Fleet management is an ever-evolving industry, with rapid advancements in technology, sustainability initiatives, and regulatory changes shaping operations. Whether you manage vehicles for a local authority, a private company, or a specialist sector, maintaining a competitive edge requires a data-driven approach. Understanding which metrics to monitor—and how to use them—can be the difference between efficient operations and rising costs.
Drawing on expert insights, this blog outlines the five essential fleet management metrics every fleet manager should track. From maximising asset availability to adopting predictive maintenance, these key focus areas will help future-proof your fleet in an increasingly complex landscape.
Why Metrics Matter in Fleet Management
Fleet management requires balancing multiple priorities—operational efficiency, cost control, safety, and compliance. Tracking key performance indicators enables fleet managers to:
- Identify inefficiencies and streamline operations
- Monitor costs and manage budgets effectively
- Reduce downtime and improve asset availability
- Make informed, data-driven decisions for long-term success
With growing demands on fleet operations, tracking the right metrics is more important than ever. Here are the top five to prioritise.
1. Asset Availability
Why It Matters: Asset availability is crucial to ensuring your fleet is operational when needed. The more time vehicles spend in the workshop, the less value they provide to your organisation.
Expert Insight: Danny Brashear, a former fleet manager and now a Senior Industry Consultant at AssetWorks, emphasises, “Asset availability is critical—you need to provide vehicles and equipment back to your customers as quickly as possible to meet their operational needs.”
What to Aim For: A well-managed fleet should target an availability rate of 95% or higher to maintain optimal performance.
How to Track It:
- Monitor downtime due to repairs or servicing
- Improve parts procurement and service scheduling to reduce delays
- Use fleet management software to automate availability reporting
2. Shop Turnaround Time (TAT)
Why It Matters: The speed of repair and maintenance directly impacts fleet efficiency. Faster turnaround means less downtime and greater productivity.
Expert Insight: Brashear states, “Turnaround time is a key indicator of workshop performance and touches on multiple aspects of fleet operations.”
What to Aim For: Fleets should set benchmarks for turnaround times to ensure prompt yet thorough repairs and servicing.
How to Track It:
- Measure the time from when a vehicle enters the workshop to when it returns to service
- Identify bottlenecks, such as delays in diagnosis or parts availability
- Implement real-time tracking for repair status updates
3. Asset Utilisation
Why It Matters: Underutilised vehicles increase costs and reduce efficiency. Ensuring all assets are used effectively maximises return on investment.
Expert Insight: Brashear notes, “Tracking asset utilisation is crucial—you should actively measure and manage it.”
What to Aim For: Fleets should target utilisation rates that align with operational goals, ensuring vehicles contribute value consistently.
How to Track It:
- Calculate utilisation rates based on active use versus idle time
- Identify underused assets and reassign them to improve efficiency
- Optimise route planning and scheduling
4. Predictive Maintenance
Why It Matters: Predictive maintenance leverages data and analytics to detect potential issues before they result in breakdowns. This approach reduces downtime and extends vehicle lifespan.
Expert Insight: Brashear highlights, “Predictive maintenance has gained significant traction in recent years and is becoming a key focus in fleet management.”
What to Aim For: Move beyond reactive and scheduled maintenance to data-driven, predictive strategies.
How to Track It:
- Use telematics to monitor real-time vehicle performance
- Analyse patterns in maintenance history and operational conditions
- Implement fleet software with predictive analytics for early issue detection
5. Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)
Why It Matters: Understanding the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) helps fleet managers make informed decisions about procurement, maintenance, and lifecycle management. TCO includes purchase price, servicing costs, fuel, depreciation, and more.
Expert Insight: Brashear stresses, “TCO is a crucial metric—it should be a central part of fleet management strategy.”
What to Aim For: Minimise TCO by focusing on cost efficiency across an asset’s entire lifecycle.
How to Track It:
- Use accounting tools to track acquisition, operational, and disposal costs
- Analyse fuel efficiency and maintenance expenses to identify savings opportunities
- Compare TCO across similar assets to spot high-cost outliers
Data-Driven Fleet Success
By integrating these five key metrics—asset availability, turnaround time, utilisation, predictive maintenance, and TCO—into your fleet strategy, you can enhance efficiency, control costs, and make better-informed decisions. These metrics work together to provide a comprehensive view of your fleet’s performance.
Make This Year Your Most Efficient Yet
Fleet management is now more data-driven than ever. By focusing on proactive monitoring, predictive maintenance, and cost control, you can position your fleet for long-term success.
For those new to tracking these metrics or looking to optimise fleet operations, fleet management software offers an efficient way to simplify data collection, analysis, and reporting.
