Increase Your Fleet Availability by Improving Utilization

Fleet availability is the granddaddy metric for all fleets, but it doesn’t stand on its own. One of the biggest issues that impacts your availability rate is your fleet’s utilization rate.  

How you use and measure your vehicles’ utilization impacts availability, and mismanagement here can lead to underperformance, increases costs, and unhappy stakeholders. If you’ve been wondering why your fleet availability is so low. It's time to look at your utilization practices.  

Check out this episode of The Fleet Success Show podcast to learn more about utilization and availability.  

Fleet Utilization vs. Availability 

To start, you need to make sure you have a clear understanding of the differences between utilization and availability.  

Utilization measures how effectively vehicles and assets are used, tracking metrics like mileage, engine hours, or even work orders completed.  

Availability measures how often fleet assets and vehicles are ready and available for use.  

Ideally, high utilization rates should align with high availability rates, but poor utilization tracking can hide how well your fleet is actually performing. This is especially true when availability is inflated with spare vehicles which might sit idle for extended periods of time and drain resources.  

You could have a high availability rate by keeping a large spare fleet, but this increases costs (maintenance, parts, etc.) without necessarily improving the productivity of your fleet. Utilization, when accurately measured, reflects how well each vehicle fulfills its mission.  

Problems with Poor Utilization 

Most fleet managers measure utilization based on miles driven or engine hours—metrics that make sense for vehicles that consistently cover long distances, like over-the-road trucks. But many fleets, especially those serving municipalities or facilities, don’t fit this mold. Vehicles like service vans or plumber trucks may travel only a few miles a day, and yet, they’re mission-critical. 

Consider a plumber’s truck parked for hours on-site, with the driver frequently accessing tools and parts. Using traditional mileage-based metrics, this truck would seem underutilized, yet it’s actively supporting essential maintenance work. Misreading this data can lead to unnecessary cuts that harm operations rather than streamline them. 

When you don’t have accurate utilization tracking or management, you could experience any number of issues with your fleet: 

1. Underutilized Assets 
   When vehicles are only evaluated based on mileage or engine hours, essential assets may appear underutilized, leading to unnecessary replacements or downsizing. For example, a service truck that completes a full day’s work parked at a single location might drive minimal miles but is highly valuable.  
   
   
2. Increased Maintenance Costs 
   Overuse of certain vehicles while others remain idle increases maintenance requirements for both situations, shortens vehicle life, and leads to frequent breakdowns. This increased downtime in the shop hurts availability, as vehicles in constant rotation eventually experience increased wear and tear. 
   
   
3. Miscalculated Spare Fleet Requirements 
   Many fleets maintain large spare pools to ensure availability, which can mask utilization inefficiencies. With improved utilization metrics, you might reduce the need for spares, streamline the fleet, and achieve the same—or even improved—availability. 

Expert Recommendations for Improving Utilization and Availability 

To enhance your fleet’s availability and efficiency, consider the following practices: 

1. Define Utilization Metrics According to Vehicle Role 
   Standard mileage-based utilization metrics don’t always apply to every vehicle type. For service fleets, consider metrics such as work orders completed or hours in active service, which better reflect actual utilization. Identifying the right metric ensures that you’re accurately assessing asset productivity. 
   
   
2. Right-Size the Fleet with Stakeholder Insights
   
   Work closely with your stakeholders to understand each vehicle’s role. Conduct stakeholder interviews to uncover how assets are used daily. This insight helps align vehicle numbers to actual needs, preventing excess vehicles from sitting idle. 
   
   
3. Track Utilization by Time Blocks, Not Just Daily Usage 
   By measuring when vehicles are active within specific time blocks, you can better understand overlapping utilization and opportunities to reduce the fleet size. Vehicles with non-overlapping usage could be shared rather than duplicated, leading to more efficient utilization. 
   
   
4. Monitor Utilization Over Asset Lifecycles 
   High mileage or constant use isn’t always beneficial. Overutilizing vehicles beyond their capacity leads to premature wear and costly downtimes. Tracking utilization throughout an asset’s life helps optimize replacement schedules and avoid the expense of overuse. 
   
   
5. Integrate Data with a Comprehensive Fleet Management Software 
   A specialized fleet management system, such as RTA’s Fleet 360, can automatically track and analyze utilization, enabling fleet managers to see trends and make data-informed decisions. Real-time insights help identify underutilized assets, right-sizing opportunities, and cost-saving strategies. 

What Utilization Metrics Should I Track? 

To identify the best utilization metrics, ask: 

1. What is the vehicle's primary role? For example, a maintenance truck’s mission might be to complete on-site repairs rather than cover mileage. 
   
   
2. How frequently does the vehicle fulfill its role? Consider metrics that capture trip frequency, work orders, or hours in use. 
   
   
3. Is the vehicle sharing demand with others? Track usage overlaps to assess whether consolidating assets can improve efficiency. 

By focusing on mission-appropriate utilization metrics, fleet managers can right-size their fleets, improve availability, and enhance stakeholder satisfaction, ultimately steering their operations toward better resource efficiency. 

Take Control of Your Fleet’s Utilization Today 

Understanding and optimizing fleet utilization directly impacts availability, operational costs, and fleet productivity. For a tailored approach, RTA offers fleet management software and consulting services to help you analyze utilization, identify cost-saving opportunities, and increase availability across your fleet. 

Ready to optimize your fleet? Schedule a demo of Fleet360, or book a consultation with our experts today.