Managing a fleet, and we often repeat it, is by no means an easy task. If you are in charge of a fleet, you not only wish to count on having the best possible resources and vehicles on the market, but it is very important to have hired reliable and safe drivers. Depending on the size of a fleet and the company, there might also be other employees that are contributing to the overall running of the operation: they may be tasked to deal with drivers in a health and safety or HR capacity.
It is quite a common trend in today’s industries, and probably due in part to the state of the economy, to think that the best employee is the one who never stops working. But this is far from being true for fleets, since driving has precise rules regarding rest periods and tasks to be completed: there needs to be enough time set aside for staff to rest properly, and this has to be documented.
So, when discussing drivers, what characteristics typify your best driver?
1. Up to date with compliance
Awareness on what needs to be done in order to have your fleet operating according to current legislation, and with transparency, is surely a quality you seek in your best drivers, but part of the job needs to be done yourself: if on one hand it is true drivers need to have the necessary requisites and certifications for the job, you also need to make sure they share their knowledge, and through training, that they are, indeed, always up-to-date.
2. Experienced
Everyone would like to have experienced drivers in his/her fleet. Some might argue that drivers with experience do not often accept advice or tend to be complacent. But once again, this is something that you fleet manager, as a communicator, often have to look into: finding ways to keep communication opened with staff and rewarding them for good work.
3. Responsibility towards vehicles and company
Drivers who reliably perform walkaround checks, who avoiding aggressive driving or habits that consume a lot of fuel… what fleet manager wouldn’t want them on board? But again, this is something you have to promote yourself; and of course, some drivers are naturally more responsible than others. You need to avoid being passive, and try to keep on top of your fleet by promoting training and a responsible attitude towards vehicles and fuel consumption.
If you think your drivers are lacking in some of these vital areas, SynX can help you monitor their behaviour and create a more positive culture within your company. And yes, SynX is probably the only exception where an ‘employee’ who never stops working is definitely a good thing: it means you have your fleet under control every working hour…
Want to know more? Contact us and schedule a demo!
