Automotive Business Magazine – Q3 2026 – Digital edition - Flipbook - Page 74
OPI N I O N
FLEET
Challenges when
managing fleets
→ Phil Wilbraham is managing director of Driveway Vehicle Solutions
O
ur industry is currently
entering unchartered
territory. There are global
pressures creating supply
and cost challenges, while
Government regulations work
towards a more sustainable
future. At the same time, our
sector is trying to secure
funds, stabilise residual values, support
changing policy and deliver fantastic
customer experiences, faster than ever.
Businesses are facing mounting
pressures across the board on
operational costs. Vehicle costs are
higher, as are maintenance and
insurance premiums, which continue to
rise. Controlling fleet expenditure while
maintaining operational excellent is a
constant balancing act.
Moving goalposts
One of the biggest frustrations we hear
from customers is around electrification.
We have been encouraged to transition
to electric vehicles, yet it has been
far from easy. Incentives change,
deadlines come and go, and the charging
infrastructure continues to improve, but
availability and reliability can still vary
significantly depending on location.
The truth is there is no one-size-fits-all
answer. Previously, too many decisions
were made based on assumptions,
with a lack of data. Some went all in on
electric, while others have consistently
delayed, and are now playing catch up.
Fleets that use data to drive decisionmaking are often best placed to control
costs and improve performance. For
many businesses, fleet expenditure
represents one of the largest
operating costs on the balance sheet,
making access to accurate real-world
data essential.
Data is pivotal in reducing vehicle
downtime. Historically, businesses would
have vehicles sat off the road awaiting
repairs. Understanding downtime trends
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Q3 2026
and recurring issues early can have a
direct impact on performance.
Fleets that are making the best
decisions right now are those who
have the clearest understanding of
how their vehicles are being used.
Vehicle use cases, replacement cycles
and operating costs can all reveal
opportunities for efficiencies.
Having access to accurate, real-time
data will be a defining characteristic
of successful fleet operators in the
years ahead.
Electric vehicles can be fantastic for
many businesses in the right cases, but
it must make sense for what the driver
needs for their day-to-day.
If you have high-mileage drivers or
those located in lesser serviced areas
of public charging, or a lack of a home
charger availability, that conversation
becomes challenging. It is, however,
certainly becoming easier, with some of
the new models hitting the roads suiting
both payload and range needs.
The objective for businesses should
not be to maximise EV adoption, but
to deploy the right vehicle for the right
driver at the right cost.
A business should never decide to put
its drivers in electric vehicles for the sake
of pleasing other stakeholders. It’s vital
to make decisions based on real-world
data and use cases.
This approach delivers the best for the
business, the fleet, and the driver using
that vehicle day in, day out.
Today’s fleet professionals are
balancing more than ever before. Cost
control, compliance, vehicle uptime,
sustainability targets and driver
requirements all sit alongside wider
business objectives.
In this environment, data isn’t just
a tool for reporting, it’s a decisionmaking tool. Fleets that embrace it are
best placed to reduce costs, improve
efficiency and make confident decisions
in an increasingly complex industry.
