Fleet Management Solutions Propelled by Freelancers and Gig Economy

It’s been more than a decade since the term gig economy was popularized on a global scale. Emerging long before the days of remote and hybrid work, and the pandemic, the gig economy promised a flexible approach to work. It was a chance for people with extra time outside of their 9-to-5 jobs, or unusual schedules to find working opportunities suitable for them.

The gig economy and freelance work paved the way for a number of powerful opportunities in the fleet management landscape too. The rise of things like Uber, on-demand delivery drivers, and task-based workforces meant more companies were investing in ways to keep track of a multitude of cars in different environments. Let’s take a closer look at freelancers, the gig economy, and the impact we’ve seen on the development of fleet management tools.

Defining the Gig Economy and Freelance Work

The gig economy is a broad name given to various kinds of freelance work wherein an individual sells their time for completing a specific task. For instance, rather than agreeing to work for an employer according to a contract, or a scheduled set of hours, you sell what you’re going to do, like delivering a pizza or designing a logo. The gig economy is extremely popular among younger employees, as well as people with complex schedules and family lives. Because there are rarely any specific set hours to worry about, professionals can work according to the routines which make the most sense for them.

While there are pros and cons, the flexibility of the gig economy means it can also appeal to a range of people with different skills. Gigs can run from senior executive consulting tasks, who travel to major cities to support companies in achieving specific goals, from people who pick up ride hailing fares in their local area. The two biggest segments of the gig economy today appear to be gigs based on knowledge, like consulting, designing, science, and other tasks, and service-based gigs, like delivery drivers, and tradespeople.

In the latter environment is where fleet management tools are rapidly increasing in popularity. Gig workers might not work the same hours, or according to the same guidelines as standard employees, but this doesn’t mean they don’t have to follow the right rules and restrictions to keep them safe on the roads and protect business assets. Companies like Uber and countless others are reliant on fleet management tools to help them manage their flexible workforce.

Fleet Management Tools in the Gig Economy

With fleet management tools, gig economy leaders can keep track of everything from which routes their employees are taking to complete certain jobs, to how they well they’re protecting themselves from incidents. Additionally, these tools ensure business leaders can keep track of compliance levels among their employees, checking for any evidence of team members acting unsafe. Fleet management tools can also help to reveal areas where it might be possible to improve the overall efficiency and productivity of a team.

Freight dispatcher software built into fleet management strategies can help with the process of supporting and to scale a growing fleet. You can read a guide on the benefits of such technologies and systems online. As companies in the gig economy have become more reliant on fleet management tools for keeping track of a huge variety of employees, the solutions available on the market have grown more advanced. Today, it’s even possible to access tools with built-in AI technology, which allow companies to immediately provide guidance and support in real-time to employees at danger of a collision or road traffic incident.

The Rise of the Gig Economy

Though the gig economy is no longer a new concept in the employment world, it’s something which continues to gain attention and interest from employees all around the globe. By offering both teams and business leaders a higher level of flexibility, the gig economy still highlights the fact that personal branding is important for freelancers just as much as company branding is important for more traditional career paths. This route however ensures everyone can thrive according to their specific needs and schedules. With fleet management tools, and the right technology for keep track of employees, business leaders can also ensure they’re empowering their workforce, without taking risks in regard to compliance, security, and performance. Even post pandemic, it’s likely the gig economy opportunities we see will continue to grow, particularly as people continue to strive for a more flexible working environment, and better work/life balance.