Technology is the friend of every fleet management professional, and it’s a key tool for reducing fleet operating costs. Software makes it easy to create fully optimized routes for your drivers. The right system will automatically communicate route changes to your drivers and keep dispatchers informed. Optimized routes save time, which saves money. Optimized routes also reduce fuel consumption, which is key in reducing fleet operating costs.

You will see the phrase “proactive fleet maintenance” all over Gold Star’s blog (link to Commercial Vehicle Maintenance Checklist: 3 Priorities That Will Save You Money), and that’s because it really is one of the best ways of reducing fleet maintenance costs. Waiting around for trouble with your trucks is asking for big bills. Instead, make preventative maintenance one of the primary pillars of your business.

Preventative maintenance—including tasks like tire rotation, oil changes, fluid checks, brake maintenance, and more—cuts back on more extreme mechanical failures that can cost a ton of money at once. It also reduces roadside emergencies and accidents, which come with their own price tags and take your truck and driver off the route. Reducing these frustrating events means that you keep your trucks and your drivers on the road, which puts more money in your pocket.

Invest in Skills Training

All fleet managers are already conducting background checks because they’re required by the DOT (link to Your Guide to DOT Background Check Requirements for Drivers), but you can reduce fleet operating costs by taking advantage of some advancements in the screening industry, too.

For example, rather than investing a chunk of money into regular MVR re-screening, look into driver monitoring programs. Sometimes, driver monitoring is less expensive than re-screening and it offers you more continuous protection. Whereas re-checking an MVR means you might not see a violation until months after it happens, driver monitoring triggers an alert as soon as an offense is documented in the reporting agency’s system.

Many screening companies are also offering this continuous monitoring for criminal activity, too, and if you’re trusting your drivers with thousands of dollars of merchandise, you need to know if they’ve recently been arrested for theft.

A final bonus tip: while you’re working on fleet maintenance and fleet operating costs reduction, also consider how to bring in more money. One way? Finding the best rates around. Gold Star’s dispatching services are the best in the business. Check it out.