Tackling Fleet Downtime

To help organisations tackle unnecessary fleet downtime, Keith Hawker discusses ways to maintain fleets and save on costs.

28th April 2023

All fleets big and small can be affected by unnecessary fleet downtime. While an essential part of managing a fleet, unexpected or extended fleet downtime can cause significant disruptions including lost productivity, missed deadlines, and increased expenses. Ensuring that vehicles are running safely and efficiently is without a doubt one of the top priorities of fleet managers.

How can your organisation minimise unnecessary fleet downtime?

Implement a Reliable Maintenance Plan

Organisations need to have plans and methodologies in place well before a fault occurs. A reliable maintenance plan should include regular inspections, preventive maintenance, and timely repairs. These measures can help identify potential issues before they become major problem.

It can be tempting to ignore smaller problems thinking that they are insignificant and won’t cause much harm. Small problems can quickly escalate into something more serious – it’s important that all issues are addressed in a timely manner to ensure such problems don’t result is a costly repair.

Utilise Fleet Management Software

Modern fleet management is all about efficiency. If you’re using spreadsheets or paper to manage your fleet, you could be putting your vehicles at risk and creating unnecessary work. Using fleet management software can help reduce downtime by providing real-time data on vehicle performance. It allows you to track the history of each vehicle, identify recurring issues, and schedule preventative maintenance before a problem arises.

TranSend Fleet Management can track maintenance schedules and alert you to upcoming inspections and repairs. By using the data provided by TranSend, you can make informed and effective decisions to ensure your fleet runs smoothly.

Invest in Driver and Staff Training

Your drivers are a line of defence against vehicle faults. Drivers who can correctly identify faults will be able to alert your maintenance team quickly. You can also train your team on how to correctly maintain and care for their vehicle. With efficient training processes, your team identify problems easier and quicker, ensuring they don’t go unnoticed and escalate to something severe.

Monitor Vehicle Performance

Reducing fleet downtime requires a proactive approach that involves planning, tracking, and monitoring. If certain vehicles are experiencing more breakdowns than others, it may be an indication that those vehicles are being used excessively, not being sufficiently maintained, or should be considered for replacement.

As your fleet ages, it important to know which vehicles need replacing. With data provided by TranSend, you can quickly analyse which vehicles in your fleet are more efficient. Some of your vehicles may use less fuel whilst others could be more prone to faults. Using this information, you can bring in more reliable vehicles whilst phasing out the more problematic models.

What is TranSend Fleet Management?

Civica’s TranSend Fleet Management software can help fleet managers minimise vehicle downtime. By removing paper and automating processes, you’ll save up to 50% of administration time, ensuring compliance and reducing manage fleet compliance with ease and increase driver and workshop productivity. Simplified and relevant dashboards provide each team member with the information they need to make informed decisions.

How can TranSend help reduce fleet downtime?

  • Automatically and proactively create service schedules
  • Synchronizes assets and sub assets (i.e. onboard equipment) so that they are checked/repaired during the same downtime window
  • Tracks asset defects recorded by drivers and other users to optimise the repair process
  • Digitally records vehicle inspections and full inspection/maintenance history
  • Alerts you to upcoming inspections or compliancy reminders 
  • Automatically notifies driver when vehicle is available for collection 
  • Simplified and customisable dashboards, giving you the data, you need to make informed decisions.

Click here to book a demo with our team to learn more about TranSend Fleet Management.

Keith Hawker, Divisional Managing Director, Civica Transport