Upgrading your car fleet to include trucks can be a fantastic growth opportunity for a business. Trucks can serve multiple purposes in a business environment, depending on their sizes and the type of activity involved.
Medium-sized to large trucks can help the business set up in-house delivery services to the surrounding area or even nationwide. It can become a popular service during hectic delivery periods, even if the company already has a courier partner.
Manual work services can also benefit from the addition of trucks and large vans. Some projects require specialist equipment, which may be too large or heavy for your usual fleet.
Finally, increasing your fleet with new vehicles also brings a new range of opportunities for growth, including hiring new talents and diversifying your services for profits.
However, investing in a truck fleet comes with new responsibilities.
New fleet means new insurance needs
If the business had a small vehicle fleet before purchasing trucks, it's essential to understand that small car fleet insurance and small fleet truck insurance are different. Trucks need specialist repair and maintenance services, which are nothing like the typical car would require. Additionally, fuel expenses differ greatly between the two vehicles, so it's worth finding insurance cover that can help you save money in the long term. Similarly, damage repairs on a truck are likely to be more costly than fixing a dent on a car. Therefore, it's essential to pick a Specialist Truck Insurance Broker.
New fleet means training opportunities
Improving and increasing your fleet requires new training opportunities for your team. Indeed, the current fleet manager will need to learn how to handle truck maintenance. This will enhance their role and responsibilities, so it would make sense to introduce a training program to address the new mission in the fleet management role.
Similarly, logistics and shipping planners also need to learn to work with truck delivery and truck driving times, which are nothing like cars'.
Additionally, the introduction of trucks also brings heavier loads, which may require specialist offloading equipment. It becomes crucial to actively bring new training programs regarding loading and offloading safety, equipment usage, and equipment maintenance if you have a warehouse system. Large and complex machines may also require certifications and assessments to use.
New fleet means seeking new talent
Growing the fleet doesn't just bring new responsibilities to your team. It also requires more workforce to handle the new workload. Therefore, the business might need to advertise for new jobs to effectively manage the truck fleet. You might need additional hands to oversee the fleet schedule and prepare all the documentation for shipping and travel. You might also want a specialist truck maintenance expert, which can be a new role that needs to be defined or you might outsource and find Specialists in Diesel Truck Repair.
Seek equipment funding
A truck investment often requires additional financial backing to ensure the business can manage the new assets. Indeed, equipment loans can be helpful to secure specialist maintenance and offloading equipment. It can also be helpful to consider property improvement loans, as the new fleet may need a secure parking space.
Are you considering purchasing a small truck fleet? To enjoy the benefits of a truck fleet, the business must prepare carefully for the arrival of the new vehicles. The sooner you recognize and embrace the new responsibilities of the fleet, the sooner you can expect growth.