Fleet utilisation is a way of measuring how much useful work vehicles actually do compared with the time or capacity available.
Choose a measure that reflects the work
Useful measures include days used, miles travelled, jobs completed, load carried or hours in service. One measure will not suit every fleet.
Look for vehicles that rarely move
An under-used vehicle still has finance, tax, insurance and depreciation costs. Low utilisation can suggest that the fleet is larger than necessary.
Do not chase high utilisation blindly
A spare vehicle can be valuable if downtime would stop the business. The aim is not 100 per cent use at all times; it is the right capacity for the operation.
Use utilisation when planning replacements
Before replacing a vehicle automatically, check whether the work could be absorbed elsewhere or whether the replacement could be a different type.
Keep the decision practical. Use your own mileage, vehicle use, costs and business needs. Tax, finance and insurance terms vary, so check current information before committing.