Depending on the business type, you might need a vehicle or a fleet of fit-for-purpose business vehicles for your daily operation. This means the first automobile you see may not be the best option. Fleet providers such as SG Fleet know a business vehicle should be suitable for your budget, operational requirements, and long-term goals. This makes vehicle shopping trickier than you think. Or is it?
Purpose
Commercial vehicles can be a regular sedan, van or Ute, depending on your needs. The first step to the selection process is understanding a vehicle’s primary purpose.
- If you’re transporting goods, you need to take into account the weight and size of the goods to help you decide whether to get a van, truck or Ute.
- If you’re in the business of transporting passengers, you need to think about the average number of people to move and the frequency of use. Will it cost you more to carry one passenger at short distances or multiple people on long-haul drives?
- Consider how often (or seldom) the vehicle is used and choose accordingly. When used for daily operations, you’ll save on running costs with a more reliable vehicle that may be initially expensive.
- Take into account the distance, routes, and cargo requirements to ensure the right vehicle is used without violating any road or driving rules.
Return on Investment
What’s great about a vehicle used for business is that you can claim tax deductions for it, which already means you’re looking at a good ROI. But you can still recoup more with the right automobile.
- Carefully think about how the running costs between different vehicles can affect your bottom line. It may be more cost-efficient to drive a small car than a 4X4 dual cab, for example.
- For employee-use vehicles, be specific on restrictions and limitations. Can staff use the same car for personal use outside of office or operating hours?
- When in doubt, run a ‘fit for purpose’ analysis that will look into various factors, such as driver profile, passenger profile, weight & size capacity, safety equipment, driving patterns, travel conditions, and more.
Fuel Economy
What’s the point of weighing in the ROI if your fleet guzzles fuel like there’s no tomorrow?
- Understand and practice fleet rightsizing to ensure your business operates efficiently while saving on fuel costs
- Take advantage of fleet fuel cards or similar programmes to help lower your company’s fuel usage
- Always include the cost of upkeep and maintenance when calculating operational cost
Safety and Compliance
Choosing safe and compliant vehicles is a reflection of how you value workplace health and safety responsibilities. You can start the selection process based on Australia’s top car brands, but it shouldn’t end there.
- Check on how a vehicle ranks based on the ANCAP safety rating and choose those that rank the highest in terms of safety.
- Look into safety features, such as automatic emergency braking, blind spot detection, stability control, and pedestrian & hazard detection.
- Minimise risks by choosing models suited for the primary purpose of the business vehicle.
- Ensure your fleet is compliant with environmental guidelines and driving standards.
Armed with the information above, you can choose a fleet that matches the needs of your day-to-day operations. To help simplify the selection process, consult with SG Fleet, Australia’s leading provider of fleet management and mobility solutions.
