In the commercial fleet industry, telematics reporting has become a major trend. This technology provides fleet managers with the data they need to understand and optimize their fleet’s operations. According to Kudos Data’s Fleet Manager’s Almanac, of the fleets who have seen improvements from the adaptation of telematics, 59 percent said that productivity has been positively impacted. This is more than decreases in fuel consumption, labor costs, or improved routing for drivers.
It’s clear that productivity is a large part of any fleet manager’s focus, and it’s one of the best target areas for improvements based on telematics data. If you want to optimize your fleet’s productivity, Azuga is here to help.
Why You Should Focus on Boosting Fleet Productivity
We commonly measure fleet productivity with data including idle time and fleet utilization. Yet low productivity can have far-reaching consequences, touching nearly all aspects of fleet management.
Every part of a fleet is tied together, and for the fleet as a whole to reach its potential, the parts need to work together seamlessly. A fleet with vehicles that idle unnecessarily is likely to have increased fuel consumption. A poorly maintained fleet can lead to breakdowns on the road, causing delays and putting drivers at increased risk of accidents. Inefficient routing can cause increased wear and tear on your commercial fleet vehicles, leading to higher maintenance costs.
If you haven’t optimized your fleet’s utilization, you likely have equipment sitting around in a garage or yard unused. Ohio’s Department of Transportation found that 42 percent of fleet equipment is used less than 5 percent of the time and a further 37 percent are used less than 15 percent of the time. This equates to huge amounts of waste—literally thousands of dollars spent storing and maintaining equipment that is rarely put into service.
With today’s fleet management technologies, you can easily see what equipment is being used and how often. Your fleet can use this data to deploy the nearest assets for each job and determine which assets would be more cost-effective to rent than to own. Commercial fleet data systems lead to improved productivity, savings in both storage and maintenance, and a streamlined fleet that is both leaner and better optimized.
Boost Productivity With a Focus on Metrics
When you begin to look into ways to boost productivity, you’ll likely be overwhelmed with options. Unfortunately, many of these improvements are so minor, they’re almost not worth the time it takes to implement them. A few minor boosts that are worthwhile include improving driver job satisfaction and reducing downtime due to maintenance.
Major productivity boosts are another story altogether. In order to see your fleet’s productivity skyrocket, focus on the following five utilization metrics:
- The time an asset begins and ends use
- Time spent in transit between jobs
- Engine run time/time in use
- Idle time
- Time spent on maintenance and other functions not directly related to your core business function
Many of these metrics can be easily monitored with Azuga Fleet and asset tracking. Our GPS solutions allow you to see exactly where each asset is and how and when they’re put to use. Knowing this information is priority number one if you’re going to decrease the number of underutilized assets in your yard or warehouse. Additionally, with GPS trackers you can prevent theft and unauthorized use of your assets, with alerts when they leave a specified geographic location and the ability to quickly track them down.
Next, route optimization can help cut down on transit time and ensure your vehicles are using the most efficient routes to get to each job site or delivery location. Quicker deliveries mean better customer service, and less time in transit means your fleet can handle more jobs in the same amount of time. All of this also decreases idling time and fuel consumption, leading to savings in fuel costs and maintenance.
Finally, maintenance is a major factor in the productivity of any fleet. Maintenance can mean large amounts of downtime, particularly when it’s not managed efficiently. Scheduling routine maintenance means you can take care of necessary tasks at the best possible times when the asset in question would otherwise be unused. And predictive maintenance alerts from telematics can help you handle minor problems efficiently before they turn into larger issues.
Fleet Telematics Tools That Boost Productivity
Azuga Fleet management tools offer the ability to optimize your fleet’s productivity with actionable insights into asset usage, maintenance, and more. This means you can grow and scale your business with minimal waste and top-tier efficiency.
Our telematics software offers all the features your fleet needs to accomplish your goals. These include:
- Route optimization to ensure vehicles arrive on time with minimal transit delays.
- Idle time monitoring lets you see which assets are underutilized within your fleet.
- Maintenance scheduling and predictive alerts allow you to minimize downtime.
- Fuel consumption reports and fuel card integration help you cut down on fuel spending.
- Hours of Service (HOS) logging satisfies ELD mandate requirements and provides reliable eLogs for DOT inspections.
- Driver Safety features improve fleet safety by alerting you to risky habits and providing video training to improve drivers’ skills.
- Engine diagnostics data is captured each time your vehicles are used, allowing you to maximize efficiency and reduce operating costs.
- Asset tracking with geofencing keeps track of large assets, prevents theft, increases recovery rates, and alerts fleet management to unauthorized use.
- Azuga Driver Safety Rewards gamify safe driving practices, rewarding the safest drivers and creating a healthy competition that boosts morale.
- Dual-facing SafetyCams show you what’s happening both inside and outside of the cab. This promotes good driving habits and exonerates drivers in the case of an accident or other road incident. It can also help lower insurance premiums and speed up the claims process with solid video evidence.
- FleetMobile lets you see what is happening in your fleet, even when you’re in the field or otherwise away from the office.
All of these features and more are available with Azuga Fleet. We offer a comprehensive fleet management program that utilizes features like GPS tracking, telematics, and advanced reporting to optimize your fleet’s operations with real-time data on fleet management key performance indicators.
We have a proven track record with dozens of success stories across industries like construction, electrical service, HVAC repair, landscaping, pest control, plumbing, telecom, trucking, utilities, and waste management. Want to learn more about the improvements Azuga can offer your fleet? Contact us today and schedule a free demo.
