Properly functioning fleet assets are critical for any operation using them to complete jobs. Whether it’s equipment, vehicles, or tools, tracking key asset service and utilization metrics can help surface potential issues before they become costly, time-consuming problems.

Service Metrics

Service histories provide an in-depth look into the downtime, cost, maintenance, and repair trends of an asset. Tracking key service-related metrics allows you to catch recurring mechanical issues and shop productivity obstacles to hone in on where changes need to be made for improved asset uptime.

• Inspections: Tracking inspection results on assets can help you identify issues as they arise so you can quickly schedule service. It also helps in identifying recurring issues over time so you can find the true source and determine a solution.
• DTC faults: For assets with on-board telematics devices, tracking DTC fault data can be as beneficial as inspection data. And, as with inspections, DTC fault data allows for identification of new and recurring issues. Pairing DTC fault and inspection data provides deeper insight into asset issues and their origin. 
• Work orders: Work orders are probably the most ample source of service data. Tracking service times through work orders allows you to calculate service-related downtime. If you’re not already categorizing service type (i.e. scheduled downtime, unscheduled downtime, emergency, etc.) on work orders, you can cross reference service histories with inspections and/or DTC fault alerts to determine which category applies. Categorizing service type makes it easier to hone in on where the brunt of downtime is coming from, as well as how much spend is going toward repair and emergency versus maintenance services. 
• Maintenance compliance: Tracking maintenance compliance allows you to spot assets being improperly maintained. Preventive maintenance (PM) adherence goes a long way in extending asset lifespans and improving uptime. Understanding why certain assets aren’t meeting maintenance compliance makes it easier to track down the reason, like inefficient PM schedules or poor communication around scheduling. The more mixed your fleet, the harder it can be to meet maintenance compliance; however, tailoring PM schedules to specific assets — whether by type or based on meter or time interval — can improve compliance. 
• Asset assignments and check-ins/outs: Assignment and check-in/out data helps improve driver accountability during asset use, but it can also shed light on whether mechanical asset failures are due to driver behavior. Because drivers are the first line of defense when it comes to surfacing issues, knowing who was assigned what, and when, allows you to follow up with the assignee and dig into the source of the problem. 

 

While tracking these metrics manually can be challenging, integrated fleet solutions, like a fleet optimization platform, automatically collect and analyze service data and generate easy-to-read reports, including detailed service histories. Additionally, you can use the solution’s digital work order functionality so in-house technicians can clock in and out of each job within the work order itself. “Fleets can really benefit from tracking estimated versus actual service durations in digital work orders,” explains Dan Simpson, Senior Product Marketing Manager, Fleetio. “Comparing the estimated service duration for key service tasks against time spent actively working on the task can help you hone in on and correct shop inefficiencies, including task proficiency and scheduling accuracy.” For fleets that outsource maintenance, you can use a fleet solution that provides integrations with third-party service providers to ensure all service data is collected.

 

Utilization Metrics

Imbalances in utilization can cause extended downtime and decreased productivity. Tracking utilization metrics can help you determine which assets are bearing the most weight in terms of workload and which assets are being underused. Utilization is largely tracked by meter entries, which can come from inspections, fuel logs, work orders, and telematics devices. With a high-level fleet utilization overview, you can compare utilization percentages between similar assets.

 

While utilization reports can point you in the direction of imbalance, deeper utilization-related metrics can help you pinpoint the source of the issue. 

• True versus operational idle time: Unnecessary idling can age an asset faster and cause increased maintenance and repair needs to keep it running safely. Tracking asset idle time and discerning between true and operational idle time can help you determine where unnecessary idling can be cut down, whether through route optimization, driver coaching, or using proper on-site tools and equipment. Additionally, monitoring operational idle time helps you track which assets may be over or under utilized, allowing you to make adjustments for maximized asset lifespan and utilization.
• Asset status: Tracking asset status data is a great way to get a quick overview of the length of time an asset has spent in a particular status, including active, inactive, in the shop, or out of service, allowing you to dive deeper into the causes of downtime and utilization imbalance. For instance, if an asset has spent 30 days in the shop, you can use work orders, service histories, and inspections to figure out where the delay is.

Data Collection and Analysis

Surfacing asset issues early helps fleets stay on top of maintenance and minor repairs for improved uptime and extended lifecycles. Manual collection doesn’t make tracking and analyzing fleet data very easy, though; being able to cross-reference data and surface important information is more difficult the more sources you have to pull from, especially if those sources are siloed. 

Fleets across industries are seeing benefits from precision data tracking through integrated fleet solutions. Using a fleet solution to collect, track, and analyze data allows for improved maintenance compliance and increased uptime. At the end of the day, assets have a job to do, and downtime is a detriment to profitability. When dealing with fleet assets, making sure you have the right processes in place to maintain those assets, track utilization and performance, and ensure safety is business-critical.

 

This article was provided by the experts at Fleetio.