Trailer Fleet Management: What CFOs and Business Leaders Need to Know

If you’re a CFO or business leader, managing your semi-trailer fleet may not rank high on your “to-do” list. We think it needs to. It’s easy to write off trailer management as a minor task—until the wrong trailer investment, an underwater loan, breakdowns, or delayed shipments pull down your bottom line. That’s why we put together our CFO’s Guide to Trailer Fleet Management.

In the guide, we lay out the financial considerations that trailer fleets carry. We pin down the secrets to maximizing your fleet’s value and dig into the common mistakes CFOs and business leaders make—so you can avoid them. Here’s a peek at what you can expect —and why reading it could save you big bucks in the long run.

What to Consider When Managing Trailer Fleets

Managing a semi-trailer fleet is a new task for many CFOs and business leaders. However, overlooking the financial implications of a trailer fleet can undercut a company’s future. That’s why we dig into the key factors that can swing your bottom line in either direction. Our guide includes: 

• How to decide how much capital to spend on trailers.
• How to know if owning new trailers is a wise financial decision.
  
• How to prevent costly stoppages, delays, and breakdowns from aging units.
  
• How to avoid the most common mistakes CFOs and business leaders make.

How Trailers Impact Your Bottom Line

Trailers can influence a company's financial operation more drastically than many CFOs and business leaders realize. Mismanaging fleets can lead to trailer failures, delayed shipments, a damaged reputation, and lost business. That can end up dragging down a company’s bottom line. At the same time, making smart decisions can drive down trailer costs and help your team complete faster—and more efficient—runs.

Here are a few financial questions we answer in detail in the guide:

• How can you use trailers to maintain and improve your company’s reputation?
• How can you evaluate your resources and fleet’s needs?
• How can you avoid going “underwater” on your trailers or loans?
• How can you decide if your team should rent, own, or lease trailers?
  
  Get to the bottom of these important questions, and you’ll have what you need to trim costs and increase your fleet’s value.

How to Maximize Your Semi-Trailer ROI

Want to get the most value possible out of your semi-trailer investment? There are a few actions you can take that will increase your fleet’s value. In our guide, we reveal the tricks to boosting the value of your trailers. That includes:

• How to evaluate your fleet’s age.
• How to protect against trailer depreciation.
• When to invest in trailer maintenance.
• How to set up the maintenance program that makes most financial sense for your company.
  
  When you understand these basic strategies for increasing a fleet’s value, it’s easy to keep costs low and keep your trailers on the road longer.

How to Use Technology to Improve Fleet Management

New trailer technology makes it possible to save on fuel, reduce operational costs, eliminate waste, and protect cargo. In our guide, we detail what trailer technology is available and how to use it to save money. Here’s what we examine:

• Cost-cutting technology: We look at what technology can reduce waste and lower costs during runs.
• Cargo-sensing: We explain how to use cargo-sensing technology to increase efficiency and speed up loading.
• Geo-fencing and trailer tracking: We detail how you can use technology to protect cargo and prevent theft.
  
  With the right technology, your team can reduce costs, complete runs faster, and gain an edge over your competitors. The trick is identifying the most beneficial trailer technology for your team and knowing how to use it best.

Learn to Manage Your Fleet with Ease
Ready to learn the secrets to cutting costs, increasing productivity, and driving up your fleet’s value? Read the full version of our CFO’s Guide to Trailer Fleet Management, to learn how to manage your fleet—and control costs—with ease.

_____________________________________________________________

Craig Barth first joined Premier Trailer Leasing in 2017 as Vice President and General Manager and assumed the role of Chief Financial Officer three years later. Throughout his career, Craig has taken on financial leadership roles at prestigious organizations including Ford Motor Company and Citigroup, managing budgets upwards of $350 million. Craig serves as an integral member of the Premier Trailer Leasing team today as we grow our revenue operations and scale for continued success in the trailer leasing and rentals industry.

Craig Barth