Fleet Management 101: Answers to the Most Common Questions About Running a High-Performing Fleet

This article is based on a recent episode of The Fleet Success Show podcast.
Watch the full episode here: 

Whether you're new to fleet management or a seasoned pro, mastering the fundamentals is key to building a high-performing operation. In this article, we answer the most common questions fleet professionals ask—and provide practical, real-world answers backed by decades of experience.

What is fleet management?

Fleet management is the process of overseeing, maintaining, and optimizing a group of vehicles used by a business or government agency. It includes everything from vehicle acquisition and maintenance to budgeting, driver safety, and compliance.

What is fleet maintenance management?

Fleet maintenance management is a subset of fleet management focused specifically on keeping vehicles safe, reliable, and available. It involves scheduling preventive maintenance (PM), managing repairs, monitoring parts inventory, and tracking technician productivity.

What are the most important metrics for fleet management?

The top 5 metrics every fleet should track are:

1. Fleet availability – % of vehicles ready for service
   
   
2. PM compliance – % of preventive maintenance done on time
   
   
3. Comebacks & tows – Indicators of poor quality repairs
   
   
4. Technician efficiency – % of technician time spent on actual repairs
   
   
5. Absenteeism – % of missed workdays affecting shop output
   
   

“Start with five KPIs that matter most. Everything else builds from there.” – Bill Griffiths

Why is fleet availability so important?

Fleet availability is the most critical performance metric because if vehicles aren’t ready to operate, your entire operation stalls. It directly impacts public safety, service delivery, and stakeholder satisfaction.

What is PM compliance and why does it matter?

Preventive Maintenance (PM) compliance refers to how consistently your fleet completes scheduled services on time. High compliance = fewer breakdowns, lower costs, and better safety.

🎯 Goal: 95%+ PM compliance

How do I reduce vehicle downtime in my fleet?

Here are 5 ways to reduce downtime:

1. Improve PM compliance
   
   
2. Use digital work orders and paperless processes
   
   
3. Track failure-in-service and comebacks
   
   
4. Automate parts inventory and ordering
   
   
5. Monitor technician wrench time with dashboards
   
   

Using a fleet maintenance software system like RTA Fleet360 can help automate all of the above.

How do I improve technician efficiency?

• Digitize your shop workflows
  
  
• Eliminate paper WOs
  
  
• Use real-time labor tracking
  
  
• Provide training on SRTs (Standard Repair Times)
  
  
• Create performance scorecards by shop or technician
  
  

Bill Griffiths implemented shop-level scorecards in D.C. to track tech efficiency monthly, resulting in major productivity gains.

What should a fleet monthly report include?

An effective fleet performance report should include:

• Fleet availability
  
  
• PM compliance
  
  
• Work order volume
  
  
• Comebacks/tows
  
  
• Labor productivity
  
  
• Breakdown trends
  
  
• Cost per asset or by department
  
  
• Stakeholder satisfaction (CSAT)
  
  

Tools like RTA’s embedded BI dashboards and Fleet Success Scorecard allow automated, real-time reporting.

How do I build a good fleet preventive maintenance program?

Start by:

1. Standardizing PM checklists by asset class
   
   
2. Documenting service intervals
   
   
3. Scheduling work using a shop scheduler
   
   
4. Tracking PM compliance in your FMIS
   
   
5. Reviewing PM effectiveness through failure data
   
   

“We built checklists for packers, sweepers, dump trucks—everything. Then we tracked results.” – Bill Griffiths

How do I improve communication with internal departments?

Improve stakeholder satisfaction by:

• Sending daily out-of-service reports
  
  
• Holding regular meetings or calls with departments
  
  
• Offering scheduling tools for service appointments
  
  
• Using CSAT surveys to gather feedback
  
  
• Showing your value through availability and uptime
  
  

Tools like RTA’s stakeholder satisfaction surveys (CSAT) help you tie feedback directly to performance metrics.

What is a fleet scorecard?

A fleet scorecard is a standardized report card showing KPIs by shop, department, or region. It promotes accountability, improves performance, and fosters healthy competition.

Each shop can self-assess and respond to questions like:

• What helped or hurt your performance this month?
  
  
• What will you do differently next month?
  
  

What’s the difference between working on the business and in the business?

Working in the business means handling daily operations.
Working on the business means planning strategically for growth, innovation, and future challenges.

“If you’re not thinking about your 2027 budget now, you’re already behind.” – Bill Griffiths

Fleet leaders must create the space to focus on:

• EV infrastructure planning
  
  
• Telematics and safety initiatives
  
  
• Technician pipeline and retention
  
  
• Asset replacement and capital budgeting
  
  

How can fleet management software help me?

Fleet Management Software like RTA Fleet360 helps you:

• Track PMs and compliance
• Automate work orders and inspections
  Monitor technician productivity
• Optimize parts inventory
  Generate configurable reports
• Communicate performance to stakeholders
• Benchmark KPIs with the Fleet Success Scorecard

It reduces downtime, eliminates paperwork, and gives you full visibility into your operation.

What makes a successful fleet manager?

Top-performing fleet managers:

• Focus on data and KPIs, not gut instinct
• Prioritize PM compliance and availability
• Lead with transparency and accountability
• Communicate effectively with leadership and departments
• Build repeatable processes (not just short-term fixes)
• Continuously work on the business, not just in it
  
  

Related Questions

• What is the most important KPI for fleet performance?
  → Fleet availability is the most important.
  
  
• How can I justify my fleet budget to leadership?
  → Use data from your FMIS system to show performance, availability, and stakeholder satisfaction.
  
  
• What’s the best software for government fleet management?
  → RTA Fleet360 is optimized for public fleets that manage their maintenance in-house.
  
  
• How do I avoid having my fleet maintenance outsourced?
  → Show measurable success through KPIs, stakeholder satisfaction, and technician productivity.
  
  

Final Thoughts

The foundation of a successful fleet isn’t just vehicles—it’s process, data, and leadership. By answering these common questions, you're better equipped to manage your operation with confidence, clarity, and long-term vision.

And remember:

• Master the fundamentals.
• Track what matters.
• Lead with data.
• Think years ahead.

That’s how you drive real Fleet Success.