The past two years have been different and extremely challenging in all aspects and industries of business, particularly for fleets. With the costs of parts and labor rising, it is more challenging than ever to run and maintain fleet vehicles, let alone hire staff and keep them on. However, technological advances also may mean a bright outlook. It is more important now than ever to study trends in the fleet industry so we can plan for the future, as being prepared is critical in a time like this. Let’s look at current fleet management trends.
Increased Maintenance Expenses
As mentioned above, supply chain issues have caused the prices of parts to soar. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like this will change very soon. The price of maintenance is made worse because workshops lost so many workers during the pandemic. Maintenance shops must make up for the costs they lost during this time. Combined with these two factors, vehicle complexity has also increased. This means that workshops require highly-skilled technicians to work on vehicles.
Increased Buying
In the last two years, products and parts simply weren’t available when needed. This was due to the supply chain issues addressed previously. While the supply chain problems aren’t fully resolved, improvements have increased fleet buying, which should continue throughout 2022. Fleets are replacing aging models of vehicles they couldn’t get rid of in 2022. Another change is the way that fleets buy their vehicles. Online vehicle sales have increased since 2020, and physical vehicle dealerships are under strain.
Technological Advances
Vehicle technology has come a long way, and more fleets are taking advantage of it. Features like cruise control and precise navigation apps are popular among all drivers, including fleet drivers. There are even more advanced features like driver health features like in-car purification, street pollution analysis, and even massage functionality. These tools can make drivers more comfortable and keep them on your staff longer, which is critical in this time of high driver turnover.
EV Expansions
Electric vehicles have been on the rise for years, but deadlines on CO2 initiatives are getting closer. Infrastructure for EVs is increasing worldwide, and the move toward EVs seems inevitable. Maybe EVs seemed like an expensive dream in the past, but in 2022, they are becoming a possibility. More fleets are taking them on, and purchasing rates will likely continue to rise in 2022.
Remote Work
Remote work has been a hot topic in the media for the last two years. Just because it’s becoming safer to return to work doesn’t mean that remote work is over. 59% of people work from home, and most do so because they choose to. Fleet managers must adapt to this new form of working to retain workers. Luckily, fleet management software doesn’t require in-office workers to keep a fleet going, and can help your fleet function during this transition. Remote work is here to stay and will likely increase throughout 2022 and into the future.
Stay Up to Date on Fleet Management Trends
When it comes to fleet management, nobody has expertise like Azuga. We offer technology across the gamut of fleet management and want to help you plan for the future. Learn more about our technology and visit our blog to learn more about fleet trends.
