5 Ways eDVIRs Save Time at Your Fleet Operation
At your fleet operation, time is money. Inefficient processes and tools can cause your labor to increase and can decrease your productivity. Using paper forms for driver vehicle inspections instead of electronic DVIRs can result in wasted time.
Find out how eDVIRs can save your fleet operation time and money.
No Double-Data Entry: When drivers use paper forms to record their vehicle inspections, it can force an administrator at your operation to have to enter the vehicle information into your fleet management software system. This extra labor can add up when the information needs to be added for each vehicle. With an eDVIR, the data entered into the app can be automatically synched to your operation’s fleet management software system. This makes the information readily available in the vehicle’s file, without having to perform double-data entry.
Eliminates Need to Hand-Deliver Forms: While drivers might enjoy the simplicity of completing their inspection report on a paper form, it can add steps to the process because they need to hand deliver the DVIR to the shop. This can add time to the driver’s day, and can also add work as the paper forms need to be filed away and stored. It also adds risk to the process as the forms can be misplaced as they are handed from person-to-person.
Save Labor with a more Streamlined Maintenance Process: When a driver finds a defect and records it on a paper form, the technicians cannot begin preparing for the repairs until the form is brought into the shop. The technicians or fleet manager then needs to go into the fleet management software system to look at the vehicle’s history and create a work order for the repairs. This can add unnecessary steps and take extra time. In contrast, with an eDVIR, the technicians can access the driver’s report instantly from the FMIS. This can result in work orders quickly being created and the shop can start preparing for the repairs before the vehicle even arrives in the shop. This let’s them check to see if the needed parts are in-stock so the vehicle’s downtime can be limited.
Make Inspections Quicker: With a paper form, drivers can struggle to fit neat, detailed handwritten notes into the templated forms. The forms might also be general and not specific to the vehicle the driver is operating. This can result in components the driver will need to skip, or items the driver will need to add if it’s not already on the form. For example, emergency response vehicles will have features that might not be on a generic form. Hand writing notes and skimming through a generic form can add extra time to a driver’s inspection. An eDVIR can make the process quicker as they can allow fleet operations to customize inspection forms so they are tailored to their fleet vehicles. The forms can put items in order that the driver inspects the vehicle, and can allow ample space for detailed notes and images of the defects.
Increase Communication Between Drivers and Technicians: Even when drivers try to write neatly, their handwriting can still be difficult for technicians to decipher when they are trying to make repairs. This can cause a disconnect between how the shop interprets the notes and what defect the driver was trying to report. There can also be a communication gap between the driver and the shop in regards to when the vehicle is repaired. Drivers might pester the technicians for updates because they do not receive status updates. With an eDVIR app, the drivers can look into the app to see when the vehicle is ready. The app also provides technicians with neatly typed notes, images and possibly even voice recordings to make it clear exactly what defect the driver encountered.