Fleet Management Solution

 

I hope this message finds you well. I understand there has been some confusion regarding the current status of our vehicle reservation grid display, and I want to assure you that addressing these concerns is a high priority. Clear and transparent communication is essential to the success of this initiative, and I am committed to providing you with an accurate and comprehensive update. In this context, I have prepared an SBAR (Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation) summary to ensure we are all aligned and to facilitate informed decision-making as we move forward.
 
Situation:
The West Texas leadership team has expressed concerns regarding the new FleetCommander vehicle reservation system, also known as AgileFleet. Unlike the previous system, FleetCommander lacks a visual display of vehicle availability, which was essential for end-users to identify carpool opportunities and coordinate item transportation between campuses efficiently. This functionality is critical for optimizing resource use and improving inter-campus logistics.
 
Background:
The previous system for vehicle reservations, developed in-house by Clark Evans, served our organization for several years but has now reached the end of its software lifecycle. This legacy system exhibited several significant limitations that adversely impacted our Fleet Manager and the team responsible for managing campus fleet vehicles. Key issues included:
 
·         Imbalanced Vehicle Usage: Some vehicles were used exclusively, while others remained underutilized. This skewed usage pattern strained the leasing agreements for heavily used vehicles and accelerated their maintenance requirements.
·         Tracking Limitations: The system lacked the capability for the Fleet Manager to monitor instances when employees needed a vehicle but none were available. This deficiency made it challenging to gather concrete data to support the justification for expanding the fleet.
·         Manual Processes: Automation was absent for critical tasks such as mileage reporting, maintenance tracking, leasing mileage, and annual tag updates. Consequently, the Fleet team was burdened with time-consuming manual data entry and tracking.
 
During the RFP process, these limitations were pivotal in our evaluation of potential vendors. Although some vendors provided more visually appealing interfaces, they did not meet our comprehensive requirements. FleetCommander was selected for its superior usability, automation capabilities, and integration with our broader needs.
 
However, the "Car Pool" feature in FleetCommander, designed to address carpooling needs, has not been well-received. The feature operates through a message board format that requires users to actively check postings, which has led to low engagement and increasing user dissatisfaction.
 
To address these issues, Carrie Bernal, Kristin Sondermann, and I met on Wednesday, June 12th, to discuss the feasibility of developing an internal dashboard to display the reservation system in a grid format similar to the previous system. I have since initiated discussions with vendor representatives to explore this possibility.
 
Assessment:
Following a detailed discussion with the vendor and providing them with specific examples of the desired graphical interface format, it has been confirmed that such an enhancement is not currently planned for future updates by the vendor. Additionally, the existing FleetCommander system lacks the capability to export data in an API format that we could leverage to develop an independent dashboard. However, the vendor has submitted an enhancement request on our behalf to evaluate the feasibility of developing a data export function for our use.
In the interim, we have identified a few potential options to address the immediate needs:
1.      Manual Interaction: We can create a dashboard using existing reporting capabilities within the FleetCommander system. This would necessitate manual extraction of reservation details and feeding this data into the dashboard. However, this method would result in static information, only reflecting data available at the time of report generation and would not dynamically update vehicle availability.
2.      End-User Education: By collaborating with Learning and Development, we can develop and implement a training course focused on the "Car Pool" feature. Despite being included in the initial training, its usage has been minimal. Regular reminders and targeted training could enhance utilization, especially among infrequent users of the system.
3.      Encourage the Use of Email: Reinforcing the use of the existing Fleet team email for carpool inquiries or inter-campus transportation needs could be another interim solution. While this may increase the Fleet team's workload and create ambiguity regarding response responsibilities, it provides a direct communication channel for immediate assistance.
While these options present varying degrees of benefits and drawbacks, they offer immediate, albeit imperfect, solutions to our current limitations. Further exploration may reveal additional viable strategies, and we remain committed to finding the most effective interim solution until a permanent enhancement is available.
Recommendation:  
I have reached out to the vendor to schedule a meeting between our Application Engineers and the vendor's Implementation Manager. We aim to identify additional options that have not been realized thus far. While these discussions are ongoing, I recommend a two-pronged approach to alleviate end-user difficulties:
1.      End-User Education: Schedule training sessions and highlight resources available to our end-users. This will empower them with the necessary knowledge to navigate the application more effectively.
2.      Encourage Email Use: Promote the use of email as a primary communication channel for support requests and troubleshooting. This can streamline the process and provide a documented trail of issues and resolutions.
As we gather further insights from these efforts, I will keep you informed to ensure a clear and comprehensive understanding of the situation.
Thank you for your attention to this matter. I believe the steps outlined provide a structured approach to addressing the concerns raised by the West Texas leadership team. By engaging with the vendor to explore additional options and focusing on enhancing end-user education and communication channels, we are poised to mitigate immediate challenges effectively. I will continue to monitor progress closely and provide updates as we work towards a sustainable solution that aligns with our operational needs. Should you have any further questions or require additional information, please do not hesitate to reach out. Your continued support in this endeavor is greatly appreciated.