Running a fleet efficiently requires you to analyze a lot of data and recognize trends in your fleet’s performance. It can be overwhelming to record and use all the relevant information, especially if you don’t have a specific goal in mind or a performance point you are trying to reach. Your fleet telematics system is an excellent resource for this kind of data gathering and can help you get an idea of how efficiently your business is running. If you are going to use it wisely, though, you need to develop some key performance indicators, or KPIs, that you can look for. 

KPIs are specific goals that you are trying to reach with your fleet’s overall performance. Knowing what the relevant KPIs are for your specific business is a great start when it comes to making the best use of your employees and your vehicles. Your fleet telematics system can help you find out where your strengths are and where you need improvement. By knowing how to use fleet telematics to develop KPIs, you can maximize performance and keep your business running at the very top of its potential. 

What Are the Most Important KPIs for Fleet Management? 

KPIs will look different for every type of business and not all of them will be relevant for a company with a fleet of vehicles. That is why it is so important for you to know which KPIs are essential for your company. For most fleet-based businesses, though, there are a few KPIs that will always be good to look out for. These include, but are not limited to: 

• Driver Performance 
• Idle Time 
• Vehicle Condition 
• Route Efficiency 
• Delivery Times 
• Vehicle Downtime
• Empty Miles

You can use your fleet telematics system to track these key performance indicators and find out which ones are most relevant to your business and its particular operations. This way, you aren’t wasting time tracking data that isn’t valuable to your company. Knowing how to develop the right KPIs is the best way to know how your business is doing on a day-to-day basis. 

How to Use Fleet Telematics to Develop KPIs

Even though every business will have its own KPIs that are relevant to its way of working, there are some that every fleet manager should be looking for. Developing these KPIs with your fleet telematics system will help you see how your fleet operates and what factors determine whether or not you are hitting your goals. With some solid KPIs in place, you and your employees can get on the same page and try to exceed expectations in every way. 

Productivity and Efficiency 

Productivity and efficiency are two of the most important KPIs that you can develop for your fleet. Things like task completion, time spent on each delivery, and the number of empty miles your vehicles are running every day are essential pieces of information to have for any fleet manager. They are great indicators of whether or not you are using time wisely and how you can maximize productivity. Your fleet telematics system can help you see where you stand. 

Using your fleet telematics system, you can see what routes your drivers are taking and how many stops they are making per day. This is a good way to find out if any of your routes need to be modified or if the order of stops needs to be changed. You can also see how many miles per day your vehicles are running empty, which can be a major waste of time and resources. With GPS tracking and route planning using fleet telematics, all of this data can be analyzed accurately. 

Driver Performance 

While your drivers are one of your best resources, they can also be a big liability when it comes to efficiency. Drivers who are not properly incentivized and goal-oriented can be easily distracted or may not be making good use of the time allotted. With fleet telematics, you can develop specific KPIs for your drivers that they can aspire to. Having these goals set in stone is a great way to motivate employees and know how all of them are performing. 

With driver performance, you want to set reasonable, actionable goals such as time limits for each stop or idle time maximums. With fleet telematics, you can see how much time is being spent on every stop throughout the day with GPS tracking and vehicle odometer data. Using this data as a baseline, you can set new goals for all your drivers. Motivating them with bonuses or other incentives can help you make sure that your drivers are doing everything they can to maximize efficiency on the road. 

Safety

As a fleet manager, safety should be a consideration in every decision you make. From driver accountability on the road to proper route planning, keeping your vehicles and employees safe is crucial. Fleet telematics can help you find out what areas you need to improve on in terms of safety. With the right safety KPIs, you can implement proper training and make sure everyone on your team is working as cautiously as possible. 

With fleet telematics, you can get vehicle data that will show you how safely your employees are driving on a daily basis. This will include information like speed data, instances of hard braking, and accurate GPS monitoring. By setting some KPIs for safety, you can give your employees goals to reach for in the operation of your vehicles. You can also use this data to find out if any of your drivers need safety training or if you need to develop some new standard operating procedures that everyone can adhere to on the road. 

Vehicle Maintenance and Service 

One of the most beneficial ways to use fleet telematics to develop KPIs is with the maintenance and service of your vehicles. As a fleet manager, you need to know the condition of your vehicles at all times. This will help you avoid large, expensive repairs as well as ensure that you don’t end up down a vehicle for an extended period. Developing some KPIs regarding the condition of your vehicles is a great way to stay on top of their upkeep. 

Using your fleet telematics system, you can run periodic checks on your vehicles’ OBD-II system and look for any codes that they might be throwing. This will help you figure out if any of your vehicles are in less-than-ideal condition or if they are starting to deteriorate in any way. You can also use fleet telematics to set a KPI for maintenance by making sure that none of your vehicles go a certain number of miles without a tune-up or oil change. Setting these goals is a great way to keep your vehicles running smoothly for many years to come. 

Use Your Fleet Telematics System to Keep Your Business Running Safely and Efficiently

KPIs are an excellent way to set goals for your team and get a solid idea of how your business is performing. With a fleet telematics system in place, you can find out what KPIs are the most relevant and which areas need the most improvement. Knowing everything you can about your fleet’s day-to-day operations can help you make the most of it and set your business up for success. 

If you want to make the best use of your fleet telematics system and keep your fleet running smoothly and efficiently, ServiceUp is here for you. With one easy-to-use dashboard to help you manage your maintenance, collision, and mechanical repair needs and seamless integration with major fleet management companies, it has never been easier to get your vehicles repaired by qualified, experienced technicians. Whether you need simple oil changes or major body work, ServiceUp will take care of everything and get you back on the road. Request a demo today to find out how ServiceUp can help your business thrive!