5 solutions to overcome Fleet Management Pain Points 

The top three concerns for fleet managers in 2025 will be meeting sustainability goals through decarbonisation, economic uncertainty and inflationary pressures, and the continued burden of managing costs.  

There’s no doubt that the last few years have shown just how much profits can be eroded. The combination of fuel prices, labour shortages and rising employment costs, as well as investing in regulatory compliance all take their toll.  

However, there are plenty of examples where digital solutions have provided a route to both alleviate the pressures of red tape and introduce cost efficiencies. Not only that but introducing technology has enhanced the happiness of teams and improved employee loyalty. 

The top 5 fleet management pain points and the solutions 

Let’s look at the most pressing pain points in turn, and how technologies are being used to lighten the load.  

Pain Point 1: Rising operational costs  As we’ve already acknowledged, increasing fuel prices are a continued headache for fleet managers. Making sure every drop of fuel is used to its optimum is a daily concern. Coupled with the costs of vehicle maintenance, it’s easy to erode profit before the fleet even leaves the depot.  

So, what are savvy fleet managers doing to protect profits? 

Investment in Route Optimization Software continues to gather pace. AI-driven tools that plan the most efficient routes have been welcomed by some of the largest and smallest brands. The overwhelming positive relates to more efficient routes that use less fuel. It makes economic sense to use the shortest route to deliver the maximum number of shipments. The by-product is happier drivers and happier customers. Drivers spend less time on the road and in traffic, so consignments are delivered to customers on or ahead of time.  

Adoption of Fuel Management Systems. Often used in parallel with optimised route planning software, these systems give managers a way to monitor and analyse fuel consumption in real-time. It’s a far simpler and easier way to track usage and reduce waste, and therefore costs.  

Predictive Maintenance is the final piece of the puzzle. The Internet of Things (IoT) has led to the development of sensors that can predict and prevent vehicle breakdowns before they happen. This preventative approach ensures interventions are made before repair becomes too costly or even uneconomical.  

Pain Point 2: Compliance with regulations  Fleet managers must navigate a maze of local, national, and international regulations, including emissions standards. On top of this are laws pertaining to safety, including driver hours-of-service. Get these wrong, and the penalties will be high, not to mention the costs related to reputation damage.  

What compliance solutions are available to fleet managers? 

Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs) is the most widely used solution for automating how driver hours are monitored. They provide a ‘snap-shot’ at any given time of a driver’s hours and will alert both the driver and fleet management teams when compliance standards are close to being compromised.  

Next are Emission Monitoring Tools which track and report emissions in real-time. These tools are simple to adopt and will ensure environmental standards are met. Managers can identify operational patterns that are high risk and propose interventions to lower exposure to non-compliance.    

Finally, fleet managers are using Compliance Management Platforms: These centralised systems provide up to the minute regulatory changes. Gathering multiple data points from across the fleet, managers can stay updated on performance and ensure fleet-wide adherence in line with current and future regulation.  

Pain Point 3: Lack of real-time visibility  It’s become more widely accepted that decisions can’t be made without intelligence. Without accurate, real-time data, managers will always struggle to make informed decisions.  

Take for example the strategic imperative of driving high customer satisfaction. Failure to anticipate delays and do something about it, will only dent customer confidence. It’s therefore imperative that there is data available, in real time, to flag when there are likely to be delays. 

What are the three visibility solutions being adopted? 

The first tried and tested solutions are Telematics Systems. On-board telematics provide the latest whereabouts of a vehicle in real-time and therefore show when a schedule is running to time, or not. Best of all, managers can act on the information and make changes to routes or re-prioritise deliveries to ensure customer expectations are met.  

Telematics works brilliantly when paired with Inventory and Shipment Tracking Software. These ensure end-to-end monitoring of goods in transit. This further supports the decision-making process because managers can provide updates to customers and set expectations on when good will arrive, possible delays, and decide to change routes to keep customers happy.   

Lastly, Integrated Dashboards which provide a single view of all fleet operations are a boon for data-driven decision-making. Fleet managers who have a full picture of what is happening where cite being more in control and less stressed.  

Pain Point 4: Driver retention and satisfaction  It’s long been acknowledged that retaining drivers is hard. Often the working conditions of long hours on the road are blamed. This leads to high driver turnover rates, and in turn greater dependency on recruiting replacements. This increases costs, not to mention operational disruption.  

How do the best employers keep drivers happy?

Many use ‘Driver-friendly Tools’. Recognising that drivers need apps that help them to do their job, companies are investing a mix of dashboard tools that help ease the pressure of being on the road. Navigation apps with traffic and weather updates are typically adopted first. Scheduling tools that are easy to use and keep updated also help with stress levels.   

The role of gamification and incentives is starting to appear more regularly in employment strategy. Some employers focus on safe driving leaderboards, whilst others look at customer satisfaction scores. Thanks to digital apps that support this approach, there’s now a plethora of options available to fleet managers. 

Forward thinking brands are using Driver wellness programs to recruit and retain staff.  Platforms offering mental health support, easy ways to log availability through to fitness programmes, and on-the-road care packs are all part of the growing armoury for retaining talent.  

Pain Point 5: Adapting to sustainability goals  The Government pathway to zero emissions is forging ahead. Firms therefore need to optimise existing fleets and adjust plans for future vehicle investments. There are several ways compliance can be achieved.  

Electric Vehicle (EV) Transition Tools is the first option for those firms intent on adopting EV vehicles. Platforms that help evaluate and plan EV adoption help model the timelines and investments. They are becoming more commonly adopted and, in some cases, they are helping fleet managers get ahead of legislation and become leaders in the market. EV fleets are becoming a reason to choose a provider as they help extend greener supply chains.  

As we’ve already noted data is powerful, which is why systems that provide Sustainability Analytics are advantageous. Notably these solutions track carbon emissions and measure the impact of green initiatives. This helps to provide a return on investment and forecast future savings.  

And finally, renewable fuel alternatives hold much weight in the world of fleet management. Technology enabling seamless transition to biofuels or hydrogen-based solutions are still an important part of managing transition to greener and more sustainable delivery.   

Something for every fleet management strategy 

It’s clear there is a great breadth of options available to fleet managers. Each relate to specific elements of a company strategy, and all can be used to improve efficiency, support recruitment and retention and reduce costs.  

About the author

Sohil Ahmad  - Sohil (42) has 17+ years’ experience supporting customers with complex, field based, mobile technology solutions. He has been with Touchstar Group for over eight years, having previously worked for Masternaut and Barclaycard.

In his spare time he enjoys family life and is a very active individual! His main passions are football, motor racing, karting, travelling and hiking. 

Contact Sohil at Sohil.ahmad@touchstar.co.uk