The Essentials of Weekly Reporting for Smaller Fleets: Reducing Empty Miles and Deadhead

As a safety or compliance manager, you may often find yourself under pressure to keep up with audits while also focusing on reducing empty miles and deadhead. The good news is that by using dispatch analytics and prioritizing the right numbers on a weekly basis, you can hit all these targets.

Which Numbers Should You Monitor Every Week?

Not all fleet reporting metrics need your attention every week. However, certain numbers such as empty miles, utilization rates of drivers/trucks/trailers, and dollars-per-mile are vital to track weekly:

• Empty Miles: This is the number of miles driven with an empty trailer. High empty miles can significantly impact your profitability and it's important to monitor this on a weekly basis to reduce unnecessary costs.
• Utilization Rates: Keep track of how much your drivers, trucks, and trailers are being used. Low utilization signifies inefficiency which can affect your bottom line.
• Dollars-Per-Mile: This measures how much revenue you're making per mile. Tracking this metric weekly will help identify unprofitable routes and make necessary adjustments.

The powerful VivaFleet.com software provides clear insights into these metrics in the form of trucking reports, helping you make informed decisions quickly.

Acting on Your Weekly Numbers

Gathering data is only the first step. The real value lies in interpreting this data and taking the necessary actions. For instance, if your weekly report points to high empty miles, it might indicate a need for better route planning or more efficient dispatching.

FAQs

Q: How can I reduce my fleet’s deadhead? A: Efficient delivery management and advanced route mapping can help you minimize deadhead. Additionally, using VivaFleet’s dispatch board allows you to quickly match loads with drivers, thus further reducing deadhead.

Q: Why should I monitor these metrics on a weekly basis, not monthly? A: Weekly monitoring allows you to spot issues earlier and make corrections before they significantly impact your profitability. Waiting a whole month could result in larger losses that take more time and effort to recover from.