Automotive Fleet's long-time editor and fleet expert, Mike Antich, offers opinions and ideas on the overall commercial fleet industry and draws interesting comments from fleet managers and other industry professionals from across the country. Mike was inducted in the Fleet Hall of Fame in 2010.
During this period of ongoing supply constraints, the trust that fleet managers had with OEMs, upfitters, and dealers has been strained. Fleet managers say they have had too many experiences over the past three years coping with erroneous information, adjusting to multiple price increases, and feeling betrayed by inadequate transparency from suppliers.
The ongoing difficulty in sourcing replacement vehicles is forcing companies to extend the service lives of vehicles that are unable to be replaced, which, inevitably, increases unscheduled maintenance expenses.
Fleet simplification identifies asset functions to uncover commonality among the equipment and assets. Simplification increases operational efficiency as end-users become accustomed to the controls, displays, and operation of less diverse units.
A fleet policy is a living document, flexible enough to adapt to evolving business priorities, developing industry trends, and changing industry best practices and standards.
Corporate procurement staff are often driven by short-term, immediate cost reductions. However, a longer perspective to soft cost savings is critical because fixating on short-term results will hurt a company in the long run.
Procurement is assuming a greater role in sourcing more complex vocational fleet vehicles; however, this reponsibility has proven to be more challenging for multinational, multiregional fleets.
Fleet data analysis can identify recurring downtime issues. It’s important to determine the root causes of downtime so procedures can be developed to minimize such problems.
Vehicle weight relates directly to fuel economy. In today’s era of electrification, there is also a direct correlation between vehicle weight and battery range.
The risk of fleet manager burnout isn’t a new phenomenon, but it has reached an intensity never seen before and it is pervasive not only in fleet, but throughout society as a whole.
The line between creative thinking and problem solving and doing what the data indicates is thin. To lead in fleet management, you need to balance understanding the fundamentals and embracing what smart technology offers.
Safe driving, emission reductions, and cost containment can all be achieved at the same time.
There are many paths to success — most of them involve being flexible, open-minded, and willing to learn.
When developing or re-evaluating fleet policy, there are many issues that must be addressed, and these issues can vary by company and industry segment.. As such, you should solicit the participation of all affected user departments. A fleet policy should not remain static.
Fleet policy begins and ends with the fleet manager, a living and continually updated document, and no exceptions.
Engine hours aren't always what they seem and fleet managers, drivers, and teams need to fully understand how to operate their vehicles — including the true cost of too much idling.
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