We loved the recent AfMA (Australasian Fleet Management Association) article advising how to save money on fleet costs in 2018, and thought we'd pass on some of our learnings to you. You can read the article in full here.
Their top 6 tips included creating a fixed maintenance schedule, in order to keep gear in great shape, but not falling prey to risks of sudden costs for repairs. 'Flattening' costs with a fixed schedule helps the accounts team prepare for the cost, and also helps your vehicles and other equipment last longer.
Another tip was to consider the 'lease or buy' question. Is your fleet currently owned outright? All leased? A mixture? The article recommends weighing up your options, including flexibility versus long-term use.
We also liked the emphasis the article put on driver training of course! It's mentioned in a number of ways, including under 'reducing fuel consumption' (better driving uses less fuel!) and also the whole section of 'implement better driving habits'. That includes learning how to avoid risk, but also how to use applicable tools to improve driving.
Our recently released 'Know your vehicle' module shows drivers how to work with their vehicles to be better drivers, and better driving habits area of course taught in every aspect of our programme. Our substances and distraction modules spend targeted time teaching drivers to get to know themselves and how they have the best chance of staying safe and well, and of course our speed module puts driver speed choices front and centre - and it's old news that choosing the right speed directly transfers to dollars saved! Avoiding crashes and incidents saves a lot of heartache, injuries, hassle - but of course also money.
When considering 'how to save fleet costs', there are a lot of things an organisation can do, and the first things that come to mind are often related to the vehicles themselves. But don't forget the crucial component of the drivers themselves. We at Fleetcoach always discuss the money-saving potential of safer driving, but it's helpful for us all to be reminded from time to time, we reckon.
Have a read of AfMA's article here, and contact us to discuss saving money for your business here.
