaborate with a company that provides bespoke solutions for fleets and determine what tools you can use to protect your fleet from accidents. Sensor systems, recording cameras, turn alarms, and loading bay sensors are only some of the tools you can use to reduce accident risk and keep your drivers safe. 

Manage fuel costs

As stated before, fuel is a top operating cost, and if possible, you should reduce it. Track how much fuel your fleet uses and the impact the costs have on your budget. You cannot control fuel price, but you can manage other factors that influence fuel costs. Provide your drivers with tools that pick the most fuel-effective routes and keep them away from traffic jams and crowded cities. Use mobile apps to identify the gas stations with the most affordable rates and collaborate with fuel companies to provide discounts for your fleet. 

Reduce the amount of paper you produce

 The freight industry pollutes the environment, and no one can deny it. But companies can determine the extent of damage their organisations produce. From cutting paper use to switching to electric vehicles, they can adopt measures that change the way they operate. 

The road to becoming a green industry is challenging for the logistics sector, but small changes can make a difference in the long run. Start with reducing the amount of paper you produce. In the modern age, you don’t even need paper to operate your business. In fact, it only boosts your costs. Filling and storing paperwork is time-consuming. Recycling and disposing of files are expensive. Using paper forms makes room for error because often technicians don’t understand your drivers’ handwriting, and they process incorrect information. And you don’t even want to think what happens if you lose your documents in a natural disaster. Removing paper from your operations and using a cloud system to store information improves your business’ performance and maintains data safe and secure. 

Use fleet management software to store information remotely. It allows technicians to quickly access vehicle history and share it with the driver and management team. They can also update it in real-time, and inform the driver when the vehicle is ready to re-join the fleet.