Fleet Management: 3 Tips for Exceptional Leadership

Fleet managers have an important duty to ensure the overall well being of their fleet, specifically  the happiness and safety of the truck drivers under them and the care of vehicles.

What does it take to run a successful drayage fleet? Truth be told, every fleet is different. Pinpointing what works for your team comes with experience- trial and error. But, there are 3 basic fleet manager responsibilities you can keep in mind to ensure a solid professional foundation for your team.

Safety should always be at the top

Long, tiring hours on the road, rushing to meet stringent delivery deadlines and the unexpected are all factors that can cause accidents. Truck drivers need to be focused when they’re on the job, and the fleet manager can help them keep safety in mind. Hold regular safety meetings to go over protocol, so everyone is on the same page with what to do in case of an emergency. Are drivers equipped with the right emergency contacts? Are they sleeping enough and staying on top of health? It doesn’t hurt to stress the impact good health has on safe driving. Reward drivers for safe driving and update logistics technology to include hands-free tools, such as GPS and bluetooth.

Regular service prevents problems down the road

Raise your hand if you need a reminder (or two) to change your vehicle’s oil! Life gets busy, so it’s normal to forget servicing your car or truck. With that being said, since the truck is paramount for logistics success, it’s extra vital for regular maintenance to be stressed. Not only does this promote safe driving, but prevents costly fixes in the future. Implement an automated system, such as cloud based fleet management software to program regular reminders for your fleet without having to lift a finger. Inspect trucks each month and keep reports on file so you know the condition of each vehicle.

Lead with positivity

When you lead with positivity and show your fleet that you care, then they will strive to be the best they can be. In an industry where pressure mounts quickly and mental/physical exertion is intense, being the motivator for your team is extremely important. Recognize personal achievements with incentives, such as for fuel savings or safe driving. Set goals together and work to reach them. Raising the bar for excellent driver performance doesn’t just make the team happy, but customers see it as well.