How to Manage Today's Responsibilities

Dec. 8, 2010

Emissions compliance is just the latest straw that's been added to the camel's back. Equipment fleet managers have been asked to do more over the past 10 to 15 years, and the responsibilities are piling up.

For some, the hours needed to finish the work have been extended by 10 percent. For others, administrative duties have expanded five-fold, taking up a quarter of their time compared to the 5 percent a decade ago.

Emissions compliance is just the latest straw that's been added to the camel's back. Equipment fleet managers have been asked to do more over the past 10 to 15 years, and the responsibilities are piling up.

For some, the hours needed to finish the work have been extended by 10 percent. For others, administrative duties have expanded five-fold, taking up a quarter of their time compared to the 5 percent a decade ago.

This begs a question: Can one person manage a fleet anymore? At what size does a fleet need a team to oversee it? With the increased emphasis on metrics and financial management, can one person effectively manage the machine side and the financial side?

Please take a moment to take our "Quick Vote" poll on the homepage, and add comments below. This is a conversation that needs to be had.

If you'd rather respond in confidence, please email me directly.

About the Author

Rod Sutton

Sutton has served as the editorial lead of Construction Equipment magazine and ConstructionEquipment.com since 2001. 

Our mission is to help managers of heavy equipment and trucks to improve their performance in acquiring and managing their fleets. One way we do that is with our Executive Institute, where experts share information and ideas that will enable equipment managers to accurately manage equipment costs so that they can deliver the optimum financial benefits to their organizations.

We also have a laser focus on product development, performance, and technology; as well as equipment acquisition, disposal, and maintenance. Our exclusive Field Tests take earthmoving equipment and truck into the field for professional evaluations.

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