10 Criteria for Excellence for Commercial Fleets

Accountability
The fleet operation must have a published list of the measures (i.e., metrics, benchmarks, etc.) they use to document performance and progress toward objectives. It must also have a review mechanism in place to measure both individual and team productivity for each area of the fleet operation.

Asset Management
Fleet managers are tasked with Asset Management responsibilities that include strategic sourcing, vehicle selection, procurement, commissioning, disposal, remarketing, and decommissioning. Fleet managers must be skilled in asset management to maintain or improve an organization’s profitability and/or cost effectiveness.

Business Management
Regulations and legislation govern a fleet manager’s relationships within their organization as well as their interaction with various external parties. The development of such relationships and interactions requires in-depth knowledge of an organization’s rights, boundaries, and responsibilities to avoid consequences.

Financial Management
Many organizations have an accounting department for handling finances, yet fleet managers must have knowledge of the financial issues that affect their fleets. The fleet operation must document its competitiveness and compare their cost of regular repairs with surrounding commercial and private fleets and have a program in place that keeps their customers informed of this fact.

Use of Technology & Information
The fleet must have a technology deployment plan that is reviewed and updated annually. The technology may include, but is not limited to, fleet information, diagnostic tools, training aids, communication effectiveness-both internal (within the fleet) and external (vendors, customers, governing agencies,)-and effective use of the resources available on the world-wide web. Typically, fleet organizations have an abundance of “data” stored in computer systems or published to hard copy reports having significant value to fleet managers by using the technology tools available to aid in various decision-making processes to better manage the fleet.

Maintenance Management
Vehicle maintenance directly impacts productivity, driver satisfaction, corporate image, safety, environmental compliance, and the financial bottom line. Understanding how the maintenance function coordinates and communicates maintenance principals to maintenance personnel, drivers, and corporate management is essential within any organization. There must be an aggressive maintenance management program in place, including metrics that are regularly measured and reviewed to identify ratios and trends concerning how often any asset is returned to a maintenance facility for re-work or additional repairs.

Professional Development
Fleet managers like most professionals need to continually educate themselves and their staff, not simply to maintain their position but to demonstrate true leadership. A fleet manager must understand how to develop and motivate employees, work within various organizational frameworks, adjust leadership or management techniques, and effectively communicate to achieve success. A program must be in place to ensure and acknowledge professional development, recognizing goal attainment of all staff at all levels within the organization.

Risk Management
Risk management is planning and decision-making that controls risk and the Fleet Manager is the subject matter expert in fleet associated risk reduction and loss prevention.

Fuel Management
Fuel is the second largest fleet vehicle expense requiring the fleet manager to maintain impeccable records, processes, and controls to minimize cost, mitigate risk, and maintain fuel program environmental compliance. Practices which demonstrate the organizations commitment to vehicle sustainability must be documented as well.

Sustainability
Sustainability incorporates all resources, human, capital and environmental and a plan must be in place to ensure your organization is robust and resilient enough to continue supporting its stakeholders into the future in an environmentally conscious and supportive way.