FLEET INNOVATION – NO ‘ BIG BANG ’ REQUIRED
WORDS BY PAUL OLIVER
When it comes to Innovation , experience suggests that even in these digital days many people are still confronted by the concept , perceiving that it represents major change and / or perhaps upheaval .
Yet by definition , innovation does not have to be a significant , once in a decade type of system or process change , it can be small improvements or ‘ anything that adds value ’. The Oxford Dictionary defines Innovation as “ the introduction of new things , ideas or ways of doing something ” – doesn ’ t sound too daunting does it ?
Fleet Innovation
So based on my theory , when it comes to Fleet Innovation , I suspect that peoples ’ thoughts first turn to the transition from Internal Combustion Engine ( ICE ) vehicles to Electric Vehicles ( EVs ) - it ’ s all over the news and in every fleet publication we see . Of course , it ’ s a worthy consideration for medium to long-term planning , particularly when considering the need to plan how vehicles will be charged , potential infrastructure upgrades , incentives on offer etc .
But what are the other innovative / tangible changes you could make to improve Fleet ROI and driver safety , better manage risk and ensure legislative compliance ?
Here are a few simple prompts that may help kickstart your innovation journey for 2023 :
Vehicle Safety
Having a policy of only purchasing 5 star ANCAP rated vehicles is both common and a great start . But what about the vehicles already in the fleet ? Are there a bunch of older vehicles that may not have a current or equivalent safety ‘ flying under the radar ’?
Light Commercial Vehicles ( Utilities & Vans ) lagged a fair way behind Passenger Vehicles in getting the sort of active safety technologies required to obtain a 5 star
4 ISSUE 39 FEBRUARY 2023 / WWW . AFMA . ORG . AU