Maintaining cars is a full-time job, especially when renters constantly drive them, some over considerable distances. Cars have many different parts, from the engine to the turn signal, which are subject to malfunction or damage. A car will inevitably have some issues, but when you turn one car into over 100, rental car company owners feel like they are constantly putting out fires. With such a fleet to manage, how do rental car companies maintain so many cars? From mobile fleet maintenance to exploring the logistics behind fleet organization, let’s explore how rental car companies operate and keep their businesses afloat.
Having a Talented Team
It might seem like an obvious answer, but having an excellent team to help tackle a fleet is essential for rental car companies. Quality experts have specialized knowledge for evaluating each car, ensuring that any risks or potential problems for individual issues are identified and repaired.
Along with this talent, having a hard-working team can ensure that the problem is seen and dealt with quickly so that the vehicle is back on the road. Having a crew both on and off-site can help with the day-to-day issues and those that happen on the road, fixing issues efficiently.
Having a team can also allow for diversity on a car lot. This can help maintain a large fleet so that the company does not have to call in special teams, and managers do not have to pull cars off the road or the lot. Overall, having careful and watchful eyes to review the fleet is essential to maintaining all cars at a rental car company.
Proper Inspections of the Car
Many car rental companies require a long and extensive checklist before a car hits the road and after it comes back. This ensures that the car is in top condition every time it drives and can continue to work this way. These lists include turning tires, inspecting the engine, and checking the systems. These routine evaluations allow rental car companies to extend the number of cars on the road.
Along with the proper inspection of cars, rental car companies also perform routine maintenance checks. Frequent oil changes ensure the vehicle runs well in any gear. Routine brake checks can catch the breakdown of the breaks sooner rather than later. These routine checks prevent cars from having more significant problems and allow rental car companies to continue to maintain large fleets.
Having an On-Site Maintenance Vehicle
An on-site maintenance vehicle has been the savior for many rental car companies. Not only does it help reduce the cost of calling someone in, not to mention the vehicle downtime, but having this vehicle can nip the car maintenance issue in the bud quickly and efficiently.
Maintaining a rental car lot is mostly preventative work, so having a maintenance vehicle ensures the fleet is ready to use without issue. The on-site maintenance vehicle can work on cars left on the lot, ensuring that they are ready for use the next time a customer is ready to rent.
Identifying Data Trends for Preventative Measures
With the new age of big data and AI-powered technology, many car rental companies use the data they receive and turn them into essential data sets. These data sets give insight into how well the car performs, at what power it is running, and the rising need for maintenance. The predictive nature of data allows owners to identify and fix an issue before it can happen, saving both time and money.
Identifying the problems can help rental car companies fix an issue before it becomes unrepairable, and they must take the car out of service. After all, any car sidelined on their lot is not making the company any money. Though this data analysis is still in its infancy, creating a space for technology in fleet maintenance is how many rental car companies can maintain a fleet.
Pulling Cars At the Optimum Time to Avoid Costly Repairs
Many car rental companies will interchange their cars often, but this is not the most cost-effective way companies can manage their rental car stock. During this process, once a car hits a certain amount of miles, the company will pull the vehicle from use to reduce the probability of it malfunctioning.
This car will either be used around the lot, sold, or sold for parts if broken beyond repair. The car rental company will buy a new car to replace the old one, and the cycle continues. Adding new cars to the mix ensures that rental companies can keep many more cars on the lots.
An Attention to Detail
After having a person rent a car, most car rental companies will have the car detailed. This doesn’t just ensure a happy customer but also ensures that there are no rips or tears on the inside of the car. Tears and rips can result in a sidelined car before it has even had a chance to build up a significant amount of mileage. Having a professional detail of the car helps prevent future issues, saving the company time and money.
Spending attention to detail can help with the outside of the car as well by noticing cracks, dents, or other imperfections that can lead to trouble further down the line for the car. These small details can lead to cracked windshields, busted bumpers, and other driving issues, causing the car to be out of commission while being repaired. Catching these small mistakes allows lot managers to maintain many cars in their lot simultaneously.
The Bottom Line
Overall, it does take a lot to maintain a fleet of rental cars. Car rental companies use several tricks and tips to keep a high standard of cars on their lot. Making sure there is an excellent team to look over the cars, perform maintenance and ensure the proper inspections is integral to the success of maintaining so many cars.
The preventative measures of maintenance, detailing, and taking cars off the road before they are too far gone are crucial for this as well. These tips can help you ensure you do the best for your rental car company and maintain many cars in the lot at once.