Tracking your fleet: fleet management apps and what they mean for your business
This article will detail all you need to know about fleet management applications: their features, how to use them, and how they benefit both managers and drivers.
Many businesses live and die by how well their fleets function, so it’s important for both managers and drivers to have access to reliable fleet management apps. These apps can help you ensure that tasks are completed on time, deliveries are made, mileage is tracked, and vehicle locations are known in real time.
Fleet management app features
Fleet management apps can include a variety of robust features. A quality fleet management app should be able to report on essential information regardless of your company’s size. Here are some types of fleet management applications:
Compliance
Compliance is necessary in order to monitor individual vehicles accurately. Typical compliance features of a management app may include:
- Hours of Service (HOS) tracking
- Shipping and legal compliance rules (freight weights, etc.)
- Outstanding traffic infractions
- Updates on necessary vehicle inspections
Personnel management
Effectively and efficiently managing personnel can be time consuming. With a fleet management app, you can streamline resources all while mitigating any personnel management issues. Features may include the ability to shift start and end times, breaks, and all other timeclock-related management processes.
Resource management
Most fleet management apps will help you monitor your fleet and its resources. Whether you want to check the status of individual vehicles, see fuel levels, or assess the downtime of vehicles, these mobile apps will be beneficial. Your team can collaborate on task completions and ETAs, all in a format that interacts with your fleet management dashboard.
GPS vehicle location and progress reporting
Some fleet management mobile apps can provide vehicle GPS location reporting in real time. This app feature can help you assess vehicle details from anywhere and provides necessary data in the event of an emergency.
Driver safety management
Safety-focused fleet management apps, like the Lytx Driver App, are designed to help drivers review their driving performance and take actions to become safer on the road. The Lytx driver app allows drivers to review video clips of their past tips, so they can self-improve on behaviors like speeding, cell phone use, seat belt use, or incomplete stops. Drivers can track trends and improvements over time without needing their manager to step in for coaching.
Fleet maintenance: parts and vehicle inventory management
A fleet maintenance app is another type of fleet management app. Maintenance is a critical component of fleet management as you need to maintain your vehicles for them to operate effectively.
Some fleet vehicle maintenance apps help fleet managers to manage the inventory of vehicle parts, allowing part managers to see their entire stock in one place, making it easy to determine ordering needs. Most maintenance apps help you set up reminders so you can stay on top of scheduled maintenance needs such as oil changes, tire checks, etc.. Staying ahead of maintenance issues can help you avoid costly repairs in the future.
Fleet management app uses for managers and drivers
Fleet managers need to know that their fleet vehicles are staying on task – delivering freight, making repair calls, and so on. Fleet managers also need to know the status of the entire fleet: which vehicles are currently functioning and which vehicles are down for maintenance.
While the apps are beneficial for management, drivers must also be able to use the platforms to simplify their jobs. For example, drivers who need to find coverage for a shift can do so on an app. Vehicle performance is important, but drivers are also a vital part of the puzzle in meeting customer needs.
Some drivers have to clock in and out, report the status of their delivery, document fueling and breaks as required, and be able to call for help in the case of accidents and mechanical breakdowns. These functions should be easy to perform since a driver’s primary job is safely driving their vehicle. The most useful apps create features for both managers and drivers so they can work together to accomplish business goals.
Lytx can help you with the challenges of fleet management
Lytx helps businesses, large and small, deal with the difficult challenges of fleet management. We offer solutions to help with driver safety, fleet management, gps fleet tracking, and DOT compliance. More than 4,800 organizations, with fleets of all sizes and across all sectors, are experiencing the benefits of Lytx firsthand. Contact us to learn more.