Representing nearly a third of French private vehicles, the corporate vehicle fleet market is constantly growing. Whether it consists of passenger cars, utility vehicles, light trucks, or heavy goods vehicles, a company's fleet represents both capital and a major expense and requires regular monitoring. This is the essential role of the fleet manager: optimizing the use of each vehicle to ensure profitability, compliance, and operational efficiency.
On the other hand, if the number of company vehicles continues to grow, so does the number of drivers. So, how can we combine optimizing vehicle use with driver changes? In this article, we will see how technological developments makes the job of fleet managers easier.
Fleet management
Managing a vehicle fleet is not an easy task, because it involves multiple challenges: economic, operational, environmental and human.
Financial issues
Being the third largest expense item for a company after salary costs and real estate costs, costs of a car fleet find their origins in various charges:
- rental or depreciation (approximately 40%),
- fuel (from 16 to 30%),
- insurance (on average 9%),
- taxes (approximately 4%), maintenance (approximately 7%). *
Vehicle maintenance and driving behavior therefore have a determining role to play in the total cost of a vehicle.
Environmental issues
The fleet manager necessarily takes into account theenvironmental issue, which plays a major role in decision-making. The number of kilometers traveled, the type of vehicles or even driving behavior influence the environmental impact of a fleet of vehicles, and are therefore parameters that the fleet manager must analyze to optimize the management of his fleet.
Moreover, the regulations are part of this logic. This is particularly the case for the LOM law, which sets objectives to be achieved according to dates to be respected.
For example, fleets of more than 100 light vehicles must, since 2022, consist of 10% low-emission vehicles. In 2024, this will increase to 20%, then 35% in 2027, reaching 50% in 2030.
Human issues
Of course, a fleet manager also aims to take care of vehicle drivers in order to help them with their travels, maximize their security, while guaranteeing the confidentiality of their personal data.
And we know that between 10 and 15% of the vehicles in a fleet are subject to a change of driver, which corresponds to more than one in two vehicles when we take into account the duration of use of the vehicles.
Rely on a daily basis fleet management software greatly facilitates the work of managers. It allows them to respond to the major challenges of their profession, through multiple possible analyses, in particular thanks to telematics data.
- Route mapping
- Fuel/Battery Consumption Monitoring
- Driving behavior analysis
- Calculation of TCO
- Route calculation
- Geofencing alerts
- Eco-driving assistance
- Automated reports
When a vehicle is used by multiple drivers, how can telematics data be used correctly? How can a driver's driving behavior be analyzed? How can I determine which driver has committed an offense?
How can driver identification help with fleet management?
Managing a fleet of shared vehicles without identifying drivers is not easy, even with fleet management software. That's why it's recommended to use a module dedicated to driver identification.
Knowledge of your vehicle fleet
For a fleet manager, effective fleet management begins with a precise knowledge of its fleet, which involves a clear understanding of who is using which vehicle, when and for what mission. Knowledge of these elements is essential to optimize theallocation and use of resources, depending on the needs of each person and the assigned missions.
Driver identification gives him a global and precise vision of its fleet, essential for good management of its vehicle fleet.
A concrete example? It allows us to prove that it was indeed Pierre who delivered Mrs. Girard, quite simply!
Cost reduction
There cost reduction in a company is one of the challenges of the fleet manager, and driver identification is an easily activated lever to achieve this objective.
Car sharing is already a practice that drastically reduces the costs associated with fleet management, since a vehicle can be used by multiple drivers. But by analyzing driving habits and optimizing routes, significant savings can also be made. in terms of fuel, maintenance and vehicle upkeep. The driver identification system can help in overall healthier financial management and cost reduction.
If Nathalie tends to consume too much, help her identify driving behaviors that can be improved, for example!
Administrative management
THE administrative tasks which constitute a large part of the work of fleet managers, are also greatly facilitated. Whether for the management of the working time, for the management of fines or even the renewal of the vehicle fleet.
The driver identification system allows for the correct allocation of responsibilities and to guarantee a legal compliance, while simplifying administration.
Being able to easily prove that it was Sylvain who parked on the sidewalk, for example.
Improved security
Driver identification therefore contributes to more than transparency and of accountability drivers, improving compliance with internal policies and thus promoting safety.
The objective is also to be able to analyze the information from each of them and to be able to detect the dangers. But also, to raise awareness among the least safe drivers and reduce risks. Thus, driver identification has a positive impact on the reduction of accidents, there asset protection of the company and the employee well-being.
If Sophie has already had a fender bender, offer her targeted training on road risks! She can even be challenged! Some of our clients organize competitions and reward the best driving behavior.
Driver Identification System
Today, several of our clients have implemented a driver identification system in order to identify the users of a vehicle and their types of journeys (business/personal), in addition to the telematics box.
What have they put in place, concretely?
Vehicle data is fed back to the SoFLEET fleet management software, thanks to the telematics box installed (first or second fitment).
This tool is associated with the Blue LITE TOUCH, a beacon designed by our manufacturing partner ELA Innovation operating in Bluetooth Low Energy. The beacon is a Bluetooth badge with a push button, which identifies the driver through a unique identifier. When the driver gets into the vehicle, the telematics box automatically detects the beacon.
The little extra of the BLUE LITE TOUCH? By activating the button, the driver can switch between the “business trip” and “private trip” modesWhen the trip is private, the beacon communicates with the device to stop sending location data. It is also possible, thanks to the beacon, to identify who the drivers and passengers are.
What to remember about the car-sharing market for vehicle fleets:
In 2023, the car-sharing market grew by 43%, and has nearly 460,000 active users.
It is a practice that is becoming more and more widespread within companies that want a more flexible and more economical management of their vehicle fleetAnd, with the sharp increase in the number of vehicles expected in companies, this figure is not about to decrease.
We see this even more with current events, the trend reveals that soon, we will no longer own a car but we will share it. Emmanuel MOUTON, CEO of Synox and SoFLEET
