The challenges for fleet managers We sit down with ADI ’ s Director of Research and Development Cameron Wearing
WORDS BY AUSTRALIAN DRIVING INSTITUTE
What do you see as the biggest challenge for Fleet Managers ?
There is no formal training on offer to be a Fleet Manager and its hard work managing so many different and potentially expensive decisions that are best for an ever-changing area of a business .
Fleet managers need to be surrounded by professionals who provide objective and mathematical outcomes for the day to operations . Data is maths and from this , statistics are created so you need to know what you ’ re going to do with all this information .
When dealing with inanimate objects like a vehicle , objectivity is easy . When dealing with the human component , there will a degree of ‘ intuitively gained subjectivity ’, data proven experience permits intuition as part of the algorithm to successfully operate a Fleet .
What are the advantages of engaging in using data and vehicle technology to improve your fleet ?
You will generally see improvements and reductions in operational costs . You will also see a reduction in avoidable incidents ( this is different to ‘ at fault ’) which is where self-insured companies get immediate returns . It can also tell you about how efficiently the Fleet is being operated and useful when investigating an incident . Combined with data collection around consumables you are better supported in making decisions and managing all the components of Fleet operations .
Ideally , telematics is used to establish the gap between best practice and your current indicators of performance . This where an organisation like ADI comes in . We know how to set targets and place a figure on it with a goal to achieve measurable outcomes and return on investment .
We have seen how in extreme conditions , the crash rates plummet with the introduction of telematics . In these conditions , the second advantage of telematics was GPS tracking and a duress button in the event of a serious incident .
What do you recommend Fleet Managers consider when reviewing the operation of their fleet ?
1 . Select vehicles with as much safety technology available as possible
2 . Increase education around the use of telematics and how it can help manage your carbon footprint .
3 . Collect data that helps you break down per / km costs in the city and regions .
4 . Allow the data to be used for investigations
18 ISSUE 30 AUGUST 2021 / WWW . AFMA . ORG . AU