If you are a commercial fleet manager your job will involve overseeing, organising and ensuring that every aspect of the fleet operations is running efficiently and effectively. But in order to be a successful commercial fleet manager you need to build a fleet system that helps you achieve your goals. The following are a few ways for you to ensure the success of your commercial fleet.
Understand the difference between a fleet vehicle and a commercial fleet vehicle
The first thing that you need to understand when you are managing a commercial fleet is what makes a commercial fleet vehicle different from a regular fleet vehicle. Any vehicle that is used by an organisation to conduct business activities is a fleet vehicle. A regular fleet can have all sorts of wheeled assets whether it is bicycles, scooters, semi trucks or heavy machinery, however, not all of them can be considered commercial vehicles. As per the definition of the United States department of transportation only vans, trucks, semi trucks, some speciality vehicles, cars and heavy equipment can be considered commercial vehicles. Due to the way these definitions specify things though, it is possible for a business to own a fleet but no commercial vehicles.
Make sure to comply with all state and federal fleet laws
After identifying which of your fleet’s vehicles are commercial you need to make sure that you are in compliance with all local, state and federal laws. Simply by complying with all the rules and regulations set in place by the DOT, the FMCSA and other state authorities for commercial vehicles you will be able to prevent a lot of accidents and equipment breakdowns. You might also have to pay hefty fines if your commercial fleet vehicle is not complying with any state or federal regulations. Commercial fleet compliance is extremely important if you want to ensure that your business keeps running smoothly.
Purchase the right equipment and vehicles When managing a commercial fleet, you need to make sure that you are purchasing the right vehicles. You can do that by analysing the everyday activities of your team and choosing vehicles that would make their jobs easier. You should not purchase a particular vehicle or piece of equipment just because you can. If you are buying a Caterpillar 140G wheel loader, make sure that it is because it is essential for the job. Or if you are purchasing a pickup truck, you do not need to spend more on a truck with extra space if it will not be used by the driver. If you make the right choice when purchasing a commercial vehicle for your fleet, you would not have to worry about excessive fuel and repair costs in the future.