Gasoline Cards and Proper Maintenance Programs Maximize Fuel Efficiency
There is a lot of paperwork in managing a fleet of any size. Those fleet managers that have experience in working with multiple vehicles or even hundreds of vehicles in a fleet know that proper maintenance and having an ability to track drivers and mileage are both critical components of maximizing the entire fleet efficiency. Increasing efficiency of hundreds of vehicles by only a few cents a mile can have incredible impact on a company’s bottom line. The great news is that just a few simple programs such as using gasoline cards for fuel purchase and keeping the vehicles in good repair can bring about those savings with a minimum of stress and hassle.
The basic maintenance program used with your fleet will vary depending on several factors. The amount of miles put on the vehicles per day, week, month or year is the biggest factor, but so is the type of driving conditions the vehicles are operated in. Routine maintenance for vehicles only driven short distances in cities and kept in garages when not in use is much different than for trucks out on the road for days at a time operating in all types of extreme weather conditions. Having different maintenance schedules for different types of vehicles is the first step in setting up a good repair and maintenance program.
Proper maintenance programs also include routine checks of the vehicles by the drivers. This is critical if the vehicles aren’t returned to a central garage or fleet center at the end of each day or week. If the vehicles do come back, service technicians at the shop or garage can check fluid levels, filters, tire pressure and other basics such as headlights, brake lights, signal lights and general condition of the engine and vehicle. If the drivers have to do this themselves then preparing a checklist that is done online or on paper and submitted on a set schedule can help in determining when more comprehensive service may be required.
Scheduling routine oil changes and engine checks is also important based on the mileage and type of vehicle. Diesel engines may require less frequent checks than gasoline engines, but both still need to be examined by someone that is trained to spot potential problems before they become major repairs. Using gasoline cards to track mileage through fuel purchases is a good way to know when to schedule a trip back to the fleet garage or to your selected service company.
Using fleet cards instead of simple gasoline cards will provide the driver with the option of having the repair or maintenance completed at a service company of your designation. This is a great option for over the road drivers that may not always be back near the home office or garage when routine maintenance schedules hit. When using the gasoline cards it is important that drivers keep log records of miles at fueling stops since the cards are not set up for this type of detailed recording.
Preventative maintenance on fleet vehicles by tracking mileage with gasoline cards is a cost saver over the long run. Vehicles will stay on the road long, have less down time in the repair shop and also hold their resale value better since they have been properly maintained throughout their use. All these factors combine to make this a very comprehensive yet low stress type of process for fleets of any size and combination of vehicles.
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