Fleet management is no simple task; it’s tough to balance vehicle acquisition, repairs & maintenance, as well as disposals. All of that’s even before you consider the knowledge and effort it takes to be in full compliance with regulations and state laws. Without fixed parts, fleet management is a complex and ever-changing process.
Fortunately, today’s fleet managers have a distinct advantage: big data. The advances made possible by big data have ushered a new era of fleet management. Today we’ll examine four ways that big data forever changed the world of fleet management.
1. Improved Efficiency
Naturally, one of the most important aspects of fleet management is the ability to ensure drivers are on the right route at the right time. Big data helps managers leverage their operational data, including truck routing information, driver’s who’ve been assigned certain routes, and other important information. This has lead to countless actionable results and organization-wide savings.
2. Better Maintenance Scheduling
Big data has also enabled fleet managers to keep a better eye on their vehicles’ maintenance schedules. It can also take into account the type of traveling each vehicle has done–after all, not all miles are the same. This increased transparency allows managers to optimize many factors, including:
- Optimizing Discovery of Low Fuel Prices
- Verification of Individual Transactions
- Daily Fuel Reconciliation Reports
- Verification of Fuel Prices
3. Electronic Logs
Electronic log books provide many advantages over traditional paper logs; in fact, in December of 2017, they will become federally mandated. This helps keep better track of duty status and other vehicle factors. They also help eliminate the danger and inefficiency presented by driver fatigue. This is just one more way that big data has changed the fleet manager’s experience for the better: they now have an accurate idea of what’s actually going on out there on the highway.
4. Providing Standardization
Even the most organized fleet managers of the past have nothing on the standardization that big data has provided. Many companies are now leveraging their own data to generate greater profits. The prevailing wisdom of the day is that now “all businesses are data businesses”–successful fleet managers will be the ones who can figure out how to use newly standardized data to gain the edge over their competition. For example, route optimization via map making tools is a great way to boost efficiency and raise the bottom line.
Big data provides countless actionable insights for the savvy fleet manager. Companies that have yet to embrace these changes are going to be left in the dust, especially after December, when they’ll be forced to adapt to electronic log books. Simply put: if you’re not leveraging big data’s applications to improve your fleet’s profitability, you’re missing out!
Bibliography:
https://www.efsllc.com/2017/06/12/exploring-the-ways-technology-changes-fleet-management-forever/
https://www.forbes.com/sites/danwoods/2012/04/13/how-to-manage-one-million-cars-with-big-data/
