Pros and Cons of Using AI to Automate Truck Fleet Management Tasks
Running a truck fleet management company is a significant accomplishment. There are so many commodities around the country that need to be transported with these trucks, and you want to ensure that everything gets to the customer on time and in good working order. However, it can be a challenge to manage these trucks and your drivers while ensuring the proper preventative maintenance and repairs are taken care of. All of these processes take time and a good eye for how everything will work.
One tool you can consider to facilitate these tasks is AI, or artificial intelligence, which can automate some of the truck fleet management duties and make life easier. Some owners are happy to jump right in with this impressive technology, while others are wary and feel there are more negatives than positives to using AI.
Indeed, there are pros and cons to using AI to help automate your truck fleet management tasks. Let’s take a closer look at some of the benefits and cons of utilizing this kind of system on your fleet and whether it will make you more efficient.
The Pros of Using AI to Automate Truck Fleet Management Tasks
There are a lot of benefits to choosing to automate some of your truck fleet management tasks with the help of AI. How successful you are can depend on the type of fleet that you have and what some of your goals are, but some of the benefits you can enjoy from this AI automation include the following:
Streamlines the Maintenance Schedule
You must be able to maintain all of your fleet’s trucks. AI can automate maintenance schedules and other aspects of maintenance to ensure your trucks function properly for a long time, preventing drivers from finding themselves stranded or out of work during lengthy repairs.
However, when you have a large fleet, it is hard to keep up with the maintenance and ensure that it is done on time. With the help of AI, you will know exactly when maintenance is needed for each truck in the fleet.
Performs Real-Time Analytics
All fleet managers need to make sure that their fleet will be safe when it is on the road. With the help of AI, they will be able to ensure that their team is safe on the road as much as possible, making decisions based on predictive analytics from the rate of traffic, weather conditions, and road conditions for you.
Improves Safety for Your Drivers
When you want to make sure that your drivers are as safe as possible, then AI automation is going to be necessary. These AI management tools can help to reduce and even prevent some of the injuries and accidents that are common on the road. They can even detect when drivers are using dangerous driving behaviors while on the road.
Makes Difficult Decisions Easier
Fleet managers have to make many decisions to ensure that their drivers are in the right place at the right time. This takes a good deal of analysis, which is time-consuming and sometimes frustrating. Using AI to make some of these decisions can help you become more efficient and can ensure that your drivers are all in the right place at the right time.
Reduce Labor Requirements
It is hard enough to find some of the truck drivers that you need to help keep your fleet moving. But if you are inefficient with some of the drivers and runs that you have, you will end up needing more trucking professionals than necessary. AI allows you to figure out exactly where to send your labor so you won’t be as inefficient with them.
Increases Security Measures
Fleet management companies must make sure that their fleet operation is under surveillance and is always secure. It can be hard to monitor the fleet if you do not have the right tools, leading to the theft of merchandise and vehicles. Your AI automated system will provide you with more security to ensure that everything stays safe.
The Cons of Using AI to Automate Truck Fleet Management Tasks
While there are a lot of benefits to choosing to use AI to automate some of your management tasks, there are also some drawbacks to this as well. Some of the negatives of using AI to automate truck fleet management tasks include the following:
A High Degree of Cost
It can be expensive to get all the systems set up, especially if you have a large fleet. The AI tool may take some time to learn about your fleet and some of your unique needs, which can slow things down.
AI Takes Time to Implement
You will want to use some of the AI tools right now, but it does take time to implement the system if you are new to the idea and there is often a learning curve. You will have to take your time and evolve to ensure success for a large fleet.
It May Not Adapt Well
While there is a ton that AI can do for your trucking business, it may find certain activities too challenging for its capabilities. If you have unique trucking needs, this tool may not provide some of the benefits you need.
May Not Be As Effective for Smaller Fleets
The time to implement, the costs, and the unique situations may make AI automation a terrible idea if you are a small fleet and want to implement all of it. It may be best to keep your current system as the gain may not be worth the time and money expense.
The Bottom Line
In the end, it can come down to your personal preference on whether you think that using AI to automate some of these tasks is a good idea. Some truck drivers love the versatility and how easy the program is to use. In contrast, others are worried about the costs or taking some of the personalization out of the mix. You will need to research all of the different options to see whether this is the right choice for your fleet.
