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Big Data and digitised processes have made fleet management simpler than ever before. Discover how automated processes can help you as a fleet manager.

Traditionally, fleet managers would have worked in offices littered with stacks of paperwork, trawling through data manually so they could make effective use of information gathered from their trucks. Times are changing. Thanks to the emergence of tech and the rising influence of the digital world, digitisation has helped streamline and simplify the role, meaning managers spend less time reading through information and more time making decisions that matter.

Filing cabinets have been replaced with Big Data-powered software that has transformed the transport and logistics industry in recent years.

Autonomous features such as lane assist technology, retrofitted devices and innovative tech can all sync perfectly with each other, providing a digitised overview that allows you to effectively manage your fleet from one central location. Digitisation collects the day-to-day information about your drivers, trucks and trailers and allows you to easily analyse it to help make your fleet leaner, greener and safer.

What benefits does digitisation have for fleet managers?

Digitisation is having a big impact on fleet management. It streamlines processes and uses data analysis to enhance vehicle safety, enable efficient running of your fleet and improve communication, alongside many other benefits.

Improve vehicle safety

Top-level safety is essential in fleet management. It covers issues like:

  • Maintenance and repairs
  • Trailer and truck security
  • Driver safety

Digitisation has greatly helped tackle these difficult issues, starting at truck-level. Software solutions like TX-DIAGNOSTIX  link with your vehicles’ on-board diagnostics socket and forwards health data to the back office. This enables fleet managers to plan maintenance in advance and take vehicles at risk off the road, reducing the chance of breakdowns and potential accidents.

Vehicle security solutions have also improved thanks to digitisation – as you’re able to closely monitor your trucks and trailers while they’re out on the road. Devices like those from the OptiLock™ range even allow you to secure them remotely – a great way to combat cargo theft from the trailer.

Digital solutions such as TX-ECO generate reports on driver performance, based on speed, fuel consumption and other factors. While it is designed to stimulate economical and ecological driving, it also highlights dangerous driving styles. You can identify drivers regularly speeding, braking and accelerating too quickly and arrange appropriate training to improve their safety on the road.

Improve driver efficiency

One of the main benefits of the switch to digitised information is improved fleet efficiency. With an overview of driver routes and easy access to this information, solutions can plan ahead and instruct your drivers to follow roads that lead to the quickest delivery times and use the least amount of fuel.

This results in cost savings that can increase profitability and give you a competitive edge, as you can pass on savings to customers. It also helps you overcome external factors, such as traffic delays and weather issues, as you can change routes in real time and communicate with drivers.

TX-CONNECT enables fleet managers to access this information, including how trucks and drivers are performing and the status of planning execution. Greater transparency of work improves fleet management efficiency for a smoother operation. Mobile telematics such as TX-FLEX also help in the planning, tracking and execution of tasks outside the cabin. Linked to back office platforms further increases transparency and fleet management overview.

Letting your team know the best places to refuel is good practice too. Keeping check of fuel prices and feeding that information directly to your drivers can reduce your overall refuelling costs by allowing them to refill at the most cost-effective locations. You’ll also have an easily-accessible record of routes and fuel prices you can analyse and use for future planning, without your drivers having to process data manually.

Use Big Data

Big Data instantly provides fleet managers with information about their drivers, trucks and trailers, through the on-board computer, telematics devices and connected software solutions. These gather all the information about your fleet, process, analyse and tabulate it, so you don’t have to.

The end result? Actionable information on things like:

  • Driver performance
  • Fuel use
  • Profitable routes
  • Running costs

Armed with all this data, you can easily prepare reports for stakeholders, highlight problems and plan training to combat any issues. For example, TX-FUELCOMPASS is a software solution that uses Big Data analytics to process huge amounts of information around your fleet’s fuel and refueling costs. Full view and analysis enables it to suggest cost-efficient refueling practices based on past performance.

How will digitisation affect the role of fleet managers?

As with any automation, there can be a fear that digitisation is going to reduce the role that fleet managers play. Another concern is not having the time to learn how these new tools work and using them to go through data, when really they should save time.

Digitisation actually presents fleet managers with the opportunity to move away from some of the more manual data tasks, affording them the chance to concentrate on making key strategic decisions that can have a lasting impact. With modern tools at your disposal, you can make decisions that have a recognisable impact on income and profit.

Integrating digitisation with your fleet

If your fleet isn’t digitised yet, it’s time to get started. These are the key areas that can really transform how you do your job and how your fleet is run:

  • Effortless tacho management – Manage payroll and tacho data with intuitive software like
    TX-SOCIAL.
  • Improve fleet optimisation – Monitor truck health to plan preventative maintenance and part
    ordering with TX-DIAGNOSTIX.
  • Efficient route planning – Interact directly with drivers to pass on key information on-the-road
    and receive a visualisation of their activities using TX-CONNECT.