Although the world has begun to open up after the initial wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, many people are still managing their businesses from home. Remote work has even become a sought-after benefit among job seekers, and it will likely only continue to become the norm as more people leave the office by the thousands. While nothing beats going to the office in your PJs, working from home has its own fair share of setbacks. One of the biggest struggles felt by owners when they work remotely is knowing how to manage their vehicles. The level of control and detail you have in the office is gone, and you’re left trying to keep operations running smoothly without any physical contact. Though you do need time to adjust, there are ways to manage a fleet from home that may even beat what you were doing in the office.
Get a Solid Remote System
If you want to create a productive work from home environment then you absolutely need a reliable, adaptive system to manage your vehicles from afar. This system should incorporate all the most important features for your business; managing dispatch, monitoring routes, tracking trailers and having up-to-date ETAs on all outstanding deliveries. The purpose of a remote fleet management system is to centralize all your business’s core operations. Everything you need to do is in one place, so nothing critical is ever overlooked or out of reach.
Update Your Equipment
An electronic logging device (ELD) offers commercial fleet owners the ability to monitor drivers’ behavior and patterns. By connecting with the car or truck’s engine, an ELD sends real-time GPS feedback to a server, which then transmits the results directly to you. ELDs boost compliance, improve delivery times and can help you stay on top of maintenance and inspection. You can learn everything you need about installing these devices in a free guide that explains the benefits of installing ELDs in your fleet.
Improve Your Routes
Route optimization helps reduce idle times, lower fuel consumption, and reduce damage to your vehicles. Automated route management tools can be the most useful when working from home. These programs update in real-time, detecting when there is heavy traffic, down roads, or other barriers that could negatively affect a driver’s performance. GPS software will make it easier for you to see exactly where your drivers are at any time. This can also help you get a bigger picture of what routes pose the biggest drawbacks for your business.
Stay on Top of Compliance
Go paperless for your hours of service and use fleet monitoring devices to ensure you’re always in compliance. Keep electronic records of each vehicle’s status, as well as your Driver Vehicle Inspection Reports. In addition to being on top of all your regulations, you should take preventative steps to avoid any breaches. Routine follow-ups with drivers can ensure no accidental violations occur. Performing ongoing maintenance to tune-up vehicles can also catch any potential risks before they become a problem. Create a process that works for you, and be open to experimentation. The remote lifestyle is not as easy for some businesses as others, but it is possible with time and patience.
