Fleet
A Fleet, as we know, is a set of vehicles, especially commercial vehicles.
Fleet Management
Fleet management is the process of managing commercial vehicles for the benefit of an organization or business.
An efficient fleet management system will help the business to improve revenue as well as efficiency. An efficient fleet management system will help the business to manage all vehicle-related operations including the repair and maintenance work and the management of the crew who drive and manage the vehicles.
There can be different types of fleet management. The first one is fleet management companies. For them, their entire business is related to fleet management.
The second type of fleet management is the fleet operations managed by other industries. Here, some organizations or businesses may be manufacturing or sales, may require a number of vehicles for different purposes and they may be running a separate fleet management wing.
Fleet Managers
The majority of large business ventures operating a number of vehicles will have fleet managers. Even schools and educational institutions that run institutional buses or vehicles appoint fleet managers. The responsibility of a fleet manager is to efficiently coordinate all operations related to the fleet. The fleet manager will be responsible to track fuel consumption by the vehicle and the total running time of the vehicle. The manager will also take care of repair and maintenance work.
The appointment of the driver, tracking the behavior of the driver, and other employee-related management can also be considered as the responsibility of the fleet manager.
The manager will be entrusted with the task of route planning and tracking. He will also have to avoid the wastage of fuel and damage to vehicles.
Major tasks of fleet manager
Vehicle log management
A fleet manager maintains a logbook of vehicles where all the details of a vehicle will be maintained. The registration number, driver details, and total kilometers traveled by the vehicle will be included here.
Vehicle Service Log
Service log will have details like the previous services of the vehicle and the upcoming service schedules.
Driver Recruitment and Management
A driver is a person who manages all operations of a vehicle. So the fleet manager is responsible to recruit drivers who have a good driving history and reputation. At the same time, the fleet manager should be in constant contact with the driver.
Fleet tracking
A fleet manager may have to manage 100 or more vehicles at the same time. He will also have to track these vehicles and maintain a record of their current positions, destinations, travel time, etc. GPS facility can also be used for the purpose.
Cost management
For every business cost, reduction and profit multiplication are the priorities. Fleet management businesses also need this kind of support. The manager should ensure minimum fuel consumption and timely maintenance to reduce costs.
Why do we need a software tool for Fleet Management?
A software solution can do the tasks of many fleet management employees and work as an efficient assistant for the fleet manager. Whatever be your business, if you are handling fleet-related operations, ERP tool can provide you support to manage the registration, repair, maintenance, driver and fuel consumption, and every other aspect of the vehicles. This can help the fleet manager to set aside the worries. Besides, it will ensure round-the-clock tracking of the vehicles and a transparent management system.
Key benefits of a software tool for Fleet Management
- Vehicle management
- Vehicle registration
- Vehicle number tracking
- Driver management
- Travel detail management
- Contract management
- Fuel log maintenance
- Vehicle repair and maintenance management
Businesses Require fleet management support
Many business groups inconsiderate of the industry require fleet management support these days. Here, we can go through some of the major businesses engaging in different types of fleet management operations.
Construction sector: The construction business needs the support of different types of vehicles including earthmovers, trucks, cranes, etc. This makes it essential for construction giants to have their own network of construction vehicles. The use of large numbers of vehicles and the movement of vehicles to and fro different worksites make it mandatory to have a proper ERP tool to manage the vehicles and drivers.
Petroleum Industry
The petroleum business deals with the excavation of petroleum, its treatment, and transportation. This requires a large network of vehicles. Managing the trucks and other vehicles operating in the industry cannot be managed manually. Timely service and efficient driver record management are essential for fleet management operations in the petroleum industry.
Cab services
Many start-ups and small business units are focusing on cab services. While some purchase their own cabs for running the business some others pool cabs to run a business on a large scale. Such ventures are very effective and popular in many areas. An efficient fleet management software tool can manage all these operations effectively by booking services and managing time. Connecting drivers and sending routes, fixing charges, and managing fuel costs also becomes effortless with software tools.
Educational Institutions
Educational institutions are now depending mostly on their own vehicle networks for the transportation of students and staff. This becomes easier if the institution uses a proper ERP tool to manage the vehicles. The vehicles can be listed based on the routes and the number of students. Fleet management tools can assure timely repair and maintenance work of the educational institution vehicles.
Logistics Business
Every other business needs the support of a logistic business. With fleets of trucks and other vehicles, logistic business supports the transportation of raw materials and products for other business ventures. National and International transportation of goods is made possible with the support of this business. As logistic business partners with many other business groups, a lot of time tracking and destination management will be required. Besides, cost management and fuel consumption also need special thrust in this business. A fleet management tool can help the business to manage all operations with the ease of a click.
Odoo Fleet Management App
Odoo Open Source Solution has a dedicated fleet management tool to effortlessly manage fleets. This tool will help to:
- Ensures safety of the vehicle
- Cost reduction support
- Driver details at a click
- Efficient fleet -force management
- Route planning and management
- Permit and registration management