The poll of 1,800 global fleet operators from the software company Teletrac Navman showcases the prevailing trends that are impacting fleet operations and how operators are planning to tackle them this year.

It found that 39% of fleet operators viewed the increasing cost of fuel as a top challenge, closely followed by COVID disruption (32%) and supply chain pressure (31%).

It also found that fuel conversion (23%) remains a key challenge with electric vehicle supply, alongside purchase price, and charging infrastructure concerns.

Almost a third (32%) of respondents said that the conversion to next generation fuels is one of their largest areas of expense after purchasing new vehicles.

‘The last 12 months have created new complexities for fleets, but fuel cost rises are the number one concern for operators globally,’ said Alain Samaha, president & CEO of Teletrac Navman. ‘As the cost per gallon of fuel spiked throughout last year, many operators looked to overcome the rising costs with driver behaviour programs and EV transition plans.’

Over the course of 2023, fleets are looking to invest in expanding their offering through technological integrations (48%), while also using technology to aid compliance (39%).

Improving customer experience (39%) and recruiting and retaining drivers (31%) were also high on the list of planned investment for the next 12 months.

Nearly all (98%) respondents said they were using either a sourced or manufacturer-provided telematics solution across their fleet.

While vehicle tracking (43%) was the number one reason for utilising telematics, managing driver performance (33%) was the next priority, followed by using it for proof of service/job completion (32%), and monitoring fuel usage (30%).

Improved driver safety (37%) was the biggest benefit of using telematics, according to the poll respondents, with nearly a quarter (24%) stating it helped prevent fatigue on the road.

Moreover, 89% of those surveyed used telematics to benchmark behaviour, with 91% also seeing a reduction in accidents and 24% implementing new driver behaviour to help navigate the high fuel costs. And with 31% of global fleets concerned about increasing wage demands in a cost-of-living crisis, 37% are using benchmarking to provide performance-based bonuses in a bid to retain drivers.