Survey Highlights Fleet Concerns & Priorities: Cost, Safety, and EV Adoption

Shell Fleet Solutions partnered with NAFA-the Fleet Management Association, to survey fleet owners, operators, managers, and drivers regarding the most pressing concerns and priorities facing their businesses.

The results revealed key concerns surrounding the total cost of ownership, sustainability, and electric vehicles.

TCO Takes Top Priority

As fleet managers plan and set goals for the upcoming year, over 71% of respondents agreed that external global or national economic and political factors were deep concerns for their fleet this year.

This response highlights supply chain disruptions, inflation, recession fears, sustainability mandates, and a consensus on TCO as a top focus. 53.2% of stakeholders rated TCO as their highest or second-highest concern, with 88% agreeing that reducing overall costs would be a priority in 2024.

Safety Continues to Be Essential in Daily Operations

Safety is important to fleets, as demonstrated in survey results by the number two rated area of concern for 2024 and the number one area that fleet stakeholders were most proud of. Considering that reducing overall costs is a priority for stakeholders, the results suggest that a safer fleet is cost-efficient.

According to the Network of Employers for Traffic Safety, a single nonfatal accident on the job can cost over $75,000, making safety a genuine concern for those looking at a fleet’s bottom line.

High Rates of EV Adoption and Fleet Sustainability

Fleet stakeholders report significant time spent exploring fleet sustainability or EVs. Sustainability ranked fourth in areas rated as most time-consuming in 2023, and time spent seeking EV solutions earned strong scores, including:

• 65% of respondents agree or strongly agree that building a more sustainable fleet or reaching fleet sustainability goals is a priority or top concern for 2024.
• Over 56% agree or strongly agree that investing in initial or additional EVs is a priority this year.

When respondents were asked about the industries and trends they pay the most attention to, 41% mentioned electric vehicles (EVs) or related sectors, such as sustainability, indicating a significant focus on the growing prominence of EVs and the broader sustainability movement.

“Many fleets would like to see a full-circle sustainable solution, from energy source to EV implementation, but there are fleets where EVs don’t make sense right now, or they may need solutions like hybrid fleets,” Chris Nolan, Shell Global key account manager with Shell Fleet Solutions, said with added hope for EVs.

Fleets Urgently Seeking New Solutions

The survey also highlighted that fleets are on a tight timeframe to achieve their goals:

Nearly 40% stated they have 12 months to implement changes that benefit their fleet, and over 25% only have 6 to 9 months to address barriers and make meaningful progress. Over 81% of respondents said finding new solutions to make their fleet more efficient is a priority. Numerous fleets are actively engaging with or integrating new technologies and data into their operations, with more than 62% acknowledging that these initiatives are key priorities.

“Fleets are seeking expert guidance to take their operations to the next level, understanding that management tools and technology are improving and can help in various ways,” Jim Perkins, Director of Shell Fleet Solutions, U.S., said.

Fleets could benefit from external expertise to help address these challenges or areas of concern surrounding cost-related priorities, such as lowering TCO, improving safety, and boosting efficiencies.