The First 90 Days With a New Fleet Vehicle: What Businesses Should Track

Many small trade businesses start with employees using their own vehicles for occasional work-related driving. As the company grows, however, there may come a point when dedicated company work vehicles make more sense. There isn't a universal fleet size where that transition should happen. The better question is whether personal vehicles still fit the way the business operates. When Personal Vehicles Can Work For occasional business driving, using employee-owned vehicles can be a practical arrangement. Businesses may reimburse employees for qualifying business mileage or vehicle expenses under an appropriate reimbursement policy. However, occasional trips are different from asking an employee's personal vehicle to function as a work vehicle every day. Look at What Employees Are Actually Doing As field work increases, consider how employees are using their personal vehicles. Are they regularly traveling between job sites? Carrying company tools or materials? Making frequent customer visits? Towing or transporting equipment? Putting substantial business mileage on their own vehicles? If business use has become a major part of the vehicle's daily role, it may be worth evaluating whether a company-owned vehicle is a better fit. Company Vehicles Give the Business More Control With a company-owned work vehicle, the business chooses the vehicle based on the work it needs to perform. The company can also establish consistent policies for authorized drivers, maintenance, fuel, vehicle use, and equipment. That's different from relying on employees' personal vehicles, which may vary considerably in age, condition, capability, and suitability for the work. Insurance should also be reviewed carefully whenever employees drive for business, whether they use personal or company vehicles. The appropriate coverage depends on the business and how the vehicles are used. Consider the Employee Side Too Regularly using a personal vehicle for work can mean additional mileage and wear for the employee. A reimbursement program can address qualifying business vehicle expenses, but it doesn't necessarily answer the broader operational question of whether an employee's personal car or truck is the right vehicle for the job. As a company adds crews or expands its service territory, providing work vehicles may become part of building the infrastructure needed to support field operations. Plan for the Transition to Company Vehicles Moving to company-owned vehicles gives a business greater control over how its work vehicles are selected, maintained, and used. It also means bringing expenses such as insurance, maintenance, registration, fuel or charging, and fleet administration into the company's operating plan. Clear vehicle-use policies are important as well. If employees are allowed to commute or use company vehicles personally, there may be tax and recordkeeping considerations depending on the circumstances, so businesses should work with their tax and insurance professionals when establishing those policies. Planning for these responsibilities from the beginning can help a business build a fleet that supports its crews and continues to work as the company grows. Is your business reaching the point where dedicated work vehicles make sense? Connect with the Jet Chevrolet team at (253) 336-4216 to discuss your commercial vehicle needs. Do More. Save More. Experience MORE. Final Thoughts Employee-owned vehicles can work well when business driving is limited. But, as crews spend more time on the road and vehicles become more important to daily operations, dedicated company work trucks may deserve a closer look. Consider how often employees drive for work, what they're carrying, what the job requires, and how much control the business needs over its vehicles. The right time to build a company fleet is different for every business, but the decision should follow how the company actually operates.

As a business grows, knowing when to add another work vehicle isn’t always obvious. A contractor may have enough trucks most days but run short when multiple crews need to be in different places. Another business may have vehicles sitting often enough that adding another one doesn’t make sense yet. That’s where fleet sizing comes in. Fleet sizing is about matching the number and types of commercial vehicles you operate to the work your business actually performs. Start With How Your Vehicles Are Actually Used Mileage alone doesn’t tell you whether your fleet is the right size. A local service van may accumulate relatively few miles while still being needed every day. Instead, look at how frequently each vehicle is needed. Are most working every day? Are certain trucks constantly requested by multiple employees? Are others regularly sitting unused? The goal is to understand whether your current fleet has enough capacity to support the work your crews are ready to perform. Watch for Vehicle Scheduling Conflicts One of the clearest signs that a business may be outgrowing its fleet is when vehicle availability starts affecting scheduling. Watch for situations like: Two crews regularly needing the same vehicle Employees waiting for a vehicle before leaving for a job Jobs being scheduled around vehicle availability Frequent vehicle reassignment between crews A specialized truck being unavailable when needed An occasional conflict is normal. When it becomes routine, vehicle availability may be creating a bottleneck. Think in Crews, Not Just Employees Ten employees don’t necessarily require ten vehicles. A service business with technicians traveling independently may need more vehicles than a contractor whose employees travel together in crews. A better question is: How many crews need to operate independently at the same time? Then consider what each crew needs to carry, tow or access throughout the day. Plan for Growth Your current workload isn't the only factor. If you're hiring technicians, adding another crew, expanding your service territory or taking on more work, your vehicle needs may grow along with the business. Ideally, vehicle planning happens alongside hiring and expansion, not after a new employee is ready to work and there isn't an appropriate vehicle available. Make Sure You Have the Right Mix of Vehicles Fleet sizing isn't only about how many vehicles you have. It's also about what those vehicles can do. Service vans, pickups, towing vehicles and specialized work trucks may serve completely different roles. A business can have enough vehicles overall and still experience shortages if too few are equipped for a particular job. Also consider what happens when a key vehicle is unavailable for maintenance or repairs. If losing one truck immediately disrupts the schedule, that may be worth factoring into future fleet planning. When Does Adding Another Vehicle Make Sense? Before expanding your fleet, consider: Are vehicle conflicts happening regularly? Are you adding another independently operating crew? Is the business expanding into a larger service area? Do you need capabilities your existing vehicles don't provide? Would another vehicle allow your team to complete additional work? Is the need consistent rather than just seasonal? If there’s a clear answer, it may be time to evaluate additional fleet capacity. Why Western Washington Businesses Work With Jet Chevrolet Located in Federal Way along the I-5 corridor, Jet Chevrolet works with commercial customers throughout Western Washington, including Federal Way, Tacoma, Kent, Auburn, Puyallup, Olympia, Seattle, Bellevue, Renton, Everett and Lynnwood. As part of Dinsmore Auto Group, Jet Chevrolet is locally owned and family operated. Our commercial team works with businesses to evaluate vehicle options based on their work and fleet requirements. Do More. Save More. Experience MORE. As your business adds employees, crews, customers or service areas, your commercial vehicle needs may change with it. Planning to add another work truck or commercial vehicle? Connect with the Jet Chevrolet team at (253) 336-4216 to discuss your fleet needs. Final Thoughts There isn't one vehicle-to-employee ratio that works for every business. The right fleet size depends on how your crews operate, what your vehicles need to accomplish and where your business is headed. When vehicle availability starts limiting the work your team is ready to perform, it may be time to consider adding capacity.

When choosing a heavy-duty work truck, one of the biggest decisions is whether to go with a gasoline or diesel engine. Neither is automatically better. The right choice depends on what the truck will actually be asked to do. For fleet buyers, the best place to start is with the job rather than the engine. Start With How the Truck Will Be Used Before choosing gas or diesel, consider: How frequently the truck will tow The trailers it needs to handle Typical cargo and passenger loads Daily driving conditions How the vehicle will be used throughout the workweek A truck primarily carrying crews and equipment between job sites may have different requirements than one regularly towing substantial trailers. When a Gas Work Truck May Make Sense A gas-powered truck can be a practical choice when its capabilities match the work the business needs to perform. Businesses using trucks for job-site travel, carrying crews and equipment, or towing within the vehicle's rated capabilities shouldn't assume diesel is necessary simply because the vehicle is used commercially. The important question is whether the specific truck and configuration can safely handle the work required of it. When Diesel May Make Sense Diesel deserves consideration when a business has more demanding towing requirements. Diesel engines offered in many heavy-duty pickups can provide greater torque than comparable gasoline engine options, which can make them worth considering for more demanding towing applications. That doesn't mean every business that tows needs diesel. The actual trailer, frequency of towing, vehicle configuration, and operating requirements should guide the decision. Look Beyond the Engine The engine isn't the only factor that determines what truck fits a certain job. Cab and bed configuration, drivetrain, equipment, passengers, cargo, trailer type, and installed accessories can all affect a vehicle's capabilities. Fuel costs, purchase price, maintenance requirements, expected ownership period, and utilization can also affect the financial side of the decision. Rather than assuming gas or diesel will always cost less, businesses should evaluate those factors based on their own expected use. Check the Specific Vehicle Published maximum towing figures shouldn't automatically be treated as the capability of every truck in a model line. Before purchasing a work truck for towing or hauling, review the ratings and documentation for the specific vehicle and configuration being considered. Comparing gas and diesel work trucks for your business? Connect with the Jet Chevrolet team at (253) 336-4216 to discuss your commercial vehicle needs. Do More. Save More. Experience MORE. Final Thoughts Gas versus diesel isn't about which engine is universally better. A gas work truck may provide everything one business needs, while a diesel may be better suited to another operation with more demanding towing requirements. Start with the work the truck needs to perform, then compare the specifications and ratings of the specific vehicles you're considering.