Choosing the Right Fleet Vehicles

Learn how to handle fleet vehicle life cycling

1. Understand the life cycling process

   Life cycling refers to the process of replacing fleet vehicles before depreciation and maintenance start to cost more than acquiring new vehicles. Having a consistent vehicle life cycling strategy in place saves money in the long run.

2. Understand the connection between life cycling and operating costs

   When the optimal point to remove vehicles from your fleet has passed, maintenance costs will begin to rise due to the age and mileage of the vehicle. Combined with accelerating depreciation, this will lead to overall higher costs than if you were to cycle out the vehicles for newer ones.

3. Find balance between depreciation and market value

   The optimal cycling point occurs when the vehicle's maintenance costs are still low and the depreciated value is equal to the market value of the vehicle.

4. Work with a fleet specialist who can optimize the life cycling process for you

   At Ewald, our fleet management specialists are experts in the life cycling process. Speak with a specialist to develop a life cycling strategy for your business.

Learn how to choose fleet vehicles based on need

1. List the roles and purpose of each fleet vehicle

   It's important to understand the purpose of every fleet vehicle before deciding on the make, model or upfitting requirements. Optimizing for comfort will result in a different vehicle choice than optimizing for moving cargo, for example.

2. Consult fleet drivers

   Your employees have the most experience with vehicles in the field. Ask them what their needs are, and work to balance these with the needs of your company and your overall budget. Getting driver input will help improve employee satisfaction, and satisfied employees take better care of fleet vehicles.

3. Speak with a fleet management professional

   At Ewald Fleet Solutions, our fleet professionals specialize in helping companies decide on the right vehicles to fill any need. We take an unbiased approach to fleet leasing, considering all makes, models, and upfitting options when choosing the best vehicles for our customers.

Learn how to choose fleet vehicles based on price

1. Start by determining the vehicle's end purpose

   Choosing fleet vehicles based solely on price will end up costing more in the long run if they aren't the right ones for the job. Carefully considering each vehicle's end purpose will ensure you don't spend money on a vehicle that hinders your employee's work or that you'll end up needing to replace. Getting the right vehicle for the job should always come before considering cost.

2. Speak to fleet drivers

   Fleet drivers who use vehicles daily have the most experience operating them and can provide valuable insights on the day-to-day needs of the job.

3. Consider the long term costs

   Choosing an older or less expensive vehicle can seem attractive at first, but the higher maintenance and fuel costs associated with older vehicles will increase your fleet's total cost of ownership in the long run.

4. Determine which upfitting options are needed

   Upfitting options like ladder racks, tailgate ramps, and glass racks should be factored in when considering the overall cost of a leased vehicle.

5. Meet with a fleet management professional

   At Ewald, our fleet management professionals specialize in finding the right, fit-for-purpose fleet vehicles for your budget, while taking the long term needs of your fleet into account."