5 Traits That Make a Good Fleet Manager

Fleet Manager

Feb 23, 2022

Your job as a truck driver fleet manager is a lot more than just managing your team's busy schedules.

Being a manager includes countless responsibilities. Some of the most important tasks can include protecting and supporting your drivers—others include helping them improve and engage with their jobs. It's important to remember that a motivated and happy team is much more productive. 

According to the State of the American Workplace report done by Gallup, engaged teams experience more improvements than their less-motivated counterparts in various areas, such as these:

 

  • 10% Higher Customer Satisfaction.
  • 17% Higher Overall Productivity.
  • 20% Higher Sales.
  • 21% Higher Profitability.
  • An astounding 41% reduction in absenteeism.

To help keep a team engaged and productive, having a good manager lead the way is essential. We've compiled a list of five quality traits of highly successful fleet managers. When each of these habits is applied effectively, you can help improve your team's safety and increase your company's bottom line. Continue scrolling to learn more.

 

 

 5 Traits that Make a Great Fleet Manager

 

  1. Put Your Crew's Safety First — As a manager, your team's safety needs to be your number one priority. Staying on top of truck maintenance and paying close attention to your crew's stress and fatigue can help mitigate accidents. Don't wait for a close call or an accident to occur before giving this attention; the impact could be disastrous.

Fatigue and crash risk are directly correlated, so it's essential to pay close attention to this and your drivers' wellbeing when creating their schedules. Even a tiny amount of drowsiness can lead to problems or accidents. Avoid issues big or small, like taking the wrong route or causing a crash, and be proactive instead of reactive.

 

  1. Try to Make Things Easy for Your Team — Vehicle maintenance can be undoubtedly challenging, which is why good managers make scheduling and reporting as easy as possible. Thankfully, today's advanced and time-saving technology allows drivers to digitally perform their routine truck inspections. This investment will save your team countless hours on the road and makes the process much more simple. 

Digital inspection technology also helps ensure regular checks, resulting in a better maintained and safer fleet. When you automate this process, you and your drivers will have less to worry about.

 

  1. Listen to What Your Team Has to Say — The best managers consider themselves part of the crew rather than someone in a higher operating position. Instead, they are mentors and collaborators who put the people on their team before profits. They create a space where open and honest communication can occur, and they listen to their drivers' positive and negative feedback. 

Create an environment where your team knows they can turn to you when a problem arises, whether it's occupational stress, issues with their truck, or even personal things, like mental health. It's your job to support your team however you can. The best managers are empathetic and can put themselves in their team's shoes.

 

  1. Make Your Expectations Clear — Confusion and lack of clarity in the workplace lower efficiency and productivity. Besides, your drivers don't like feeling unsure of their responsibilities. When expectations aren't clear, your team cannot put all of their focus on their job; it can be mentally draining, and you want your drivers to be as focused and alert as possible.

A study on employee performance and clarity, conducted by Effectory, discovered that close to half of the employees they studied lacked transparency in their workplace roles. This is, obviously, less than ideal. Before you and your drivers become part of this statistic, make sure you are extremely clear and engage in effective and thoughtful communication. 

 

  1. Promote Balance and Positive Mental Health — It's no secret that life on the road can be lonely and highly taxing on your mental wellbeing. Making meaningful connections for truck drivers is undoubtedly difficult, which is why good managers promote balance and put the mental health of their drivers high on the priority list. Here are a few ways you can boost your team's morale while they're on the road: 
    • Encourage Team Interaction: Get your team on their radios and engage in conversation with one another. No one understands how challenging life on the road can feel than another driver. Telling each other their stories can create lasting relationships and increase team morale.
    • Communicate With Loved Ones: A good manager will encourage connection with their loved ones back home. Physical separation from family and friends can result in mental and emotional detachment. However, your drivers can combat this by regularly chatting with their people back home. Ensure they are taking regular breaks to check in with a quick text or phone call, or it might mean equipping your trucks with Bluetooth technology so they can talk on the road.
    • Watch TV: Being alone on the road isn't solely a lack of physical presence; it's also a mental thing. Watching television can help fulfill the human need for connection. Even when you're physically alone, the people on your TV screen will keep you company and make you feel a sense of connection. 

 

 

Be a Good Fleet Manager and Get EpicVue

 

If you want to be a good fleet manager, get your drivers EpicVue. EpicVue outfits your fleet with premium in-vehicle satellite television with over 180 exciting channels. 

You probably don't run into too many people you know during your route, but the connection you create when you engage in conversation about the shows you are watching feels a lot like home. After that, you feel ready to head back out on the road, recharged, and can enjoy the new relationships and memories you've made, despite the confines of your vehicle.

Watching television can counteract the overwhelming feelings of isolation. Happy and healthy drivers are more likely to stay with your team, which significantly reduces the costly cycle of recruitment and retention. Contact EpicVue today to learn more!

Apr 19, 2023

Here’s What Not To Do As a Fleet Manager

Read More

Mar 8, 2023

Your Total Guide to Making Your Long Haul Truck Feel Like Home

Read More

Feb 15, 2023

5 Steps to Developing a Truck Fleet Management Strategy

Read More
Quality truck fleet management with a good strategy is a vital element for success in the trucking industry. These systems are necessary for communication, and processes are sure to succeed. There’s no doubt that the best semi-truck fleet teams are those that are effectively and efficiently managed, making a great fleet manager worth their weight in gold — and then some!  But what is it exactly that makes a fleet manager great? It all comes down to a solid fleet management strategy and reliable semi-fleet processes. In fact, these are essential to finding both short- and long-term success. If you’re in charge of a semi-truck fleet and are looking to build a fail-proof truck fleet management strategy, you’re in the right place. We’re here to give you some tried-and-true tips and tricks for developing a solid plan. With a little hard work and the right strategy, you will surely see increased profits, fleet growth, and a happier, healthier, and more productive crew. Keep scrolling to learn more.

5 Things to Consider When Developing Your Truck Fleet Management Strategy

If you want to develop a quality truck fleet management strategy, make sure to consider the following:
  1. Invest in a Fleet Management System — You could be the most experienced and focused manager, but you will still have difficulties staying organized and productive without a quality truck fleet management system in place. Managers of old used to rely on elaborate systems involving paper spreadsheets, filing cabinets, and more to run their business, but there are simpler ways to get the job done. Join the digital age by digitizing your workflow and operations; you’ll find that processes are optimized, and your team’s performance is improved! A good system will allow you to keep track of the best routes, maintenance schedules, driver and vehicle efficiency, automating various tasks (such as routing and scheduling deliveries, billing and invoicing, sending jobs to drivers, etc.) and more so you can maximize the potential of your fleet.
  2. Find Ways to Cut Maintenance Costs — It’s no secret that the economy is in an exciting place right now. Inflation is on the rise, and maintenance costs are not exempt. A solid semi-truck fleet manager must prioritize finding ways to reduce costs. Taking a defensive, preventive approach to maintenance is key. Improving fleet efficiency and ensuring that your rigs and necessary equipment are in tip-top shape and ready to go can help you stay ahead of maintenance issues. Consider utilizing a good fleet management system that can tell you about the vehicles’ engines and other diagnostic features to help extend the life of your trucks. These tools can help you quickly identify any problems with your trucks and avoid issues down the road when they become more serious, thus cutting maintenance costs. Another way to reduce maintenance costs is to base your trucks’ service schedule on accurate engine usage hours instead of an arbitrary calendar. This helps to eliminate unnecessary repairs and potential hours and revenue lost, allowing you to make the most of your fleet while still taking great care of them.
  3. Find Ways to Save Money on Fuel — As a fleet manager, it almost always comes down to budget. And one of the biggest portions (we’re talking between 50% and 65%) of overall operating costs is dedicated to fueling costs. As mentioned above, having a good management system and GPS tracking in place can help you develop an excellent management strategy. You’ll be able to monitor your drivers’ driving performance, habits, and behavior and monitor fuel usage, which directly affects fuel consumption. By tracking and analyzing this information, you’ll be alerted to issues sooner than you may have been otherwise. Moreover, tracking this info will keep you apprised of any safety concerns, such as aggressive driving. Addressing these issues will help you reduce operational costs associated with your fuel budget.
  4. Perfect and Optimize Your Drivers’ Routes — Customers and clients demand quick and on-time deliveries, so taking the perfect and optimal route is absolutely crucial. Your business’ reputation counts on it! Inaccurate arrival time estimates, delays, and inefficient routes will only lead to frustration. Hiccups and issues along the way are bound to happen and are an inevitable part of any industry, including trucking. But, by automating customer notifications and other processes, fleet managers can experience a lot less stress, allowing them to spend time and put their focus elsewhere.
  5. Prioritize Your Drivers’ Health and Wellness — One of the biggest parts of developing a good truck fleet management strategy is prioritizing your team’s health and wellness. Feeling isolated on the road comes with being a truck driver; it’s part of the territory. So fleet managers who promote a healthy work-life balance and positive mental health are typically much more successful.

Here are some ways managers can prioritize employees’ health:

Include EpicVue in Your Truck Fleet Management Strategy

Developing a truck fleet management strategy is essential to the success of your business, and EpicVue is here to help make it happen. EpicVue will outfit your fleet with premium in-cab television so your drivers can enjoy a bit of home on the road and catch up on their favorite shows. Contact EpicVue today to learn more.