There was a time when being a good fleet practitioner was largely defined by technical knowledge. You needed to understand vehicles and plant, maintenance, replacement cycles, utilisation, procurement and operating costs. Those skills remain fundamental. But the environment in which fleets operate has changed considerably.
Today, the fleet practitioner may be expected to advise the organisation on emissions reduction, electric vehicles, charging infrastructure, heavy vehicle safety, Chain of Responsibility, driver safety, telematics, artificial intelligence, procurement, whole-of-life cost and emerging vehicle technology.
Increasingly, they are also expected to manage projects that involve many of these areas simultaneously. That changes the skills required to manage a fleet effectively.
Becoming the subject matter expert
Fleet often sits at the intersection of several major organisational priorities. An organisation setting an emissions reduction target may turn to the fleet practitioner to explain how quickly vehicles can be transitioned to lower-emission alternatives. Senior management considering electric vehicles may expect fleet to understand vehicle availability, charging infrastructure, utilisation, whole-of-life costs, operational impacts and implementation risks. Heavy vehicle operators need systems that address safety and Chain of Responsibility obligations. Driver safety programs require policies, training, data and engagement with employees across the organisation.
New fleet technology creates another challenge. Telematics, connected vehicles, fleet management systems and artificial intelligence are producing increasing amounts of data and creating new opportunities to improve efficiency. In each case, fleet practitioners are often expected to understand the issue and provide advice.
But being the subject matter expert does not automatically mean the organisation will act on that advice. That is where management skills become critical.
Turning knowledge into action
A fleet practitioner may have completed a detailed analysis showing that an asset should be replaced, an electric vehicle is suitable for a particular application or a change to maintenance practices will reduce downtime. The analysis may be correct. But somebody still needs to communicate the recommendation, explain the benefits, address concerns, secure funding and coordinate implementation.
Often this involves people who have different priorities. Finance may focus on capital expenditure. Operations may focus on vehicle availability. WHS teams may focus on risk. Sustainability teams may focus on emissions. Procurement may focus on governance and contracting. Senior management may simply want to know what decision is required and what it means for the organisation.
The fleet practitioner therefore needs the ability to translate technical fleet information into information that different stakeholders can understand and use. This is one of the areas addressed in the updated “Chapter 20 – Management Skills” of IPWEA’s Plant and Vehicle Management Manual.
Communicating differently
One of the additions to Chapter 20 is a pyramid approach to communication. The principle is straightforward: do not automatically start with all the data. Start with the conclusion. Then provide the supporting arguments. Then provide further detail and technical information where required. This becomes particularly important when communicating with senior management.
A fleet practitioner may have months of utilisation information, maintenance records, whole-of-life cost calculations and telematics data supporting a recommendation. The executive team may have ten minutes available to discuss it. Good management communication means understanding the audience and tailoring the message accordingly.
Developing analytical skills
The changing role also places greater emphasis on analytical skills. Fleet organisations have access to more information than ever before. Maintenance systems, fuel systems, telematics platforms, finance systems and connected vehicles can produce large quantities of data. But collecting data is not the same as managing performance.
Fleet practitioners need to be able to interpret information, identify trends, develop meaningful KPIs and explain what the information means for the organisation. Without those skills, organisations can have sophisticated systems while still making decisions based on assumptions.
The updated Chapter 20 therefore addresses technical management skills relating to control, analysis, reporting and KPIs alongside more traditional interpersonal skills.
Thinking beyond the next replacement
Strategy is becoming another important management capability. Replacing a vehicle like-for-like every four or five years is no longer enough in many fleets. Fleet practitioners increasingly need to consider where the organisation needs to be in five or ten years.
What will emissions targets mean for the fleet? What charging infrastructure will be required? How will technology change the way vehicles are operated? What skills will workshop teams require? What changes will be needed to policies, budgets and procurement processes?
These questions require longer-term thinking and the ability to connect fleet decisions with broader organisational objectives.
Developing fleet management maturity
The changes to Chapter 20 are part of a wider focus within the PVMM on fleet management maturity. Higher levels of fleet management maturity are not achieved simply by purchasing better software or newer vehicles. They are achieved by improving the systems, processes, information and capabilities used to manage the fleet.
People are an essential part of that equation. As expectations placed on fleet practitioners continue to increase, developing management capability alongside technical expertise will become increasingly important.
The modern fleet practitioner still needs to understand vehicles, plant and lifecycle management. But they also need to communicate, analyse, influence, lead and think strategically. That combination is becoming one of the defining characteristics of professional fleet management.
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