Heavy-duty fleet managers always have their work cut out for them, but the chaos of the holiday season puts extra pressure on the transportation and commercial trucking industries. All year, fleet managers are responsible for controlling costs and managing unforeseen events like semi-truck repairs as well as keeping customers satisfied and ensuring that routes run smoothly. This article outlines a few ways fleet managers can keep operations efficient.

Fleet Management Software Can Help Heavy-Duty Fleet Managers

Logistics and road transport companies are more and more focused on identifying software tools that can help heavy-duty fleet managers simplify processes and increase efficiency. And efficiency is never more important than during the holiday season for commercial trucking fleets. Fleet management software has helped companies all over the world:

• Monitor and manage fleet resources
• Increase productivity
• Reduce operating costs
• Enhance the customer experience

Implementing fleet management software lets you locate all your vehicles in real-time, assign delivery or collection tasks to the nearest driver and send automatic arrival notifications to customers. Fleet managers can streamline delivery schedules this way, leading to higher cost-efficiency.

Maximize Uptime with Preventative Maintenance to Heavy-Duty Fleets

Software can help here too. Thanks to the advanced telematics data provided by mid-size and heavy-duty truck manufacturers, such as Volvo Trucks and Mack Trucks, fleet owners are getting a much more accurate picture of how their trucks are performing, as well as early indicators of upcoming maintenance. This gives service centers time to order necessary parts, schedule repairs and correct any minor issues before they become larger problems.

But it’s not all about software. Heavy-duty fleet managers must have a rigorous process in place that requires regular maintenance checks for each semi-truck or other heavy-duty truck in the fleet. Otherwise, fleets will be more likely to experience accidents, out-of-commission vehicles, increased operational costs and sub-optimal truck performance.

Don’t Rush or Overload Your Heavy-Duty Fleet During the Holidays

Often, it’s the simple things that get overlooked and end up causing problems near the holidays. That’s why it’s critical to check each truck’s tires before a haul. Low or high tire pressure not only reduces the lifespan of your tires but can lead to reduced gas mileage.

It can also be tempting to overload your semi-truck because of the surge in holiday deliveries, but this can cause many problems. The extra weight puts more pressure on the tires, increasing friction with the pavement. This causes tires to lose their texture and can even increase braking distance. By keeping your load under 85% of the truck’s maximum you can achieve the best results for your fleet.

To learn more about maximizing your fleet’s resources with brands like Ford, Volvo, Mack Trucks or Isuzu, contact Nextran Truck Centers. With 16 locations across Florida, Georgia and Alabama, we’re here for all your trucking needs.

This post was written by fmgadmin.