As a fleet manager, you have your work cut out for you during this global pandemic. There are many disruptions in the supply chain and some logistics headaches as well. Here are some tips you need to keep in mind to ease the burden of fleet management during these trying times:
Sanitize and adopt hygienic best practices
Your first priority as a fleet manager should be the health and safety of your workers. Even if you’re the fleet manager at a rental car place, you still need to ensure that you are continually sanitizing your vehicles and your surroundings. Put up signs detailing your sanitation guidelines. Wear a mask when you are indoors and avoid touching your face. Not only will this ensure your own safety, but you are also stopping the spread of germs (and possibly the virus) on surfaces that people touch often.
Your fleet operators might need to interact with other vendors so make sure that you equip their cabs with masks, gloves, alcohol or hand sanitizers, and, in some cases, even full-body PPEs.
Stay up to date on maintenance and repair work
Perhaps a portion of your fleet is grounded. Perhaps you operate a fleet of emergency vehicles or essential transportation. Either way, it is important to make sure your vehicles are in good condition. For example, if your vehicles are equipped with Trimble-backed GPS locators, you need to ensure that you have the necessary repair parts for your Trimble product on hand, in case you run into some problems. This is especially important for vehicles transporting necessary goods or essential services.
Update your inventory management systems and communication channels
Make sure your inventory management systems are up to date and that you have ways to be in constant communication with your operators. Now is not the time for these systems to fail as repair services may be a difficult schedule.
If possible, look into cloud-based management software. This upgrade in your technology ensures a more streamlined process and you can easily keep track of your inventory. Similarly, look into mobile apps that could make your communication with your operators easier.
Be prepared to deal with accidents amidst social distancing measures
So, one of the vehicles in your fleet got into an accident. Despite physical distancing measures, this is still a possibility. After assuring that no injuries were sustained by either driver or the other party, the nest thing they will have to do is get each other’s information.
Understandably, traditional methods of sharing a pen or exchanging business cards might cause some people to hesitate. That said, it is a good idea to install mobile apps that electronically fill out an accident statement. This way, you ensure the safety of all parties.
Use the downtime to upskill
If you find yourself operating at limited capacity as a fleet manager, why not take the extra downtime to upskill? Now’s the time to take that online project management course you’ve always wanted to take. You can also look at other fleet management certification courses you can take. Encourage your drivers to look at upskilling as well when they find themselves doing nothing.
A recent study by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) found that professional drivers have the highest death rate across industries. This underscores the need to protect your operators. What we have listed above are just some ways you, as a fleet manager, can ensure the health and safety of your workers.