A major way a small business tries to grow into an enterprise is expansion, be it locations, partnering up with more brands, or even expanding its fleet. Actually, the fleet is more costly than you’d probably even expect. Not just time, but money too. And while it starts out harmless; for example, a driver swings by a station “real quick,” dispatch adds one extra stop because a customer called late, somebody spends ten minutes hunting down a receipt that should’ve been uploaded days ago, and the day still looks fine on paper.
As you can see here, nothing’s on fire, everyone’s moving, the phones are getting answered, so it feels like business as usual. But you see the waste in time? Usually, it’s these tiny little leaks that stack up until the week feels tight for no reason. What could be these little “leaks” though?
The Time Loss Usually Hides in “Normal” Detours
Sometimes you really can’t prevent detours, sure you need route planning, but sometimes there’s just no other option, especially if there’s road work and there’s only one way. That’s just how it is, that’s the reality. But it’s not just that. It’s so many other things, too.
You need to think about the fuel runs, the extra miles because someone missed a turn or avoided traffic, sometimes a “quick” supply stop. Maybe a vehicle getting sent across town because it’s the closest available, even if it’s not the best choice. Those little choices rarely feel like a problem in the moment, but they create a pattern.
A fleet doesn’t just lose time in minutes; it loses time in interruptions. Every detour breaks momentum, pushes the schedule, and increases the odds that the next job runs behind. As you can see, there’s this domino effect that happens.
How are the Fueling Habits?
This one was briefly mentioned, and it deserves to have some more details. Fueling is one of those areas where the business can bleed time without noticing because it’s so routine. Just think about it for a moment, maybe a driver leaves the route, sits in line, fuels up, runs inside for a receipt, then gets back on the road. Okay, so now, go ahead and multiply that by vehicles, days, and weeks, and the time loss becomes obvious fast.
This is also where fleets end up weighing options like onsite fuel delivery vs. gas stations. Well, it’s not really a trendy efficiency move, but because of the constant “go fuel up” interruptions that can wreck productivity when routes are tight or job sites are spread out.
Besides, with gas stations, there are lines, you’re waiting on other customers, and depending on the size of your fleet, that might not be worth it (and you’re having to drive back and forth to the nearest gas station, which also costs money).
Admin Drag is a Major Issue
But how would this even be a problem? Well, drivers calling in for basic info, dispatch re-checking addresses that should already be confirmed, someone manually entering mileage, receipts, or fuel logs because the system didn’t get updated.
There’s usually a lot of back and forth with all of this, and maybe even repeated interruptions, the waiting. All of this takes time, and some of it causes delays within the day.
Photo by RDNE Stock project
