According to a recent survey by GE Capital Fleet Services, the biggest concern for fleet managers is ensuring the safety of their drivers. With more than a third (36 percent) of fleet managers citing it as their predominant concern, driver safety outpaced cost-savings goals and workforce productivity (22 percent each).

The results signal a shift since last year’s survey when just 23 percent cited driver safety as their leading concern. At that time, meeting cost-savings goals (26 percent) was the most pressing issue facing fleet managers.

Cost savings is still among the leading fleet priorities. To help manage costs, fleet managers are using a number of different tactics. Forty-two percent cited vehicle purchasing decisions as the greatest opportunity for savings. This was followed by activating telematics and analytics solutions (31 percent) and managing maintenance expenses (28 percent).

Additional key findings from the survey included:
•    Productivity: The two biggest areas of focus for enhancing fleet productivity were refining preventative maintenance strategies (36 percent) and defining a comprehensive vehicle replacement/cycling plan (28 percent).
•    Alternative Fuels: 61 percent of fleet managers stated that alternative fuel vehicles were already in their fleet, with an additional 11 percent planning to incorporate them within the next two years. Just 19 percent of fleet managers stated they do not have plans to incorporate AFVs into their fleets, down from 30 percent last year.
•    Analytics: When asked how analytics have most helped their fleet, 33 percent of fleet managers cited improved operational efficiency, with an additional 25 percent naming cost savings.