Your fleet is always on the move, and so are you.

Your business depends on having a solid fleet management system so you can easily dispatch your team and keep track of your vehicles.

There’s no one way to handle fleet management, and you’ve got plenty of options for tools and technology to manage your vehicles. However, one thing that is clear is how your team will benefit from a fleet management system that’s fully customized for your company. 

What is fleet management?

Simply put, fleet management is keeping track of where your people are, where they need to go, and how you'll get them there. 

Businesses with  a vehicle fleet need a way to track all of their equipment and coordinate logistics with operators, maintenance crews, supply chain teams, and other key players. 

Having organized processes and standard procedures that take the guesswork out of managing your fleet and put you in the driver’s seat when making decisions is the goal of fleet management. 

Why is fleet management important?

Not having fleet management is like trying to drive without the steering wheel.

Fleet management is essential because having the most up-to-date information about your fleet means you can make smart operational decisions that save time and money.

A comprehensive, standardized process for managing your fleet of vehicles helps you reduce inefficiencies while increasing productivity and performance. 

Reduce fleet operations cost

Half the battle of reducing costs is knowing what your costs are in the first place. Proper fleet management clues you into how much each vehicle costs and how you can reduce waste for your fleet. Handle preventative maintenance and fix vehicle issues before they progress so you can keep your fleet on the road, just as it should be. 

Track fleet movements

Modern technology lets you use GPS to track your fleet's real-time movements. You should know where any vehicle is at any given time and uncover key information on routes and mileage to help you find the fastest, most efficient way to get your fleet from point A to B to C. Some fleet management tools also incorporate AI for even more comprehensive tracking that’s backed by the latest data science. 

Protect drivers

Fleet management helps you ensure the roadworthiness of your fleet through telematics, the technology that handles long-distance computing and information distribution. These tools relay critical information about the health of a vehicle’s mechanical systems and inform fleet managers if a vehicle  needs  service to stay in safe working condition. Also, emergency call buttons within vehicles can alert fleet managers to a driver in distress so assistance can be dispatched.

Retain drivers

Good equipment keeps good drivers. Well-maintained vehicles that undergo routine maintenance and safety checks boost an operator's confidence. With proper fleet management, you can monitor vehicle performance and driver performance, too. Fleet management gives you insights into individual members of your team and can assist you in identifying top performers or those who may benefit from additional training.

Acquiring new vehicles 

As your business grows, so will your fleet of vehicles. Having a system in place to keep track of all of your assets makes acquiring additional vehicles much less daunting. 

You can easily integrate new vehicles into your fleet and anticipate when you need to scale up, thanks to all the data you can leverage in your fleet management system. 

What does a fleet manager do?

A good fleet manager will have you wondering what they don’t do. Fleet managers are responsible for quite a lot, especially if you have a large fleet of vehicles and widespread operations.

Fleet managers are the designated contact for all things related to your fleet of vehicles. The manager needs to have technical chops to set up and navigate digital fleet management systems and possess the ability to troubleshoot issues.

The manager should also have superior communication, project management, and time management skills toeffectively liaison with other team members and keep the vehicles moving on schedule.

Here are a few responsibilities of fleet managers: 

• Purchasing and leasing vehicles and fleet equipment
• Coordinating and managing driver schedules
• Acquiring licenses and registrations for all fleet vehicles 
• Scheduling and overseeing inspections and vehicle maintenance

Fleet managers are also the super-users of all your fleet management software. They can  add and remove other users, set up and automate processes, and have a 360 view of fleet operations. Having this information easily accessible makes it much easier for fleet managers to optimize operations and uncover opportunities to reduce costs and save time. 

What is fleet management software?

Fleet management software digitizes fleet operations management and empowers you to take virtual charge of nearly every facet of fleet operations management while your vehicles are in motion. 

Fleet management software also handles numerous other things related to your vehicles, including:

• Inspections and maintenance 
• Telematics
• Fuel Management
• Driver analytics 

Whether it’s a faulty brake system, lost driver or empty gas tank, fleet management software alerts you to issues with your vehicles so you can stay proactive and keep your fleet moving. 

Fleet management software can also integrate with your current technology. For example, the United States has mandated that all commercial vehicle operators log their service hours electronically. With fleet management software, you can easily access this data and use it to schedule drivers and coordinate transportation logistics, all while keeping your company compliant. Similarly, Transport Canada maintains regulations for commercial vehicle inspections, and sound fleet management helps you stay up-to-date on your inspections and relevant documentation.

Top Fleet Management Software

You've got an open road ahead regarding fleet management software options. There are dozens of software tools that offer various capabilities and functionalities perfect for your fleet's needs. We've rounded up a few of the best ones to help you get started on your journey to better fleet management. 

Autosist 

Capterra: 4.7 out of 5 stars; 129 reviews 

Autosist prides itself on being a simple, intuitive fleet management software that gets the job done sans the frills (unless you want to add those on). A core function of Autosist is the ability to customize virtually everything within the system. For example, digital inspections with tailored checklists ensure your fleet is always in tip-top shape, and you can opt to receive notifications whenever a vehicle requires maintenance or attention. Autosist has plenty of standard fleet management capabilities, yet one stands above the rest: Safety dash cams. This platform allows you to monitor your vehicles in real-time through a two-way facing dash cam that captures everything happening with your vehicles, inside and out. 

Whip Around

Capterra: 4.8 out of 5 stars; 548 reviews

Whip Around is your one-stop shop for all things preventive maintenance. This fleet management software enables you to easily stay on top of inspections and have endless data on the health of your equipment at your fingertips. You can access information on the maintenance status of each vehicle in your fleet and schedule detailed inspections so your fleet is always road-ready. Whip Around lets you set up e-signatures and stakeholder sign-off to increase accountability for the fleet and keep everyone in the loop. And the best part is that all the system’s data syncs to the cloud, so you’ll have the information you need on time, every time. 

Motive 

Capterra: 4.5 out of 5 stars; 1518 reviews

Motive is all about putting the latest and greatest tech in the palm of your hand. This software leans heavily on technology – namely, AI Dashcams – to detect unsafe driving and keep drivers focused while performing their duties. This feature employs machine learning to detect driver behavior and alert drivers to potential issues on the road before they occur. All HD video is stored in the cloud immediately so that you can access it in real-time. Motive is also a winning software for vehicle fleets in a range of industries, from oil and gas to food and beverage. 

Fleetio

Capterra: 4.7 out of 5 stars; 181 reviews

Fleetio is a popular choice for fleet managers with many team members who all need to be on the same page. The key feature of Fleetio is its collaboration element that allows fleet managers to add unlimited users to the system to enable flexible permissions. As a result, fleet teams can work together to coordinate logistics, automate processes, and communicate critical issues within the software. Fleetio is also a great tool for the data-obsessed fleet manager. It centralizes and displays data on all things related to your fleet, including cost-per-mile and asset utilization. 

Where is fleet management headed in the future?

As with everything these days, technology will continue to transform the future of fleet management. It’s highly likely that fleet management software will become even more sophisticated with integrations and faster data processing. 

Autonomous and high-tech vehicles are slowly making their way onto the road, and these new vehicles will come with unique fleet management needs. These vehicles will usher in a new wave of safety requirements for fleet managers to implement and keep up with. This change means fleet managers and fleet management software will need to evolve to accommodate today's and tomorrow’s vehicles. 

Fleet management is also poised to become much more far-flung in the not-so-distant future. With the rise of remote work and distributed teams, you can tap into a larger talent pool  to operate and manage your fleet. Business headquarters in Ontario with Kansas drivers and a Hawaii fleet manager? No problem when you can leverage tech to communicate and coordinate logistics with employees who are worlds away. 

Streamline Your Fleet Fuel Management with Fillip

We understand the challenges of managing fleet expenses.

That's why we developed our digital fleet card. We wanted to make things quick and easy, so you can issue driver cards on the go and keep track of all purchases in real time, right from your phone.

Our card works at any gas station that accepts Visa. Fillip also finds you the best deal on fuel based on your location, helping you save on every tank.

We've also put a lot of thought into security with built-in fraud prevention and real-time alerts.

We know every business is unique, so we offer flexible funding options. Check us out and let's make managing your fleet a breeze together!

‍