Rounding Out Your Fleet Management Policy

In a previous post we talked about using your fleet management software to create organizational best practices. These best practices represent the ideal combination of those things that successful fleet managers have done in the past with the things that your data tells you will work best within your own particular organization.

There are, however, other things that go into developing a successful fleet management policy. A strong system of enforceable policies and procedures needs to be established so your drivers know what is acceptable and what is not. Best practices are important but the protection that comes from having strong standard policies and procedures in place should never be discounted.

Here are a few things that we think are important across the board - be it in the form of a best practice or just simple common sense.

1. Adopt a policy that says that distracted driving will simply not be tolerated. Any infraction or collision brought about because the driver was using their mobile device should be grounds for immediate disciplinary action, up to and including termination. Distracted driving has reached epidemic levels, seemingly around the world, and fleet managers should be at the forefront of trying to get some control over this issue.

2. Along the same lines as a distracted driving policy, drivers should be made aware of the policies covering the use of their own personal electronics within a company vehicle. With mobile devices now being capable of handling everything from navigation to photography, what tolerance exists within the company for using company vehicles as mobile charging stations? How many personal devices may an employee have in a vehicle at any one time? Does data from your fleet management software indicate that these devices are having a negative impact on your fleet’s battery life? Good data analysis will monitor this vital statistic and tell you if a change in policy is warranted or if you should monitor it more closely.

3. A clear policy that states who is responsible for infractions associated with the vehicle should be well understood by all parties involved. Does the company pay for parking tickets? Who is held responsible for a moving violation? And, in the event of a collision, what recourse will the company seek if their insurance company must be engaged?

You might also consider a remediation policy that allows a driver to try to reclaim some of their good standing after an incident. After a given number of infractions, will the company fire the driver or refer him or her to a driving or traffic school to try to teach them better driving techniques and habits? What circumstances would be grounds for immediate dismissal? What situation would leave the option of driver training on the table?

4. Adoption of an impaired driving policy should be among your top priorities. Ensure that employees understand that, under no circumstances, will there be any tolerance for drivers operating company vehicles while under the effects of alcohol or any other drug. This should also include certain prescription medications.

Employees operating company vehicles while impaired put themselves at risk. They also put the general public at risk while on the road and they risk doing permanent damage to the reputation of the company as a whole. These risks can be mitigated by making sure that every driver knows that your company is no place for drivers operating with anything less than the full use of all of their faculties.

These policies, mixed with key practices essential to the smooth operation of a fleet of vehicles, will help to create a management system that ensures that fleet vehicle information is kept current and fleet drivers, and those around them, are kept safe.