As the temperatures begin to plunge as we move further into the winter season, roads will begin to cover over in snow and ice. These conditions present a number of challenges for any fleet operations manager — particularly one working in a public capacity, such as for a local government or municipality.
So how can you deal with these challenges before they snowball out of control? An effective fleet management system is a proven solution for many local governments, municipalities, and businesses.
When battling inclement conditions, making sure that important areas and roadways receive adequate snowplow coverage can present a challenge. Using the interactive map, you can track your vehicles’ last positions and know which specific drivers are in a particular area. Using a color-coded map system, you will be able to determine which streets have or have not been cleared or de-iced recently, increasing your snowplow efficiency. This will help you to ensure that your operators are working most efficiently and de-icing materials are not wasted on already-treated roadways.
With fleet management software and tracking devices, you also can set up geofences. This will help you be alerted if and when a vehicle or any equipment travels outside any predetermined areas of operation.
When cold weather comes into play, more than 116,000 Americans are injured and more than 1,300 are killed each winter on icy, slushy, or snowy pavement, according to the Safe Winter Roads initiative. As people often find themselves getting in car accidents, slipping and falling, or suffering other injuries as a result of these icy conditions, it means that first responders are having to travel the roads while circumnavigating traffic and roads that may be impassable due to these weather conditions.
With fleet management software, dispatchers can optimize how police and emergency workers are deployed by directing them to accident scenes via the safest and most efficient driving routes. This not only optimizes how emergency responders work, it also helps them reach those in need faster and can potentially help them save more lives.
Operations managers often face concerns about driver behaviors and practices in good weather — these concerns often are multiplied when snow and ice are introduced into the scenario. Fleet management software enables you to monitor acceleration/deceleration rates, hard braking behaviors, and driving speeds to identify driving inefficiencies, as well as to monitor other driver behavior related concerns and actual driving/work hours.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if you had a way to keep tabs on your vehicles and equipment to know whether they are performing optimally? With an effective fleet management system, you can access up-to-date information about your assets and even set maintenance reminders to ensure that your vehicles and equipment are regularly maintained and remain in tip-top performing condition. You can monitor engine data and vehicle performance, mileage accrual, fuel usage, and more. These capabilities will help you to ensure that you maintain the public infrastructure and roadways by having functioning and operational equipment at your disposal.
Reducing unnecessary costs and expenditures is important for virtually any organization, municipality, or business. In the winter, these costs can increase due to repairs, use of materials, fuel usage, and other factors. One way to help mitigate unnecessary costs is to make sure that materials and vehicles are used most efficiently and that equipment is properly maintained.
Your organization’s supply of rock salt, while a relatively inexpensive commodity, can be used up very quickly while trying to de-ice roadways if machines are left running accidentally. With effective fleet management software and tracking devices, you can monitor whether your equipment and vehicles are running, whether their anti-icing material spreading devices are engaged, and whether they are being operated safely and efficiently.
Additionally, by using a fleet management system to cut down on idle time that results from vehicles being stuck in traffic, as well as by keeping your vehicles in good shape and monitoring fuel usage, you can help your organization save money and achieve operational efficiency while maximizing your ROI.