Home-delivery services have seen an escalating demand since the coronavirus pandemic struck back in 2020.
Many shopping habits have shifted permanently, with online shopping currently accounting for just under 27% of all retail spending in the UK.
This increased demand has put additional pressure on delivery companies. If you are a fleet manager, there are a number of ways that you can get the most from your fleet, and make sure it can cope.
1. Use the right technology
There are a vast number of technologies available to ‘help’ make managing deliveries easier, but it is important to pick the ones that best suit the needs of your customers and yourselves. Look at those that are able to integrate scheduling, route-optimisation and customer updates, as these will benefit everyone. Not taking advantage of these can lead to inefficiencies and a whole load of unimpressed customers.
2. Choose the right vehicles
If looking at upgrading or adding vehicles to your fleet, make sure that they are the best ones for your needs – and consider all options. Vans bring greater flexibility than trucks, but a same day courier in Glasgow or Birmingham will probably find e-bikes or motorbikes more useful than larger vehicles. A diverse range is always better.
3. Manage driver well-being
Whilst the type of vehicle and technology are important, the drivers are just as (if not more) vital. Therefore, it is important to treat them well and not overload them with unrealistic expectations. A stressed and overworked driver is more likely to have accidents and/or lose their temper with customers or other road users.
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4. Minimise vehicle downtime
Keeping all of your fleet on the road and in good condition is crucial to efficiency. The best way to minimise downtime is to combine a proactive approach to service and maintenance with an efficient and effective way of dealing with breakdowns and collisions.
Cutting downtime through planned maintenance
Getting more from a fleet depends on keeping vehicles on the road, and mechanical failure is one of the biggest causes of lost time. With many vehicles, often of different types, each one needs servicing individually, which eats into staff time and fuel budgets.
Automating the maintenance schedule is a good first step, so services are booked without someone having to plan each one by hand. Once the system is running, it tends to reduce downtime noticeably.
Prevention matters too. Checking every vehicle at least once a week helps catch faults before they turn into major repairs. Keep an eye out for patterns as well. If one vehicle keeps coming off the road, investigate whether there is an underlying problem rather than fixing the same symptom repeatedly. This can be tracked manually, or fleet management software can flag issues as soon as they appear so they are dealt with quickly.
Regular inspections and maintenance tracking
Regular inspections are one of the simplest ways to get more from a fleet. When vehicles are checked and maintained on schedule, repairs are avoided, downtime is kept to a minimum and customers get their deliveries on time.
A good starting point is to monitor the mileage each vehicle covers and check that it is in good working order. Over a year every vehicle will need maintenance at some point, and a vehicle tracking system lets fleet managers record information about each one in real time. That includes the miles travelled as well as any scheduled or preventive maintenance due.
Once repairs have been done, the same system gives managers the information they need to book future maintenance and decide where each vehicle is best placed. The main benefit is cost. Fewer repairs save money in the long run, and identifying accidents or breakdowns that caused unnecessary downtime can help keep insurance premiums under control.
Maintenance routines that keep vehicles on the road
A busy delivery operation only works if the vehicles stay in good working order, and that depends on clear maintenance procedures. Fleet management covers every task involved in keeping company vehicles running, so it pays to understand each part of the job and have a set routine in place for checks and servicing.
Drivers play a central role. The person behind the wheel each day is often first to notice a fault, so drivers should be responsible for basic checks and able to report problems easily to whoever manages the fleet. Good communication between drivers and managers means repairs are booked quickly and reduces the risk of accidents caused by poor or missed maintenance.
It also helps to set guidelines for each type of vehicle in the fleet. Vans, cars and larger vehicles used for different activities have different servicing needs and limits, and written guidance makes sure each one is used for the right jobs and maintained to the right standard.