Fleet Trends to Watch for in 2020
As 2019 winds down, it’s time to look ahead to next year and what you can expect to be trending in the fleet industry.
Check out these trends to watch for in 2020.
Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS)
Just as ride-sharing services have become popular with consumers, they could soon be used by fleets as well. Instead of keeping their own fleet of vehicles, operations could get creative to meet their transportation needs, from using vehicle sharing to utilizing other modes of transportation, according to Automotive-Fleet.com.
Autonomous Vehicles
While autonomous vehicles are not yet widespread, they are getting closer to reality for fleet operations. According to Fortune.com, Daimler’s corporate spokesperson Bernhard Weidemann said the company will first focus its attention on autonomous fleet trucks instead of passenger cars. Weidemann told Fortune.com that fleet trucks spend around 80 percent of their time on high-speed freeways, 10 percent on highways and 10 percent on roads getting to their final destination. He stated that if humans can navigate the urban streets, then AVs can handle the rest of the trip. Weidemann feels this will reduce transportation costs and make truck driving a more attractive career.
Telematics and GPS Tracking
While telematics and GPS tracking are not new to the fleet industry, more technology is expected to come forward in 2020 and beyond, making the information gathered even more accurate. This will result in safer and more efficient fleets.
Cybersecurity
With more fleet operations using telematics and AVs, protecting an operation’s data will be even more important than before in 2020. It’s important for operations to install solid cybersecurity procedures and protection to keep their data secure and private.
Employee Recruitment and Retention
With baby boomer retirements and a growing need for more technicians and drivers, fleet operations can expect to continue to need to focus on hiring new staff members and retaining current employees in 2020. Adding training opportunities and incentives can help keep staffs at full capacity, which will allow operations to keep running efficiently.
ELD Mandate
With the final phase of the ELD mandate effective as of Dec. 16, next year may be an adjustment period for drivers and fleet operations as they get used to the new devices and the implications they bring. Drivers will need to be trained on how to use the devices and will need to comply with the hours of service (HOS) rules in order to be compliant behind the wheel. This learning curve may cost operations and drivers in tickets and fines. It can also add extra time to drivers’ routes as they go through inspections of their logs and battle crowded rest stops as drivers try to follow the HOS regulations.
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