How to Choose the Right Vehicle for Each Job Using Telematics?

When operating a commercial fleet, there are often a variety of vehicles within a fleet which are responsible for different jobs. Making sure the correct vehicles are used for the correct jobs is a key responsibility for a fleet manager. Using data can make these decisions much easier for fleet managers, and this can improve the overall efficiency and productivity of the business.

There are a number of crucial data categories which can be used to determine which vehicle is needed for a specific job. By using fleet telematics to monitor these categories, fleet managers can make informed decisions on which vehicle, depending on the requirements of the job.

Live Location

One of the key determining factors for fleet managers when selecting the right vehicle for a job is their location. Depending on the type of business, the closest vehicle to a job can be the most important. For example, an electronics company who specialize in fixing electrical faults can often be required by their clients to respond to issues as quickly as possible. Some client’s entire business and operations may be stopped due to an electrical issue, so they require and expect the company responsible to arrive quickly and fix the problem.

If an electronics company use telematics, their fleet manager will be able to see the live location of each vehicle within their fleet. Once they know the location of the issue which has been reported, the fleet manager can quickly see which of the fleet’s vehicles is closest and available to respond to the problem. As a result, the telematics data can aid a fleet manager in their decision process and also speed up the process, as they do not have to communicate directly with each vehicle to determine their location manually.

By being able to see the live location of all vehicles, it is possible to give an estimated arrival time to clients. When responding to an issue, this can be incredibly useful as it provides some reassurance to the client that help is coming, and also allows them to plan any related arrangements based on the estimated arrival time.

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Fuel Usage

Another crucial area where telematics can help select the right vehicle for a job is through fuel usage. Being able to monitor the fuel usage of a vehicle is a real benefit to using telematics across a commercial fleet.

Most commercial fleets are made up of a variety of vehicles, even if they all carry out the same task. A medium-sized business which needs to deliver its product will likely have built up its fleet over several years and as such will have different vehicles, of different ages, depending on the availability and budget at the time of purchase. 

Because of the different vehicles making up a fleet, it is natural that some are more fuel-efficient than others. If a job requires a vehicle to travel a long distance, a fleet manager may decide to use their most fuel-efficient vehicle for the job. This way, they are not only reducing the environmental impact of the journey but also saving the company money through lower fuel usage.

Driver Smoothness

The crucial final area where telematics can help fleet managers choose the best vehicle for a job is in the behavior of the driver. For a delivery company, this could be critical. Depending on what is being delivered, if it’s highly valuable and fragile, the smoothest driver from a fleet may be required to ensure the safety of the product.

Telematics data can show which drivers operate their vehicle smoothly, by their ability to avoid harsh acceleration, braking and cornering. This data can be collected over time to build up a representative picture of the driving characteristics of a fleet and therefore allow a fleet manager to select which drivers would be suited to specific jobs.

Having access to this data also allows fleet managers to identify individuals whose driving style may need improvement through further training. This training can also be tailored depending on the areas which are highlighted in the data.

Overall these three key areas can all be impacted by the use of telematics and making the decision on which vehicle to choose for a specific job more straightforward for a fleet manager.