How to optimize fleet costs using vehicle data

Vehicle purchase or leasing, fuel, maintenance, insurance, claims, immobilizations... Costs often accumulate without being clearly attributed or analyzed.

Contrary to popular belief, the problem is not always the level of expenditure, but rather the lack of detailed economic analysis of the actual use of vehicles. This is precisely where vehicle data provides decisive value.

Moving from accounting management to an economic analysis of the fleet

In some organizations, the fleet is managed based on invoices and overall budgets. This accounting approach allows expenses to be tracked, but does not provide insight into their causes.

Vehicle data introduces a different logic: it allows costs to be linked to actual usage, vehicle by vehicle, mission by mission.

Actual mileage, frequency of use, operating time, intensity of use... These indicators become the basis for a much more accurate economic analysis.

Identify structurally expensive vehicles

One often underutilized lever is to identify vehicles whose total cost is disproportionate to their operational contribution.

The data allows us to answer simple but crucial questions:

• Which vehicles are driven infrequently but are expensive to run?

• Which ones are overused to the point of accelerating wear and tear?

• Which models generate abnormal recurring costs?

This analysis paves the way for concrete decisions: reallocation, replacement, removal from the fleet, or adjustment of fleet size.

Optimizing fleet size rather than blindly reducing it

When a cost reduction target is set, the reflex is often to reduce the number of vehicles. This approach can be counterproductive if it is not based on data.

Vehicle data can be used to evaluate:

• the actual utilization rate of the fleet,

• periods of low activity,

• recurring usage peaks.

In some cases, the analysis shows that a fleet is oversized. In others, it reveals that certain vehicles are carrying too heavy a load.

Streamline often invisible indirect costs

A significant portion of fleet costs does not appear directly in traditional budget lines. Downtime, operational delays, unplanned interventions, last-minute reorganization... these indirect costs are rarely measured.

By analyzing usage data, it becomes possible to identify:

• recurring immobilization patterns,

• periods of significant disruption,

• costly operational breakdowns.

This information allows action to be taken upstream, where the financial impact is greatest.

Base budget decisions on factual indicators

Vehicle data is a valuable tool for budgetary decisions. It allows us to move away from subjective debates and base decisions on measurable indicators.

Fleet renewal, model selection, budget allocation between maintenance and investment, prioritization of actions... Data transforms fleet management into a financial management tool, just like other strategic functions within the company.

A progressive, results-oriented approach

Optimizing fleet costs with data does not require a sudden transformation. The most successful companies take a gradual approach:

• some key indicators,

• regular analyses,

• targeted decisions,

• systematic measurement of gains.

It is this iterative approach that enables sustainable results to be achieved, tailored to the operational realities in Africa.

More and more companies in Africa are relying on GPS tracking systems to structure this economic approach to fleet management. Experience shows that value lies not in the quantity of data collected, but in its ability to inform budgetary and operational decisions.

Optimizing fleet costs using vehicle data is not about increased monitoring, but rather about gaining a better understanding. In Africa, where every vehicle plays a strategic role, data becomes a tool for economic decision-making, rationalization, and sustainable performance.

When used methodically, data enables fleet managers to regain control over costs without compromising field operations.

Some companies choose to rely on vehicle tracking solutions, such as Fleeti, to structure this approach and strengthen their economic management.

Would you like to adopt the Fleeti solution? Feel free to book your demo at: https://www.fleeti.co/demo