Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Fleet Clerk

🎯 Role Definition

A Fleet Clerk is a detail-oriented administrative professional responsible for day-to-day support of vehicle and equipment fleets. Typical duties include vehicle and driver scheduling, maintenance coordination, record keeping, fuel and parts management, regulatory compliance (including DOT and state requirements), vendor coordination, and data entry into fleet management systems. This role ensures fleet availability, cost control, and safety by maintaining accurate logs, processing work orders, and supporting preventive maintenance programs. Strong candidates combine clerical accuracy, familiarity with fleet software and telematics, and proactive communication with drivers, mechanics, and supervisors.

Keywords: fleet clerk, fleet coordinator, vehicle fleet management, fleet maintenance, dispatch, DOT compliance, fleet software, telematics, parts inventory, fuel card management.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Fleet Administrative Assistant
Office Administrator or Receptionist in Transportation
Parts Clerk or Inventory Clerk in automotive/maintenance settings

Advancement To:

Fleet Coordinator
Fleet Operations Supervisor
Fleet Manager / Transportation Manager

Lateral Moves:

Logistics Coordinator
Maintenance Coordinator
Dispatch Supervisor

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Maintain and update complete fleet records for all vehicles and equipment, including registration, insurance, title documentation, vehicle history, and disposal records, ensuring legal compliance and audit readiness.
Schedule, prioritize, and enter preventive maintenance and repair work orders into the fleet management system; track status and follow up with shops and drivers until work is complete.
Coordinate daily vehicle dispatch and driver assignments in alignment with route requirements, driver qualifications, duty hours, and vehicle availability, minimizing downtime and service interruptions.
Manage fuel card programs and fuel usage reporting: issue cards, reconcile fuel receipts, investigate anomalies, and produce weekly/monthly fuel cost summaries for budget control.
Conduct and record pre- and post-trip vehicle inspections by collecting inspection forms, initiating corrective actions for defects, and ensuring drivers complete required safety checks per DOT/state regulations.
Monitor vehicle telematics/GPS and asset tracking systems to verify vehicle location, idle time, utilization rates, and unauthorized usage; generate exception reports for management review.
Process vendor invoices, obtain approvals, reconcile maintenance billing, and coordinate with accounts payable to ensure timely and accurate payment for maintenance and parts services.
Maintain parts and consumables inventory by tracking stock levels, placing orders, receiving shipments, and coordinating storage to ensure critical parts are available to minimize repair lead time.
Prepare and submit accident and incident reports: collect driver statements, photos, police reports, and vendor estimates; coordinate insurance notifications and follow-through.
Maintain licensing and certification compliance: track driver CDL renewals, medical cards, endorsements, and state registrations; notify drivers and management of upcoming expirations.
Generate and distribute routine and ad-hoc fleet reports (utilization, maintenance costs, MPG, cost per mile, downtime), analyzing trends and providing actionable recommendations to reduce costs and improve uptime.
Process vehicle acquisitions and disposals: assist with vendor sourcing, coordinate inspections, prepare title transfer paperwork, and update fleet inventory systems promptly.
Administer driver qualification files and onboarding documentation including background checks, MVR pulls, drug & alcohol test results, and maintain confidentiality and regulatory compliance.
Act as primary point of contact between drivers, maintenance shops, vendors, and internal stakeholders to coordinate repairs, parts requests, and emergency road service, escalating complex issues to management.
Support safety and compliance initiatives by scheduling driver training, maintaining training records, and assisting with internal safety audits and corrective action follow-up.
Reconcile and code maintenance and fuel expenses to appropriate GL accounts; assist finance with monthly accruals and cost center reporting for fleet budgets.
Maintain digital and physical filing systems for all fleet documentation and ensure records meet corporate record-keeping policies and retention schedules.
Assist with telematics and fleet management system configuration, user administration, and routine data integrity checks to ensure accurate reporting and workflows.
Track warranty claims and manufacturer recalls: submit required documentation, follow up on approvals, and coordinate repairs under warranty to reduce fleet operating costs.
Coordinate temporary vehicle assignments and rental vehicle procurement during peak demand or when company vehicles are out of service.
Support procurement activities by obtaining competitive quotes for repairs, parts, and vehicle purchases, maintaining vendor lists, and documenting vendor performance metrics.
Participate in root-cause analysis for repeated mechanical failures or excessive operating costs and provide administrative support for implementation of corrective actions.
Manage special projects such as vehicle rebranding, seasonal equipment swaps, or fleet safety campaigns, providing administrative coordination and progress tracking.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc reporting requests from operations and finance, pulling data from fleet management systems and presenting actionable summaries.
Assist with implementation and adoption of telematics and fleet software updates by coordinating training sessions and maintaining user guides for drivers and technicians.
Provide backup support for front-office administrative duties such as answering phones, routing service calls, and receiving vendor deliveries for fleet operations.
Aid in sustainability and emissions-tracking initiatives by compiling fuel and MPG data and supporting electrification or alternative-fuel pilot programs.
Participate in continuous improvement initiatives to streamline maintenance scheduling, parts procurement, and documentation workflows.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Fleet Management Systems: Experience using Fleetio, Samsara, Verizon Connect, Teletrac, Trimble, or equivalent telematics and CMMS platforms for work order, inspection, and asset tracking.
Microsoft Office: Advanced Excel skills (VLOOKUP, pivot tables, data cleanup) plus Word and Outlook for professional reporting and communication.
Fuel Card & Expense Reconciliation: Managing fuel-card programs (WEX, Shell, Comdata), matching receipts, and flagging misuse.
Regulatory Compliance: Working knowledge of DOT regulations, FMCSA requirements, state registration processes, and driver qualification file maintenance.
Vehicle Inspections & Preventive Maintenance: Ability to interpret inspection reports, schedule PMs based on mileage/hours, and follow maintenance workflows.
Inventory Management: Parts stocking, reorder point calculation, bin tracking, and use of inventory modules in fleet software.
Work Order & Invoice Processing: Creating and tracking maintenance work orders, coding invoices to GL accounts, and resolving billing discrepancies.
Telematics & GPS Data Interpretation: Reading GPS/telemetry reports for utilization, idle time, geofence events, and basic troubleshooting.
Accident Reporting & Claims Support: Preparing claims documentation, coordinating with insurance providers, and tracking claim resolution.
Basic Mechanical Literacy: Familiarity with common vehicle systems (brakes, tires, fluids, batteries) to effectively communicate with technicians.
Document Control: Maintaining accurate digital and paper records, version control, and secure storage of sensitive driver files.

Soft Skills

Excellent verbal and written communication for driver coordination, vendor negotiation, and cross-functional reporting.
Strong organizational skills to manage many concurrent tasks, deadlines, and documentation requirements.
High attention to detail to ensure regulatory compliance, accurate data entry, and correct invoicing.
Problem-solving and troubleshooting mindset to escalate and resolve vehicle availability or billing issues.
Time management and prioritization skills to balance reactive requests and scheduled maintenance activities.
Customer-service orientation to support drivers, internal stakeholders, and external vendors with timely responses.
Team collaboration and the ability to work with mechanics, drivers, safety managers, and procurement teams.
Confidentiality and discretion when handling driver records and personal information.
Adaptability to evolving technology (telematics, fleet software) and changing operational needs.
Initiative and process-improvement focus to identify and implement efficiencies in fleet operations.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:
High school diploma or GED; solid clerical and computer skills.

Preferred Education:
Associate degree or certificate in Logistics, Fleet Management, Business Administration, Automotive Technology, or related field.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Logistics, Transportation, or Supply Chain Management
Automotive Technology or Mechanical Vocational Training
Business Administration or Office Administration

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 1–4 years of administrative or operational experience supporting vehicle fleets, maintenance shops, or transportation teams.

Preferred: 2–5 years of direct fleet administration experience using telematics/fleet management software, fuel program administration, parts/inventory control, and DOT compliance support.