Sustainability in Fleet Management

Abstract

Purpose: This paper aims to discuss sustainability in fleet management at companies considering simultaneously the three dimensions of sustainability, which are economic, environmental, and social, corresponding to the Triple Bottom Line (TBL) approach. Approach/Methodology/Design: This paper examines the subject and employs a theory-building-descriptive design. Three key themes in the aspect of sustainability and in terms of fleet management were examined: economic, environmental, and social. Findings: In today’s world, almost every company operates vehicle fleets to perform business requirements and irrespective of the size of vehicles, these companies need to execute some certain fleet operations under the phenomenon of fleet management. Fleet management entails a transition to a more sustainable model which should try to adopt economic, environmental, social dimensions. While the economic dimension of sustainability brings about a new model called the TCM, the environmental dimension constructs a road map to greener fleets and delivers quick wins that companies can easily implement in their agendas. The social dimension concerns the well-being of people and society which seeks to find a balance between their needs and the requirements of fleet management. Practical Implications: The paper recommends a subsequent study through an empirical way that would investigate the actual sustainability behaviours and initiatives of companies present in Turkey. Originality/value: In recent years, sustainability has become an interesting topic for scholars in many areas of research. However, the literature is lacking ample studies concerning sustainability in corporate fleet management. Therefore, the main contribution and novelty of this paper is to provide companies with policy advice regarding the three pillars of sustainability for their applications to vehicle fleet management.