Fleet managers are responsible for millions of rands in vehicle-related expenditure and should play a greater role in company budgeting and strategic decision-making, according to the newly formed South African Association of Fleet Professionals (AFP South Africa).
Fleet managers are often responsible for significant operating budgets but are not always included in senior management discussions, said general manager Nigel Webb. He was speaking at a recent online event, hosted by the association.
Every commercial or passenger vehicle in a fleet, excluding heavy trucks, cost a company about R10 000 a month to operate, Webb said. A fleet of 50 vehicles therefore represents annual operating costs of more than R6 million while larger fleets carry substantially greater financial responsibilities. “Fleet managers control substantial budgets and have a direct impact on operating costs,” Webb said.
Professional fleet management could help companies identify savings and improve efficiency. “The opportunities for efficiency, the opportunities for saving are there. They need to be found and they need to be exploited.”
Telematics remained one of the most valuable tools available to fleet operators but was not always used to its full potential. “Telematics is enormously useful to fleet operators but I feel that it’s not fully utilised.”
AFP South Africa has introduced a programme of 12 monthly online training courses for members. “The industry is massive, and we want to give everyone the opportunity to interface, engage and learn,” Webb said.
