Too many drivers, not enough visibility: How to manage a fleet of shared vehicles in practice - NEXT #12

Almost every fleet has shared vehicles. And almost every fleet manager is familiar with the questions that come with them: Who has which vehicle right now? Where are the costs coming from? How do I keep track of things when multiple departments are using the same vehicles? Shared vehicle management is one of those topics that’s a daily reality yet is rarely addressed systematically.

In NEXT #12, we’re changing that. For the first time in a thematic format, we’re taking a single topic and examining it from every angle. The usual NEXT sections remain an integral part of the issue, but this time they flow seamlessly into one another.

Operating a vehicle fleet means organizing transportation for many employees at the same time. This creates dependencies that can quickly become confusing without clear processes and appropriate systems.

Costs are the central issue here. Not because fleet vehicles are inherently expensive, but because they remain opaque without the right systems. Which department uses which vehicle, and how intensively? Where do costs arise from idle time, unplanned maintenance, or uneven utilization? If you can’t answer these questions, you won’t have reliable figures to present to management.

At the operational level, the challenge begins with vehicle allocation and key management. Lost keys, double bookings, vehicles not returned. As the share of electric vehicles grows, additional questions arise: Does the booked vehicle have sufficient range? Is an electric car even suitable for this task? Without system support, the answer lies with the driver. Then there’s compliance: With rotating drivers, the driver’s license must be verified every time, trips must be documented in a legally compliant manner, and costs must be allocated to cost centers. The more vehicles and drivers involved, the more time-consuming the manual management of these obligations becomes.

This is precisely what is reflected in the inquiries that the AZOWO Customer Success Team receives every day. The most common reasons why companies are digitizing their fleet management: They want a clear overview of their fleet, to utilize vehicles more evenly, and to reduce the administrative burden associated with key issuance and logbooks. What has changed in recent years: CO2 reporting and electric mobility are no longer peripheral issues, but concrete requirements that need a suitable management solution.

The biggest hurdle to implementation is rarely technical in nature. It is employee acceptance. Those who previously had the freedom to choose which vehicle to use must now adapt to a new process. This can be achieved, but it requires clear communication in advance and patience during the first few weeks after go-live.

The AZOWO Mobility Cloud systematically addresses the issues that fleet managers face on a daily basis. It is not a collection of individual features, but a cohesive system that brings transparency, control, and efficiency to day-to-day fleet management.

Employees book vehicles via the web or app. The vehicle-class-based algorithm automatically assigns the appropriate vehicle based on route, availability, and specific equipment. This structurally prevents double bookings. Anyone who needs a vehicle with specific features, such as a trailer hitch, can specify this via an equipment label directly during the booking process and will be assigned a suitable vehicle.

AZOWO addresses the issue of vehicle access differently depending on the fleet structure. Vehicles can be unlocked via app, RFID, or PIN code. For vehicles that cannot be operated entirely keyless, AZOWO offers the integration of key cabinets through its partners Traka, Masunt, and Witte:digital. Pickup and return are automatically logged, and access rights are centrally managed.

The dispatch view provides fleet managers with a complete overview at all times: which vehicles are booked, available, or overdue, and which bookings are active, planned, or completed. Filter functions by station, vehicle class, and time period enable targeted analysis and forward-looking planning. This is complemented by the Live View, which displays the location and usage radius of all vehicles in real time. The adjustable geofencing is implemented via Yellowmap in compliance with works council regulations and data protection standards.

The digital logbook automatically records all trips via OEM data or a dongle and documents them in a manner compliant with tax authorities. This eliminates the manual effort for drivers and fleet management. Automated reports provide utilization and cost data in real time, which can be individually analyzed and exported. The TCO module clearly displays all relevant costs and highlights potential savings.

How to manage your fleet with the AZOWO Mobility Cloud

Pool vehicles entail specific legal obligations that do not apply to traditional company cars. If you allow multiple drivers to use the same vehicles, you, as the owner, bear full responsibility for each and every one of them.

The driver’s license must be checked every time the vehicle is handed over. While the law does not prescribe fixed intervals, legal experts recommend a check every six months or at least once a year. In addition, there is the annual driver training required under Section 12 of the Occupational Safety Act (ArbSchG), based on DGUV Regulation 70. This training must be documented and acknowledged, and covers the basics of operational safety as well as proper conduct before, during, and after the drive.

The issue of the logbook is also more complex for pool vehicles than for permanently assigned company cars. Every driver must document their trips in full: date, departure and arrival locations, kilometers driven, purpose of the trip, and the driver’s name. The tax office does not recognize retroactive changes. If the vehicle is occasionally used for private purposes, this may occur a maximum of five times per month to qualify for tax benefits; otherwise, each kilometer is taxed at 0.001 percent of the gross list price.

Commercially used vehicles must also be inspected at least once a year in accordance with accident prevention regulations, including safety-related components, lighting, and equipment such as warning triangles and safety vests.

In addition to legal obligations, there are organizational levers that significantly simplify the operation of a vehicle fleet. Clear usage guidelines that strictly regulate booking procedures and driver responsibilities form the foundation. Regular evaluations of KPIs such as vehicle utilization, maintenance costs, and booking efficiency help to continuously optimize the fleet and justify investments to management.