Motoring

Top ways to secure your business fleet

fleet cars
Written by Nigel Simpkins

When you operate a business fleet you need to keep track of it and ensure that it is properly secured at all times to prevent loss, damage and theft from occurring. You can secure your business fleet in a range of ways from keeping a check-out record to locking it up at night or installing business fleet tracking.

Investing in processes to secure your business fleet is worthwhile and will usually save you money in the long run by keeping your fleet in great condition. Here we explore the ways in which you can secure your business fleet.

Check vehicles out to employees

The most basic means of keeping your business fleet secure is to carry out a strict check in and check out procedure with all vehicles that come in and out of your compound. By making each employee return a vehicle after use and sign it out before use then you can ensure that you are always aware of who has the vehicle and the condition that it is in. To make this system effective you need an employee who is responsible for checking vehicles in and out and examining them for any signs of damage or excessive mileage added. This system can be effective in protecting your fleet, but it is also labour intensive and can be expensive to operate.

Lock them up at night

Most damage to fleet vehicles will occur when they are parked on the street outside the homes of employees. While this is often very practical and can make employees more efficient, it can also lead to greater vandalism rates and increased theft of tools and equipment. Investing in a secure compound where you can lock vehicles up overnight will help to prevent such damage from occurring but you will also need security or CCTV cameras in place to deter acts of theft and vandalism. Locking your fleet up at night can help to protect it and can keep it secure at all times.

Install trackers

The most effective way to secure your business fleet is to install business fleet tracking systems on all of your vans and lorries. With this system in place you will be able to track the location of vehicles in real-time and will be able to see if any vans go off their intended course. You will also be able to monitor speeds to ensure that your drivers are driving responsibly. With such a system in place you will be able to more safely keep track of vehicles, even when they are kept overnight at the homes of employees. While this business fleet tracking installation can be costly as an upfront payment, it will protect the fleet and can also help you to make it more productive as you will be able to see when drivers are going off course or are nipping off to the shops in their working time. Installing trackers will pay you back in increased productivity as well as in better protection for your fleet.

Protecting your business fleet

The key to protecting your business fleet to the highest possible level is to ensure that you always know where your vehicles are and what condition they are in. The most basic way to do that is by keeping track of them and ensuring they are all returned to your compound and are locked up in the evening, but this can be very costly. Installing business fleet tracking systems is the most effective means of tracking vehicles and while the initial investment can be high this system can also improve productivity as well as security.