What makes up the ideal fleet manager?

While it sounds counter-intuitive, a fleet manager must have both a broad AND specialised skillset since there are so many fields making up fleet management. The fleet manager must be aware of as many of those as possible.

Some examples: taxation, management, legal compliance, psychology, logistics, maintenance, purchasing, contract negotiation, budgeting, health and safety, scheduling, training, policy generation, and that’s only scratching the surface.

Typical professional characteristics include the ability to communicate on different levels, make strategic business decisions based on objective analysis, thrive in a fast-paced and changing environment and can think on their feet. A little technological background is also advantageous.

For a fleet manager to do what needs to be done, there has to be an understanding as to what fleet management actually is.

Fleet management is the umbrella term for ensuring the best use of an organisation’s vehicle assets and often mobile plant, along with the fuel management and maintenance of the same.

Good fleet management maximises efficiency, improves safety and increases productivity. Many of these functions can be handled with a good fleet management software solution which – if one is not in place – should be the first thing a fleet manager implements.

But wouldn’t this mean a good fleet management solution replaces or mitigates the requirement for a fleet manager?

Not in the least. A fleet management software solution is a tool – some would say an essential tool – to amass data and information a fleet manager needs to effect positive change to the fleet and the organisation’s bottom line.