PressureWashingBossPro Blog — Commercial Accounts

Fleet Washing in Pressure Washing Software: Trucks, Vans and Yard Visits

Local businesses with vehicles want them to look good. A plumbing company's vans carry its name all over town. A landscaping company's trucks park in front of customers' houses. A delivery company's box trucks are rolling billboards. Dirty vehicles send the wrong message, and fleet managers do not have time to run every van through a car wash. That is where fleet washing comes in.

Fleet Work Is Different From Flatwork

Most commercial work in this series is flat concrete or building surfaces, like the breezeways and stairs in Apartment Complex Pressure Washing: Breezeways, Stairs and the Property Manager. Fleet washing is a different job with different equipment, but it fits into the same software the same way.

The key differences:

• You go to the yard. Vehicles are washed where they park overnight, usually at the company's shop or lot.
• Timing is tight. Vehicles have to be there, which usually means very early before they head out, or in the evening after they return.
• The unit count changes. A fleet of twelve might have nine in the yard on a given morning.
• Cycles are often shorter. Some fleets want every two weeks; others monthly.

Setting Up a Fleet Account

In PressureWashingBossPro, the fleet owner is the client and the yard is the address. If a company has two yards across town, that is two addresses under one client. The surface list includes Fleet, so the crew card shows it clearly.

Use the job details and notes to describe the fleet:

• Surface: Fleet, plus Dumpster Pad or Sidewalk if the yard work includes them.
• What to wash: “8 cargo vans, 3 box trucks, 2 pickups” in the details or notes.
• Method: soft wash or pressure wash depending on the vehicle and the detergent, following the product manufacturer's guidance for vehicle finishes and decals.
• Access notes: yard gate code, who opens the shop, where to hook up water, which vehicles leave first.

Custom fields help here too. Store the fleet manager's preferred unit count or a PO number on the client so it is always on hand. The details of tags and custom fields are in Tags and Custom Fields for Commercial Pressure Washing Accounts.

Counting Units on Each Visit

Because the number of vehicles in the yard can change, fleet visits often bill by the unit. Set up a per-unit service on your service list, such as a van wash and a box truck wash, each with your own price. When the crew finishes, they note how many of each were washed in the job notes. The office adjusts the line items so the invoice matches what was actually done.

Keep the per-unit services simple. A short list, such as car or pickup, cargo van, box truck and trailer, covers most local fleets. Each one shows as its own line on the invoice or statement, so the fleet manager can see exactly how many of each were washed and match it to their own records.

Some fleets prefer a flat monthly price for “up to 12 units.” That is simpler to bill and works well when the fleet is stable. Either way, write down the arrangement on the client so nobody has to remember it.

Timing the Yard Visit

The narrow window is the hardest part. Most service fleets roll out early. A 4am start in the yard lets the crew wash before drivers arrive. Put the timing in the access notes: “First vans leave 6:15. Wash the two box trucks first, they go out at 6.”

On the dispatch board, fleet visits often sit at the start of the commercial rig's day. A rig might wash a fleet yard from 4 to 6, then move to storefronts and drive-thrus. Set the yard's minimum days between visits, 14 for every two weeks or 30 for monthly, and it comes due on the Waiting List with the rest of the commercial work.

Photos and Proof

Fleet managers often are not in the yard when the crew washes, so before-and-after photos of a few vehicles each visit give them a record. Photos stay with the visit on the account. If a driver says their van was not washed, the office can check the photos and the unit count in the notes.

If a vehicle has damage before you start, a photo of it in the before shots is good practice so everyone knows what was there before the crew arrived.

Billing the Fleet

Fleet accounts are usually billed monthly. Set the client to Monthly and they receive one statement covering every yard visit that month, each line labeled with the yard's address. Card on file can be charged on a schedule for owners who prefer it.

Fleet washing is a different skill from flatwork, but it fits the same commercial setup. To see how fleets sit alongside storefronts, drive-thrus and HOAs, visit the commercial pressure washing software page.