Fleet Manager Job Description

In a logistics or transportation company, the fleet manager plays a key role. He is responsible for the selection and maintenance of vehicles, in order to keep deliveries and distributions on schedule and within the established budget. And it is from him that the management expects excellent results, each time with less costs. Keep reading to understand the Fleet Manager Job Description and what the challenges are, what you need to know to be a successful fleet manager and also some tips to facilitate routine and career development in the area!

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To be successful, the fleet manager needs significant experience and skills in operations, logistics and technology, as well as, of course, leadership skills to deal with different professionals involved in the day-to-day operations.

Fleet manager responsibilities

Several functions are under the responsibility of a fleet manager: this varies from company to company. But, in general, it is he who does:

leadership of drivers and vehicle maintenance professionals;
fuel efficiency tracking, making sure that proper licensing is maintained;
control of service orders;
ensuring the safety of workers;
travel schedules.
supervision of the quality of services;
cost control (per trip, with maintenance, etc.);
monitoring and control of risks involved in the operation of the fleet;

Functional tasks

Managing and directing daily fleet activities, overseeing and registering fleet procurement operations.
Selecting, training and supervising employees, and monitoring their level of performance and behavior in relation to goals
Monitor the performance of operations and personnel against set goals, identify patterns, and take corrective actions.
Carrying out maintenance activities, and coordinating equipment repair activities to ensure reduced downtime.
Establishing policies and procedures to ensure compliance with health, safety and environment rules and regulations, and their implementation.
Developing fleet strategies, policies and general plans related to daily operations and direct implementation of them.

Fleet manager challenges

The complexity of day-to-day operations also offers the fleet manager a number of challenges. Here are the main ones:

Effectively manage vehicle depreciation

Almost universally, the number one challenge for fleet managers is to control vehicle depreciation. The value of used cars has declined dramatically in recent years.

The main struggle is to delay replacement and, at the same time, not spend so much on maintenance.

Manage spending in the face of fluctuating fuel prices

Fluctuations in fuel prices make it difficult for fleet managers to stay within a budget. They also raise the bar when it comes to predicting future investments. The challenge is to learn how to budget for price changes.

Dealing with pressures to reduce fleet costs

The dilemma is – how to reduce expenses from a maintenance budget that is already tight? The most common cost containment initiative remains simply to keep vehicles in service for longer. Fleet managers are struggling to come up with new and creative ways to cut costs without negatively affecting the services they provide.

Manage people

The part of leadership that includes the relationship with drivers, mechanics and suppliers in general is also a challenge for every fleet manager.

It is not easy to get people to do their best in their daily work, especially when it comes to professionals who go to the field and have numerous safety rules, among others, to comply with.

This list of challenges is by no means comprehensive. Of course, there are other concerns, such as the impact of mergers, acquisitions and corporate reorganizations; the economic crisis that increases the pressure for more pompous results with few resources (including human resources); the use of technology to automate processes, etc.

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Main skills of a good Fleet manager

Organisational skills

Skill required of any manager, the organization has never been more charged than it is today. This includes dealing with pressures and having a good time management, that is, being able to get the job done within the established schedules.

The physical space of work must also be organized, in addition to the use of technological tools to create, find and share important information for the operation.

Leadership skills

More than a boss, the fleet manager needs to act as a leader. It is up to him to develop a winning team, deal with the particularities of each team member, mediate conflicts, in short, motivate people to extract the best result from them.

The productivity of the professionals being led is closely linked to the leadership profile to which they are submitted. A facilitating leader tends to have a team that delivers agile and quality services.

Ease with technology

Computerization has reached logistics and the fleet leader must be open to it. And there is no need for technical knowledge, just understand the importance of technological tools and count on partners who deliver tailor-made solutions to facilitate the day-to-day operational, store data and facilitate more agile and intelligent decision making.

Tips for success as a fleet manager

Go beyond the operational duties: keep everything related to fleet management under control, but also develop as a leader

Pursue quality: work with your team to be qualified and provide a differentiated service (with costs under control and good quality)

Firm good partnerships: have a win-win relationship with your suppliers, that is, be a partner of the companies and professionals that provide you with services.

Communicate: a good part of the problems that leaders have is linked to communication failures; Be informed and keep your employees always well informed, create ways to dialogue and exchange ideas; accept suggestions;

Work on the training of professionals: Often, the results may be less than expected because people do not have the necessary skills to deal with day-to-day challenges

Have a strategic role: with a more analytical vision, you will be able to stand out; prefer to delegate tasks and give autonomy to your team rather than to try to control everything obsessively.