Fleet Management: Mobility and Data Management Becoming Increasingly Important

The management of transport fleets has fundamentally changed in recent years. While initially the pure tracking & tracing of vehicles was in the foreground, today and in the future, holistic mobility and data management for a long-term and sustainably oriented entrepreneurship is becoming increasingly important for the industry. This is emphasized by Webfleet, which claims to be Europe's leading provider of fleet management solutions.

"This approach encompasses more efficient and transparent management of vehicle fleets, leading to optimized operations, increased safety and satisfaction, and cost reductions," explains Wolfgang Schmid, Head of Central Region at Webfleet.

For Webfleet, two central themes are in focus: Driving safety and sustainable traffic will thus be the two major thematic cornerstones in fleet trends for 2024.

Fleet Topic 1: Safety for Drivers and Fleet

The shortage of skilled workers does not spare the transport industry either.

“For companies, this means creating incentives for new drivers on one hand and retaining the best employees on the other. The safety and support of drivers are the focus of modern fleet management solutions. By using digital tools, drivers receive practical and targeted support. This helps ensure that drivers experience less stress and can focus on their actual tasks,” analyzes Wolfgang Schmid.

Webfleet offers solutions for increased driving safety – from intelligent navigation systems to efficient planning tools to AI-based video solutions for safe driving. This allows vehicle fleets to be managed more precisely.

“In the best case, fleet technology also helps reduce the impact of high workloads and tight schedules. When a system supports manual tasks such as departure checks or order documentation, employee satisfaction increases,” explains Schmid.

Fleet Topic 2: Sustainable Transportation

A second key topic will be the increasing importance of CO₂-reduced driving. This includes aspects such as higher fuel efficiency—through fuel-saving driving behavior and driver coaching, smart maintenance and tire management, efficient utilization, and better routes—as well as electromobility.

"In particular, decarbonizing mobility will play an increasingly important role in urban areas," said Schmid.

Starting in January 2024, the new Corporate Sustainable Reporting Directive (CSRD) will come into effect. Complying with this directive, especially reporting with stricter emissions targets, will be a challenge for many companies. The goal here is to develop the right fleet strategy and deploy the appropriate tools.