Controlling Dispersed Fleets
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/N the last two articles of this series appropriate forms have been described for recording commercial vehicle operation and traffic movement, particularly where a modest .expansion in the size of fleet has occurred. Prior to such a stage it may be possible to manage with the absolute minimum of paper work demanded by statutory requirements whilst otherwise relying on verbal instructions and memory.
There are, however, obvious limitations to such a procedure, if it can be so termed, and for this reason recommended daily log sheets, vehicle weekly summary sheets and fleet summary sheets have already been described. These are appropriate for use where a modest and gradual expansion of a fleet has occurred.
In general terms in this connection it could be claimed that expansion of fleets falls into three groups. As already mentioned, the first stage is that of owner-driver or, at most, a fleet of two or three vehicles. The second stage coincides with a size of fleet where a proper recording system becomes essential. In the third and final stage the acquisition of one or more outlying depots raises new problems. Thus, where only one depot is concerned, vehicles available for service but not in use are visually apparent, but some form of recording of this important information becomes necessary as soon as one or more depots are acquired.
Whilst the problems of expansion are considerable even when the expansion occurs gradually, developments in trade and industry generally in recent years have often resulted in the creation of large fleets of commercial vehicles virtually overnight. This, of course, has resulted from the many mergers and takeovers which have taken place in recent years.
Although in many such cases the day-to-day control from headquarters of all vehicles in such a newly created fleet is not contemplated or even possible, nevertheless, if the overall higher efficiency for which the merger presumably took place is to be achieved, then a greater utilization of vehicles must be obtained. To achieve this an adequate recording system must be installed,
As distinct from transport fleets serving the needs of stable trades and industries, a substantial and increasing number of commercial vehicles are employed on building and engineering contracts. Whilst many of the larger contractors, because of their size, are able to provide continuous employment for both men and vehicles, the actual location of work naturally changes frequently as one contract is completed and another commenced. Here again an adequate recording system of fleet location is essential, particularly when, as is often the case, several contracts in varying stages of completion at different sites are being maintained both with vehicles and other supplies from a central depot.
Depot Summary Sheet
To meet these requirements the following depot summary sheet is described. Whilst this particular example is intended for return daily to headquarters there could be occasions when a weekly sheet might be considered adequate. As emphasized in the previous article the basic documents in a recording system would be concerned with the operation of individual vehicles. But from the results thereby obtained there is frequently a need for a record of\overall fleet activity in addition.
This depot summary sheet is a fleet record, though limited to the vehicles located at individual depots.
Because, like many other forms in a transport recording system, this depot summary sheet is intended for internal use only, the initials of the company concerned with a form identification number alongside briefly stated at the left top corner is adequate as a means of distinguishing one form from another. In the centre of the heading, Daily (or weekly where applicable) Depot Summary Sheet would appear. In the right top corner provision would be made for three entries. The first would denote the particular depot or site, the second the operators concerned (when associated companies or contractors were involved), whilst the third would be the date of the particular sheet.
Not Chronological Under this main heading the form would be ruled vertically into at least 11 columns. Horizontally, the number of rulings would be determined by the maximum size of fleet at any one depot with an adequate margin for expansion over the foreseeable future, so ensuring a reasonable life for this particular recording system once it has been set up.
Also to allow for possible changes in the future, or individual operator's special requirements, the first vertical column is left blank. The second column is headed "Vehicle fleet number ". As pointed out last week, if a fleet-numbering system based on types rather than chronological acquisition has been adopted, then the listing of vehicles on this summary sheet in numerical order will simultaneously arrange them in type groups. This, in turn, will facilitate comparison with a view to a more economic re-arrangement of the fleet at the several depots.
The next major column is devoted to fuel consumption. Because fuel is a major item in transport costs and, moreover, is accumulative day by day, the provision of bulk fuel supply at each and every depot will generally apply. But whilst substantial economies can be effected by the purchasing of fuel in bulk an adequate fuel recording system, particularly where such fuel supplies are dispersed at several depots, must be in operation if such potential economies are to be, in fact, realized.
Apart from ensuring that the bulk fuel supplies are used for authorized purposes only, a further objective in the recording system is to see that all individual deliveries, possibly from more than one depot, are recorded to the correct vehicle. For this reason the main column "Fuel consumed" is sub-divided (with variations as appropriate) into possibly four sub-columns as follows: "Home depot ", "Other depots ", "Outside supplier" and "Total gallons issued ".
The next major column would provide for entry of the daily mileage, whilst alongside would follow a record of the vehicle's m.p.g. Lubricating oil would then be recorded in the next column. A wider column would be provided to permit the entry of a brief record as to the work or journey undertaken that day by the vehicle. Finally, in some instances, a record of the vehicle driver's name would be useful additional information, particularly where a policy of one driver to one vehicle applies.
A separate Fuel Issues sheet will be described later but in addition to this it will be found convenient to attach at the foot of the Daily Depot Summary Sheet, a record of the current fuel stock_ If convenient, this attachment could be
perforated, so that after preliminary checking it could be separated from the main sheet for the convenience of the separate departments which might be dealing with these records.
According to the size of the depots involved this record of current fuel stock would be divided vertically into the same number of columns as the number of fuels held at the depot. Thus, for example, such columns might be headed "Dery tank No, 1," "Dery tank No. 2," "Petrol tank No. 1," "Engine oil tank No, I " and so on.
Horizontally this fuel stock return would be divided into eight. From top to bottom these lines would be termed: Meter reading to finish, meter reading to start, difference, dip of tank to start, quantity received, total, dip of tank to finish, and difference.
Resulting from the entries made on the Fuel Stock sheet it is possible to obtain the several quantities of fuel issued from the various pumps and so compare them with the total amount issued to individual vehicles as entered in the Daily Depot Summary Sheet. It is in fact, to facilitate rapid checking of the two amounts (which should obviously be the same) that the Fuel Stock sheet is, in the first instance, attached to the Depot Summary.
Having made this initial check of quantities as shown by the meter, it is still necessary to agree these totals with the physical, i.e. dip, check of the quantity remaining in the various tanks. Here again the totals derived from the meter figures and by deduction of tank dips at start and finish, should produce the same amounts. Apart from relatively minor percentage allowances for evaporation in the case of petrol supplies at certain temperatures, any other discrepancies would require immediate examination. The existence of a daily record such as this makes prompt action possible should the occasion arise.
Ensuring Maximum Utilization As stated earlier, where a fleet of commercial vehicles are dispersed at a number of depots it is more than ever necessary to ensure that maximum utilization is achieved. With this in view it is necessary for headquarters to have up-to-date information available not only as to the work done by vehicles the previous day, but also the reason for any vehicle not being on service. Accordingly, an exception is made in designing this Daily Depot Summary Sheet by providing for information to be entered on the reverse side. Under the main heading "Vehicles not on service '" there will be three vertical columns headed from left to right—" Cause," " Fleet numbers" and "Total no. vehicles".
There then follows eight horizontal sections as follow: Available but not required, Servicing, Routine maintenance, Major repairs, Painting or bodywork, Accidents, Unlicensed, and Other causes, Beneath this there would be a brief summary showing total vehicles on service and not on service. Correspondingly, the previous day's fleet totals would be entered together with a record of vehicles either received or transferred to other depots during the day, so giving the final fleet total for that day. Where the interchange of vehicles between depots justifies the procedure, particulars of vehicles transferred could be listed.
Again, according to the overall size of the organization and the extent to which the company concerned undertook its own maintenance, the final section on this reverse side of the Daily Depot Summary Sheet could be devoted to "Spare parts required and not obtainable at depot ". Under this heading will be provided details of the spare parts and the type of vehicle for which they were required. According to the urgency of the particular repair job such information might well appear to duplicate probable telephone requests, but a written request in this simple form would not only reiterate the need but substantiate the fact that a request had been made should the need arise.
Stated in this manner relative to one spare part for one vehicle, the procedure may seem unnecessary, but actually when applied to a fleet of vehicles dispersed on a nation-wide basis, a regularized system 'is essential.
Moreover, as the size of fleet increases—possibly to several hundreds where national companies are concerned—the benefits from bulk buying and a centralized headquarters store are correspondingly increased. As a result requests from depots to headquarters for spare parts will become more frequent.
Printed in Duplicate This Daily Depot Summary Sheet would normally be printed in duplicate with the top copy being returned to headquarters daily, whilst the carbon copy remains in the book kept at the depot. There may, however, be occasions when some operators would have need of a second copy at headquarters with the printing being arranged accordingly.
Regarding the recommended Daily Fuel Pump Issues Sheet, it will again be assumed that more than one depot is involved so that the entries in tfie right top corner of the heading are devoted to the name of the particular depot, the company concerned (where associated companies are involved) and the date.
The main section of the form could be divided into nine columns, with the first one remaining blank for any subsequent addition. In the second column would be entered the fleet numbers of the vehicles fuelled, followed by the opening and closing meter readings of the pump. In the next column the total amount of fuel issued to each vehicle is entered, obtained by the deduction of one meter reading from the other. Similarly, the quantity of oil issued can also be entered in the next column followed by the signature of the driver of the vehicle concerned. Finally, there follows two columns for entry of the time of filling and mileometer readings of the vehicle. Whilst the entries in the last two columns may not at first sight appear directly relevant to the issue of fuel, they can serve a very useful function in tracking the movements of vehicles between depots.
As with the Daily Depot Summary Sheet the actual number of ,horizontal lines of this Daily Fuel Issue Sheet would naturally be determined by the maximum number of vehicles likely, to be fuelled at any one depot, with some margin for reserve. The issue for the day would be totalled at the foot of the sheet and would have to be reconciled with amounts in the Fuel Stock section of the Daily Depot Summary Sheet.