Fleet Management Issues and Solutions Based on Seasonal Variations

Nature has always been a forerunner when listing the factors, which affect human productivity. Nevertheless, the fleet management industry is not an exception and the impacts can be direct or indirect.

Ranging from the frequency of callers to technical issues, there are a lot of risk factors under consideration. However the good news is that for those issues, there are optimal solutions too.

1. Driving challenges

Drivers are at the forefront bearing the grunts of natural fury along with the steering wheel, let there be rain or snow. Rain can hamper driving by decreasing the field of vision and blurring the roads ahead.

Moreover, side and rear visions will also be imprecise. Customer requirements can also vary according to the seasonal variations.

For instance, during the pleasant summer months, you can discover an increased number of vehicles, pedestrians and tourists being part of the traffic.

Sure, it will add to the pleasant feeling in the air, but it will also add the chaos which irritates and create frustration for the drivers. Eliminating their anxieties on determining routes with the least traffic can hence be of immense assistance.

As a result, you can install the real time GPS tracker with fleet management software and eliminate the turmoil altogether.

During winter season, route blocks and diversions are quite common and a GPS management system can display the possible optimized routes of travel. The system can also alert you if the weather is adverse to continue travel.

2. Maintenance issues

Hot and humid conditions can affect the vehicle conditions adversely and can contribute to the increasing running costs especially during the hot seasons.

Engine overheating, rapid wear and tear of tyres, failure of air-conditioning systems, etc. are common during the summer season.

A GPS device with fleet management software can inform the driver about the conditions of vehicle, create and issue alerts for maintenance, and can assist the drivers in finding the nearest garage in case of breakdown with ease.

The fleet managers can also recognize the vehicle conditions instantly and act swiftly without the delay. Fleet managers can also decide the optimal route with the seasonal conditions more easily.

Similarly, snow and ice can cause the engine to run cold and cause failure to start.

3. Avoid idling of vehicles

Vehicle idling consumes an enormous amount of fuel, especially during the summer months. It generates driver issues such as over speeding and rash driving to catch up for the idle time.

GPS tracking devices can support the fleet managers to locate the vehicles and monitor idling conditions along with the duration, which enable you to realize unacceptable behaviours and warn them in real time. Avoiding these habits can assist the fleet to save fuel.

4. Weather alerts

Integrating the GPS tracking with weather monitoring can aid the fleet managers to find the optimal routes for travel. Weather parameters such as wind direction, speed, humidity, temperature, etc. can assist you to analyse the route of travel and can guide in the selection of suitable vehicles for the task.

Weather conditions along the proposed route can be analysed and vehicle speed and breaks can be fixed appropriately for long distance driving.

5. Seasonal variations in fuel economy

Fuel usage tends to increase during the colder months and it is wise to utilise season specific fuels, which can operate at subnormal temperatures efficiently. Water in the engine system often turns to ice and can pose problems in ignition.

Regular draining of water and absorption of water using replaceable filters can assist in maintenance. Fleet management software system can set alarms and alert for such routine tasks.

Maintenance needed for each season can also be taken up in advance and avoid vehicle breakdown. Fluid levels vary for each season and should be checked.  Check heater efficiency, emergency maintenance kits, etc. before the seasons start off.

Seasonal variations can undoubtedly result in higher operating costs; but a little care and check with a properly installed fleet management system can assist you in checking costs.