Revival of fleet industry amid COVID-19 lockdown

The nationwide lockdown imposed in view of the coronavirus pandemic in the last couple of months has severely impacted the fleet industry which is responsible for transporting essential items from one region to another. These include the transport of medicines, groceries, and other indispensable products.

In the last four lockdowns, only a few essential services were allowed to serve, while Unlock 1.0 has come up with few relaxations to boost the economy of the country.

Maintenance of the fleet industry still looks a challenge. As a result, there has been a huge decline in the growth of the industry.

The fleet industry is struggling on budget, owing to the unparalleled situation prevailing in the country. There are many liquidity issues.

Amid the pandemic, it has also become difficult for fleet managers to connect digitally and guarantee proper maintenance.

While protecting employees and the public is on everyone’s priority, it is also crucial for the fleet managers to handle their assets remotely, take business risks, and monitor budgets.

At the same time, it is important to abide by the protocols of the lockdown. 

In today’s difficult times, the fleet industry is required to be extra cautious as it struggles to revive itself. Having proper fleet maintenance is very essential to keep the system in place.

Continuing with documentation

It’s significant to continue making logs. Notes should be made on a daily basis, which may help in streamlining the tasks. Also, one can keep track of the task that has been covered and what needs to be taken up. This will ensure an error-free fleet management system. Additionally, it will help in seeing what kind of tasks were prescribed during the lockdown.

Sanitation and safety protocols

Social distancing has become a norm today and it is also essential for the driver to abide by the rules. Safety and sanitisation should be the top priority. The guidelines issued by the government should be followed by the team.

Also, enough time should be given for rest. It’s important to understand that everyone is under stress due to the ongoing crisis and so are the drivers and other team members.

Additionally, drivers should be sensitised on importance of safety and cleanliness.

Tracking system

As people are getting used to social distancing, there is a boom in the e-commerce purchase. This means the fleet managers have additional pressure to transport more supplies.

A fleet tracking tool like GPS tracker should be used to allow managers to monitor the driver’s time and movement. There should be equal distribution of work and drivers should not be overburdened with work.

Precautionary measures

Amid the contagion, some fleets may be experiencing reduced amount of work, while others may be under huge work pressure. Those with less work should make use of the time to focus on precautionary measures. This may ensure smooth operation once things return to normal.

Monitoring expenses

The team should try to monitor the expenses and operating costs. Also, they should spend on necessities like oil change, tyre rotation, and other regular maintenance items. This will ensure quick and safe delivery of items.

Being in touch with drivers

The fleet managers should try to remain in touch with the drivers. This will help them in taking decisions. Things are already chaotic and drivers may face issues while traveling from one zone to another, owing to the cases and the new travel protocols of the new zone.

The managers should be in touch to know where drivers are, what load they are taking, who will take the next load and what kind of situations are prevailing in which section. This will help in regulating time slot too.