Fleet managers participating in a GE Capital Fleet Services survey are now citing safety as their primary concern, replacing cost savings as a top priority. More than a third of fleet managers surveyed (36%), up from 23% a year ago, say their biggest current concern is ensuring the safety of their drivers.
Additional findings from the survey included:
Productivity: The two biggest areas of focus for enhancing fleet productivity were refining preventive maintenance strategies (36%) and defining a comprehensive vehicle replacement/cycling plan (28%).
Alternative Fuels: 61% of fleet managers stated that alternative fuel vehicles were already in their fleet, with an additional 11% planning to incorporate them within the next two years. Just 19% of fleet managers stated they do not have plans to incorporate AFVs into their fleets, down from 30% last year.
Analytics: When asked how analytics have most helped their fleet, 33% of fleet managers cited improved operational efficiency, with an additional 25% naming cost savings.
While meeting cost-savings goals is now down to 22% in the most recent survey (from 26% previously), cost savings is still a leading concern. To help manage costs, fleet managers report using a number of different tactics. Forty-two percent cited vehicle purchasing decisions as the greatest opportunity for savings, followed by activating telematics and analytics solutions (31%) and managing maintenance expenses (28%).