Fuel, of course, is the most pressing issue. Inventory control — keeping track of vehicles — is another headache. I deal with some service managers who don’t keep track of vehicles. Preventive maintenance — getting drivers to have their vehicles serviced according to the schedule — also is an ongoing problem, resulting in serious problems, including one driver who blew an engine because he didn’t get maintenance servicing.

Mandy Lynch
Fleet Management Coordinator
Time Warner

Certainly the uncontrollable cost of fuel, particularly as the future appears to hold only high prices. Another challenge is with closed-end lease terms, and spec’ing the right vehicles not only for the function, but also to ensure the mileage fits the driver’s current territory.

Karen Doyon
Corporate Indirect Buyer
Sperian Protection Americas, Inc.

My most pressing issues in managing our fleet include how to satisfy the wishes of our salespeople. They want more options. Fuel costs are another top concern. A third issue is monitoring driver compliance with preventive maintenance schedules and ensuring maintenance is performed on schedule.

Linda Parker
Fleet Manager
Emerson Process Management

Just as for most fleets, the cost of fuel is the most challenging issue for me. Writing fair and comprehensive RFPs is another challenge. I must also work hard to ensure we maintain compliance with government regulations, such as our truck GCWRs.

Bruce Olsen
Fleet Manager
Powder River Energy

"Doing more with less" is a large challenge in fleet management today. Fighting the e-mail management battle, drivers not having time to find obtainable answers, and not having resources readily available are several of the "doing more with less" issues.

Another issue is greening the fleet — what is the right solution for our company? The increasing cost of fuel has us looking at every possible option for economies, including fuel usage, personal contributions, spouse usage, alt-fuel vehicles, hybrids, greenhouse gas emission improvements, etc. We need to continue to balance customer satisfaction and cost management.

Betsy Kupkowski
Senior Fleet Buyer
Schneider/4D Square

Fuel is absolutely the fleet issue that keeps me up at night. After that, risk management and reducing the rate of accidents. Driver training is one way we’re tackling that issue. I would like to see drivers who take "ownership" of their vehicles as corporate assets that help them do their jobs. It’s frustrating to see the lack of care or concern for the company car drivers often show.

Dan Hayes
Fleet Coordinator
Kirby Risk

The top three for me are safety, fuel, and maintenance.

Mark Enos
Fleet Purchasing Manager
MYR Group