LBCAK wrote:rather than putting a system in place that YOU require EVERYONE who uses a vehicle to keep logs and report things, make your department managers responsible. Ask your managers to keep daily inspection logs. When they come in at the start of their shift, ask them to do a visual inspection and check fluids on their department vehicles. Have them log any problems, vehicle miles/hours, and fuel level, and keep the logs in one central location that you have access to. That keeps your eyes on only a handful of people rather than the whole resort. And keep on your department managers, if the logs aren't being filled out, make a point of pulling them aside and explaining how important vehicle maintenance is for the overall operation of the resort, and ask them to please try harder at keeping the log system.
That's basically what we have been doing for the past 10 years. Currently, Depts "own" their own vehicles. The Mangers are, and have been told that they are responsible for the vehicles, logs, condition, accountability, etc. When the subject is broached, (either by me, or by their supervisor (generally a VP), the reaction is the same: Verbal commitment to the system, followed by quickly waning attention. Lasts maybe two weeks.
It is a failure at this resort for two reasons; No accountability (at ANY level) and no "culture" of taking care of equipment. Originally, when I started here, I "owned" all the vehicles. They were checked out daily..but back then, I didn't have the staff (or the wherewithall) to manage it properly so it was more of an inconvenience to the users, than anything. People complained and eventually I "lost control" and trucks were assigned and "given" to departments. That SHOULD have been empowering to the department managers -being trusted w/their own truck. But opportunity was missed becuase the message was not sent out that "you're being trusted and empowered" and also that "you will be held accountable for your trucks' condition and care." So any hope of creating a culture of care for vehicles went away.
At this point the ONLY way to turn it around (with the current "ownership"/log system) is massive punitive punishment of mid level managers by VP and higher, until the mid level managers to front line staff "gets it". And that sucks. No body wants to give out that punishment (and no one will) and noboady wants to get it, that's for sure. My proposal makes "taking trucks away" into a pool again, somewhat plaitable (I think) because what the departments are getting in return is SERVICE. A washed, vacuumed, fueled, safe, clean, good looking truck..every day. No more logs, no more filling out your own incident reports (getting yourself in trouble) no hassle, -it's effortless; just pick up your clean truck every morning, drop if off as-is, every night.
In time, the accountability that this process guarantees will turn the culture around. THEN we coudl go back to depts own trucks...but not sure if anyone would want to, at that point.