How Automation Helps Short-Staffed Fleets Do More With Less
Technician shortage. Budget constraints. Endless paperwork. Sound familiar?
Pretty much every fleet manager across the country is being asked to perform miracles with smaller staffs, tighter timelines, and rising expectations. In this kind of environment, manual processes are unsustainable, not just inefficient.
The solution? Automation.
And we’re not talking about robots (yet). Fleet automation is about removing the tasks that shouldn’t require a person to perform at all, so your team can focus on what really matters: wrench time, safety, availability, and leadership priorities.
The Problem: Manual Tasks Are Eating Your Day
Take a minute and think about all the repetitive, time-consuming tasks that still happen manually in your shop that eat into productivity:
- Entering fuel transactions by hand
- Printing and assigning work orders
- Typing in DVIR defects or inspection results
- Sending emails to notify techs or supervisors
- Tracking PM schedules on spreadsheets or whiteboards
- Re-entering the same information in multiple systems
Sure, some of those tasks only take a couple of minutes. But when you have to do them dozens or even hundreds of times per week, that’s hours (or even days) of wasted time every month.
It’s time to take those manual tasks by the horns and let automations take care of them so your team can focus on the real work.
The Solution: Automation as a Force Multiplier
Fleet automation doesn’t require a massive overhaul. The best fleet management information systems (FMIS) allow you to automate tasks based on simple triggers and conditions.
For example:
- A defect is logged during inspection → system creates a work order
- A part inventory drops below threshold → system reorders automatically
- A PM is due → system alerts tech and schedules it on the shop calendar
- A work order is completed → system notifies the supervisor for review
Each of these workflows eliminates friction, speeds up response time, and reduces the opportunity for human error.
What the Best Fleets Automate First
In a recent episode of The Fleet Success Show, RTA’s VP of Customer Success Jenelle Hansen explained that newer fleet managers are increasingly requesting automation during implementation, especially in places that used to rely on clerical work.
Here are the most common (and high-ROI) areas where fleets are automating today:
1. Work Order Triggers
- Automatically create work orders based on PMs, inspections, or service requests
- Pre-fill key data to reduce entry time
2. Inspection Follow-ups
- Route DVIR defects directly to the right tech
- Schedule re-inspections automatically once resolved
3. Parts and Inventory
- Reorder low-stock parts without manual tracking
- Flag inconsistencies or missing parts before work starts
4. PM Scheduling
- Notify techs and supervisors when PMs are approaching
- Automate scheduling based on asset usage or calendar
5. Performance Notifications
- Set up alerts for overdue WOs, missed PMs, or excessive downtime
Benefits That Go Beyond Time Savings
Fleet automation doesn’t just save you or your team a few hours here and there. It helps you create systemic improvements that can ripple across your entire organization.
Fewer Errors
Automation ensures consistent execution. No more skipped inspections, missed alerts, or lost paperwork.
Faster Turnaround
Eliminating manual handoffs speeds up every step of the maintenance process.
Better Data
When data is entered automatically, it’s more accurate, more timely, and more complete, meaning better reports and decision-making.
Higher Morale
Techs and supervisors spend more time doing meaningful work and less time doing admin. That matters for retention.
Greater Scalability
As your fleet grows (or shrinks), your system adjusts accordingly, without requiring more overhead.
Why Short-Staffed Fleets Need Automation the Most
If your fleet is down a tech or admin, you’re already running lean. That’s the worst time to be relying on manual systems.
As Marc Canton said in the podcast: “When you have technician shortages… can I click the easy button in the software? That’s the mindset shift happening right now.”
Automation is the “easy button.” It’s a lifeline for fleets, not a luxury.
Implementation Tip: Don’t Automate Everything at Once
The goal is intentional automation, not complexity for complexity’s sake.
Start with:
- The processes that create the most bottlenecks or roadblocks
- The workflows where human error causes the most pain
- The repetitive tasks that burn time without adding value
Your fleet maintenance system should offer configurable automation tools so you can build automations that match your operation.
Final Thought: Let People Do What People Do Best
Technicians should be turning wrenches, not typing data into a system. Supervisors should be learning, not tracking overdue PMs on a spreadsheet or whiteboard. And fleet managers should be making strategic decisions instead of chasing down inspection forms or manual entries.
Let automations take care of the donkey work so your people can do the important work.
Ready to Automate Your Fleet?
If your fleet maintenance software doesn’t support automation, you’re bleeding time and money you can’t afford to lose. RTA’s Fleet360 platform is built to help short-staffed teams thrive with automations, digital inspections, and configurable alerts.