Fleet operators are sitting on underused assets and most already have the tools to fix it.
New research from Teletrac Navman shows equipment such as trailers, plant and specialist assets is idle around 50% of the time. At the same time, 74% of fleets say data accessibility is the main barrier to improving utilisation.
The issue is not a lack of technology. Most fleets have invested in digital tools, but many still rely on manual logs or fragmented systems, limiting their ability to act on the data they collect.
This creates a familiar pattern: assets are held in reserve in case they are needed, maintenance delays reduce availability, and fleets end up renting or purchasing additional equipment even when existing capacity is underused.
The result is idle capital, higher operating costs and reduced efficiency.
The industry is now shifting from collecting data to using it properly. The priority is a single, clear view of location, usage and availability that allows managers to make decisions in real time.
This reflects a wider trend across the sector. In FleetWise’s recent Fleet1000 interview, Sophie Foucque highlighted that fleets do not lack data. The challenge is turning it into usable insight that actually drives day to day decisions.
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