A fleet operator (FO) is an individual, department or company that manages a group of vehicles. Companies may own or lease these vehicles and use them for commercial, public, or internal purposes. Fleet operators may be independent businesses, such as rental or logistics firms. They can also be part of a larger organisation, like a government agency or corporation. In that case, they oversee the use and maintenance of the organisation’s fleet.
FOs are responsible for managing every aspect of a vehicle fleet.
They select and acquire vehicles, maintain them, schedule their use, and decide when to service, replace, or retire them.
In the car rental industry, well-known companies such as Enterprise, Hertz, and Avis also act as fleet operators. They manage large groups of vehicles available for rental, ensuring they are rented out smoothly, safely, and cost-effectively. Fleet operators carefully plan vehicle distribution to ensure availability where demand is highest, maximising usage.
Operators in the rental sector also manage customer-facing tasks such as bookings, contracts, payments, and support. Many rely on SaaS platforms to handle these processes more efficiently, allowing greater control over availability, pricing, reservations, and servicing.
