Finding the sweet spot for your fleet size and composition can be challenging. But data analytics can help you get it right and get the best out of your fleet.
As fleets grow, so does the challenge of managing them efficiently. And with growing pressure in an uncertain economy, it’s no secret that Australian businesses are looking within to understand where financial efficiencies can be found.
For many fleet managers, the biggest barrier to right-sizing isn’t willingness, it’s visibility. Without clear, accurate data on vehicle usage, availability and demand, it’s hard to know which vehicles are essential and which are just draining resources. Guesswork can lead to over- or underutilised assets and missed opportunities to reduce costs and carbon emissions.
A well-managed pool fleet, backed by the right analytics, can help cut costs, increase utilisation, and streamline operations without compromising access. Here’s what you need to know.
Why use a pool booking system?
Assigning fleet vehicles to individuals or teams full-time can mean unnecessary costs. With pool booking, vehicles are shared in a ‘pool’ that employees can book as needed. This system can be a smart way to maximise asset use and keep costs down, including removing overheads and added risks from grey fleet.
To assist with this, the real power lies in the analytics behind it. Pool booking systems can increase visibility across the fleet, streamline usage and centralise reporting. You can see every time someone books, uses or returns a vehicle. That includes who booked the vehicle, when and for how long, how far it travelled, where it went, and when it wasn’t in use. Over time, this data can reveal insights fleet managers can use to reallocate vehicles based on actual demand, optimise maintenance schedules, support emissions reporting and more.
Pool booking also makes it easier for your drivers to choose a vehicle specific to their needs. So, the right vehicle can be available at the right time, empowering your staff to focus on their role.
Why not use a spreadsheet for pool booking?
Many organisations manage their vehicle pool in shared spreadsheets – it’s familiar and it’s free. But as fleets expand and become more complex, these spreadsheets reveal their limitations.
Manual tracking leaves room for error – and manipulation. From double booking vehicles to blocking others from using certain vehicles, you lose visibility, consistency, and the ability to manage fair access. And without detailed tracking of usage and live updates, it’s harder to enforce accountability. It is likely you are missing out on the real power of data to identify trends that inform pool fleet management decisions.
What metrics should I track?
Data is useful, but data without direction is just numbers. The right metrics give you a clear picture of how your vehicle pool is performing and where there’s room to improve. From utilisation to downtime, here’s what to watch:
- Trip data: booking duration, trip type, vehicle mileage, driver details, number of staff bookings per vehicle, check-in and check-out times versus schedules.
- Vehicle data: utilisation rate, booking frequency, idle time between bookings, reported damage, maintenance and downtime.
- Driver data: user patterns, booking cancellations and no-shows, booking frequency, fines and infringements.
- Fleet costs across different cost centres.
- Fuel consumption and emissions data.
By tracking the things that matter, you can let your data guide smarter fleet decisions.
How can I balance vehicle availability with utilisation targets?
Hitting vehicle utilisation targets is important, but not at the expense of availability. If staff can’t access a vehicle when they need one, this can impact productivity. Here’s how to find the right balance between efficiency and access.
Start by setting and monitoring reasonable targets that align with the services the pool vehicles support. To set appropriate targets, work closely with drivers to understand how they’re using company vehicles and what for. While you probably won’t be using all vehicles 100% of the time, you also don’t want a vehicle sitting around idle.
Depending on the nature of your fleet and business, you might reduce your fleet size to maximise utilisation and consider substitution options. For example, hiring cars, using taxis, public transport and virtual meetings could also potentially meet the needs of your teams.
It can take time to find the right balance as you consider insights from the pool booking system.
How can Interleasing help?
A smart system automates pool booking while putting the data to work for you. With Interleasing’s Pool Book, your team has full visibility over vehicle availability – making planning simple for drivers and fleet utilisation easier for managers. Monitor demand, track real-time usage, and right-size with confidence. As a leading Australian-made and owned tool for managing complex vehicle pools, Pool Book allows you to:
- Track all the metrics already discussed – plus more.
- Customise booking types based on specific needs or users.
- Adjust vehicle allocations from single to multiple cost centres.
- Integrate with drivers’ calendars for easy and convenient booking.
- Integrate with eLearning and driver management solutions to implement safeguards and inform driver training and support safety.
- Have more control over vehicle usage with high security measures, including electronic key boxes linked to bookings.
Pool Book’s analytics shine a spotlight on fleet inefficiencies to help you get the best out of your fleet. The system has helped clients confidently address asset utilisation, workplace health and safety compliance issues and ensure accountability.
Pool Book makes booking a shared vehicle as simple as it should be. But that’s not the case with all pool booking systems. Make sure the tool you choose is easy and convenient for your drivers to use, or you risk them working around it.
To reap the full benefits, the system needs to be fit for purpose and meet the needs of the end user. Learn more about how Interleasing’s Pool Book can help you get there.
Other resources
4 steps to smart financial planning for fleets
