The Fleet Manager role promises a rewarding day at every turn – read what a ‘day in the life’ entails in this blog, where you’ll look after anything from the smallest car to a 12-tonne van!
Starting the Engines
The day begins early for the Fleet Manager, with a strong coffee and a quick scan of overnight emails. Top of the inbox: a short-term hire vehicle dispute, a delivery confirmation for a new wheelchair-accessible minibus, and a maintenance alert for a 12-tonne mobile library. It’s clear—no two days are ever the same.
Fleet Line Manager / Team duties
A quick check-in with the team. Check adequate resources are available for the day. Arrange a team meeting for next month. Approve a leave request for a holiday, ensuring staff cover.
It’s clear—no two days are ever the same.
Strategic Coordination
A Teams call with our vehicle lease company to discuss the exit strategy for vehicles nearing the end of their lease. The Fleet Manager ensures smooth transitions—coordinating collections, arranging replacements, and managing contract closeouts. Simultaneously, they’re liaising with body builders and lease companies to finalise specifications for new specialist vehicles, ensuring compliance with regulations and user needs.
Keeping the Wheels Turning
Next, it’s time to distribute maintenance schedules and follow up with departments to ensure vehicles are presented for safety inspections and MOTs. The Fleet Manager checks damage recharges, verifies fairness, and codes invoices to the correct departmental budgets. Every detail matters—accuracy here keeps the fleet compliant and costs under control.
Data, Decisions, and Driving Records
With a quick break, the focus shifts to data. Emissions and fuel usage reports are compiled for the Business Intelligence team, while lease data is shared with Finance. A decision is needed on a lease car applicant with a poor driving record—balancing safety, policy, and fairness is part of the job’s daily rhythm.
Every detail matters—accuracy here keeps the fleet compliant and costs under control.
Small Bus Permits
After lunch, reviewing Section 19 permit applications. As the delegated officer for the DVSA, the Fleet Manager issues permits to schools and charities, ensuring compliance and maintaining meticulous records. Each permit is handwritten, posted, and logged — attention to detail is paramount.
Contracts and Compliance
The afternoon is packed with procurement tasks: authorising purchase orders, reviewing lease car contracts, and managing the fuel card account. A potential fraud alert requires swift action—cards are cancelled, and the issue is escalated. Meanwhile, the Goods Vehicle Operator’s Licence is reviewed for upcoming amendments.
Civic Duties
A quick check-in with the Civic Office confirms the chauffeur’s schedule. The Fleet Manager oversees the leased civic car, its maintenance, and the EV charging setup at Chelmsford City garage. They also manage access—keys, fobs, and contracts—ensuring everything runs smoothly behind the scenes.
Further Line Management duties
A check-in with a member of staff. The focus today is on wellbeing, performance, development and process review. A review of their development plan and some sign posting to different forms of learning. A discussion around a process review brings some positive changes that might generate some time savings and ultimately improve the customer journey.
Finished the check-in by reviewing a recent stress risk assessment and talking through the support in place.
Wrapping Up
Before signing off, the Fleet Manager reviews the day’s progress, updates the motor insurers database, and prepares for tomorrow’s quarterly supplier meeting. There’s always more to do, but the satisfaction of keeping a complex operation running like clockwork is its own reward.
There’s always more to do, but the satisfaction of keeping a complex operation running like clockwork is its own reward.
Why This Role is Exciting
Being a Fleet Manager is more than just managing vehicles—it’s about strategic thinking, operational excellence, and making a tangible impact every day. From high-level contract negotiations to hands-on problem-solving, the role offers variety, responsibility, and the chance to work across departments, suppliers, and communities.
Whether it’s enabling mobility for vulnerable groups, ensuring safety and compliance, or driving sustainability through data, the Fleet Manager is at the heart of a dynamic and essential service. It’s a role for those who thrive on challenge, value precision, enjoy working flexibly, managing their own workload and want to make a difference—one vehicle at a time.
Keen to get involved? Apply for the Fleet Manager role now.
