Fleet management trends for 2022

The past two years brought with them a new set of challenges and trends for the fleet industry, mostly influenced by the pandemic. As we move through the last quarter of 2021, we look towards the next year and delve into the anticipated fleet management trends for 2022.

Increased Buying

One of the largest problems fleets faced in 2020 and 2021 was product and part availability. When the pandemic hit, supply chains in almost every industry were compromised, resulting in low availability and skyrocketing prices.

This supply chain shortage resulted in fleets being unable to buy the quantity of assets they had anticipated for 2021. It’s forecasted that many fleets will be playing catch up in 2022 with vehicle replacement volumes, with most looking to replace the ageing models that they couldn’t get rid of the previous year.

The way in which fleets buy is also expected to change. With the pandemic in full swing, fleet managers looked to online sources for asset purchasing. Online sales of vehicles soared in 2020 and continued into this year, with physical vehicle dealerships feeling the strain.

Technological Advances

Driverless cars might still be some time away, but many vehicles are utilising technology to enhance the driving experience.

From advanced cruise control and precise navigation apps to health and wellbeing features such as in-car air purification, street pollution analysis and massage functionality to improve circulation and reduce stress on long drives, 2022 is expected to be a revolutionary year when it comes to in-vehicle tech.

Increased Maintenance Expenses

Chain supply issues in 2020 and 2021 caused part prices to soar, and this isn’t expected to change any time soon. This, combined with workshops losing out on work through the pandemic, means that costs for maintenance are expected to be higher in 2022.

Like many businesses within the industry, maintenance providers will be looking to make up the losses they incurred due to the pandemic. A shortage of technicians combined with inflation and an increased demand means that labour prices will be on the up.

An increase in vehicle complexity over the past few years is also a contributing factor, as workshops require more highly-skilled technicians to work on vehicles with smarter integrated technology.

EV Expansions

Electric Vehicles are nothing new, but with deadlines on CO2 initiatives drawing closer and EV infrastructure across the globe increasing and improving, the move for fleets towards EVs seems inevitable.

For a long time, a fleet of EVs was viewed as an expensive impossibility, but with subsidies and tax breaks in many countries, an electric fleet can be on par with the cost of a non-electric fleet. Whilst not a viable option for every business just yet, purchases of electric vehicles are expected to be on the rise in 2022.

Remote Working

Working from home became the new normal for many people throughout 2020 and 2021. With offices across the globe forced to shut due to Covid-19, fleet managers had to rethink the structure of their teams and the way they communicated with them.

It’s forecasted that 25 – 30% of the workforce will be working from home by the end of the year, with that number expected to continue well into 2022. Fleet managers must adapt to this new way of working, and smart fleet management software provides a great suite of tools to help manage a remote team. An innovative system such as FleetWave will allow you to gain control over every aspect of your fleet with total visibility over your team and your assets at all times.

Want to learn more about how fleet management software could help your business efficiently tackle 2022? Take a look at our smarter fleet management software here.