Vehicle Fleet management?

[Tom400CFI]

Does anyone work at or know of a resort where rolling vehicles are handled like rental cars? I.e. you check it in and out each day as opposed to just "keeping it" for most or all of the time? Thanks

[LBCAK]

The resort I work at now has it set up like a mechanics shop. Each department "owns" the vehicle, and brings it to us for repair, we then "bill" the department for any work we do on their vehicle.

I used to run the maintenance operations for a lodge in Alaska, and I ran all the vehicles on the check out system. When someone from the resort needed a vehicle, they came to the lot, picked out their vehicle of choice, (provided they were approved and legal for that particular vehicle type), they would then perform a "pre-use inspection", fluids, operation, and general condition, then sign a log stating that they did the inspection and found no problems. The vehicle was under their watch until they signed it back in, and they were held accountable for any damage while it was checked out by them. This enabled me to track miles, fuel, and maintenance issues according to each driver. Made accountability for the vehicles very visible, and I found that people were taking better care of them than if they could take vehicles willy-nilly.

[Tom400CFI]

I used to run the maintenance operations for a lodge in Alaska, and I ran all the vehicles on the check out system. When someone from the resort needed a vehicle, they came to the lot, picked out their vehicle of choice, (provided they were approved and legal for that particular vehicle type), they would then perform a "pre-use inspection", fluids, operation, and general condition, then sign a log stating that they did the inspection and found no problems. The vehicle was under their watch until they signed it back in, and they were held accountable for any damage while it was checked out by them. This enabled me to track miles, fuel, and maintenance issues according to each driver. Made accountability for the vehicles very visible, and I found that people were taking better care of them than if they could take vehicles willy-nilly.

Would you mind telling me the name of that resort/lodge in Alaska? Or PM it to me please? I really apprecaite your response. Thank you.

-Tom

[LBCAK]

I used to run the maintenance operations for a lodge in Alaska, and I ran all the vehicles on the check out system. When someone from the resort needed a vehicle, they came to the lot, picked out their vehicle of choice, (provided they were approved and legal for that particular vehicle type), they would then perform a "pre-use inspection", fluids, operation, and general condition, then sign a log stating that they did the inspection and found no problems. The vehicle was under their watch until they signed it back in, and they were held accountable for any damage while it was checked out by them. This enabled me to track miles, fuel, and maintenance issues according to each driver. Made accountability for the vehicles very visible, and I found that people were taking better care of them than if they could take vehicles willy-nilly.

Would you mind telling me the name of that resort/lodge in Alaska? Or PM it to me please? I really apprecaite your response. Thank you.

-Tom

Kantishna Roadhouse, Denali National Park, AK

We ran 15 Passenger vans, bluebird buses, pickup trucks, ATV's, and heavy equipment.

[Tom400CFI]

Once again, thank you.

One more question if you don't mind; How did you manage that system during hours which the Vehicle shop was not covered? Or did that business not have a 24hr/7 day vehicle needs?

[LBCAK]

Once again, thank you.

One more question if you don't mind; How did you manage that system during hours which the Vehicle shop was not covered? Or did that business not have a 24hr/7 day vehicle needs?

Vehicles weren't needed 24/7. Plus, I lived on site. So if for some reason a vehicle was needed and they needed me to get it ready, I was only about 100 yards from the shop. Otherwise, they knew where the key box and clipboards were. If they were to need a vehicle after shop hours, they would find the correct clipboard, do the pre-op inspection, and take the keys. Every morning I did a daily inspection on the vehicles, and if there was a difference in miles between a vehicle and the log, it was pretty easy to find out who took the vehicle without logging it.

Like I said, when you make the drivers responsible for the overall condition of the vehicle when they bring it back, they pay a lot more attention to making sure everything is squared away. It really made my life a lot easier.

[Tom400CFI]

Like I said, when you make the drivers responsible for the overall condition of the vehicle when they bring it back, they pay a lot more attention to making sure everything is squared away. It really made my life a lot easier.

I COMPLETELY agree. That is why I am asking about this topic. I am in the process of trying to create a system of accountability (and great service) but it's an up hill battle here, for some reason.

We (currently) have vehicle logs. We have sign out systems for trucks...but no one uses either. They take trucks (individual departments have/store their own trucks), don't do logs, don't turn in logs, bash up trucks, and don't report it, don't fuel them, don't clean them. It's a circus...and it costs us dearly.

We run a 24/7 operation so one of my "barriers" is figuring out how to provide 24/7 coverage...at no cost. Don't know how to pull that off.

The system that you had in place in AK is somewhere in between what I am doing now, and what I'd like to ultimately have in place. Once again, I appreciate the input. Thanks a bunch!

-Tom

[Canadianbombar]

Hey Tom,

How about having a front desk at a resort owned property act as the "rental agency" during the evening (I assume covering evenings is your problem?). At the resort I work for we typically task the front desk with this and that during the evening as they're not that busy with guests late night.

J.P.

[LBCAK]

Like I said, when you make the drivers responsible for the overall condition of the vehicle when they bring it back, they pay a lot more attention to making sure everything is squared away. It really made my life a lot easier.

I COMPLETELY agree. That is why I am asking about this topic. I am in the process of trying to create a system of accountability (and great service) but it's an up hill battle here, for some reason.

We (currently) have vehicle logs. We have sign out systems for trucks...but no one uses either. They take trucks (individual departments have/store their own trucks), don't do logs, don't turn in logs, bash up trucks, and don't report it, don't fuel them, don't clean them. It's a circus...and it costs us dearly.

We run a 24/7 operation so one of my "barriers" is figuring out how to provide 24/7 coverage...at no cost. Don't know how to pull that off.

The system that you had in place in AK is somewhere in between what I am doing now, and what I'd like to ultimately have in place. Once again, I appreciate the input. Thanks a bunch!

-Tom

Mind if I ask what sort of resort you work at? I cant imagine a ski hill being 24/7 vehicle operations in the summer, but who knows!

If I were in this situation, I would start with the smallest number of people to deal with. For example, 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. It's only a few minutes out of their day to prevent a vehicle from being out of service for days or longer. (I have always had better luck asking nicely for someone to do something they don't want to do. When I TOLD them, they were slow to follow.)

It all sounds great on here, who knows whats best until you try things. Especially for your own resort. I am going to keep thinking about this and see if I can come up with anything else. We keep the vehicles pretty well organized on 3 mountains here, so there must some good ideas I can share...

I've been home from my honeymoon for about 30 minutes now and I am tired. Time to get some sleep!

Good Luck!

[Tom400CFI]

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.