Fleet capital and repair costs are extremely expensive to your operation which is why it’s necessary to find ways to reduce fleet maintenance costs. Given what the world looks like today, it seems everything is only getting more expensive. 

The most optimal methods to reduce fleet costs is by adding safer driver practices, keeping up with vehicle maintenance and choosing a reliable fleet management software. 

The following paragraphs will highlight exactly how you can reduce fleet costs in order to save your business money. 

The types of fleet maintenance costs

Repairs 

The amount of fleet repair costs are likely to increase annually. 

Capital

Capital is the amount of costs in acquiring a fleet. 

Administration and licensing 

Administration and licensing costs are dependent on the type of vehicles within your fleet. 

Depreciation 

According to industry-standard rates, the age of your company vehicles will influence the depreciation.  

6 ways to reduce fleet costs 

Use less vehicles 

A great way to cut down fleet costs is by transferring the same amount of drivers over a smaller fleet. 

However you should ensure that this doesn’t negatively impact your drivers and cause them to rush between stops. This can cause dangerous driving in an attempt to complete every delivery. 

GPS tracking

Having a quality GPS tracking system allows you to access data in relation to the performance of your fleet vehicles, fleet fuel consumption, driver safety and delivery locations. 

With GPS tracking you can receive live updates on the status of your driver and be alerted if dangerous driving or vehicle theft is occuring. 

Having all this information gives you insight as to where most spending is occurring and what areas need improvement. 

Route optimisation

Route optimisation is a solution that builds the most effective delivery routes for your drivers in only minutes! 

Route optimisation does the hard work for you by taking into account driver availability, weather and traffic conditions and the type of fleet and vehicles. 

Placing your drivers on the most efficient routes means they won’t be stuck in traffic, reducing excessive idling and fuel consumption. As a result this reduces overall fleet maintenance costs as less time spent on the road means less fuel is being used. 

Upgrade your parts 

Repairs are extremely costly and can negatively influence your operation’s revenue. Swapping older parts for new ones can increase the efficiency of your fleet. 

The price of swapping out a part comes with more effective and high-tech vehicle operation that has the ability to reduce unnecessary expenses. 

Fuel efficiency 

One of the most expensive aspects of a fleet is fuel costs. Fuel doesn’t appear to be getting any cheaper so by upgrading your vehicles and training your drivers to be more fuel efficient on the road is key.

Driver training should consist of avoiding harsh braking, speeding and excessive idling so that you reduce wear and tear and the possibility of having to replace vehicles.

Fleet management software 

One of the best ways to keep up with fleet maintenance and reduce costs is by incorporating a fleet management software within your system. 

A fleet management software like Locate2u offers GPS tracking, route optimisation, booking management and so much more! 

This groundbreaking technology makes it possible to do it all within your business and avoid any unnecessary spending. 

Delivery management software
Delivery management software

Manage fleet costs with Locate2u 

Managing fleet operating costs doesn’t have to be a tedious process. Locate2u automates your entire delivery process and gives you detailed information so you can see the performance of each driver. 

Learn more about how Locate2u can reduce fleet maintenance costs by clicking here!

About the author

Marketing Coordinator at Locate2u having completed a Bachelor of Creative Arts, majoring in English Literature and Creative Writing. I have extensive experience in editing and proofreading, as well as creating content for a range of audiences.