By now, most fleet managers know that GPS trackers help your business through route optimisation and improved fleet security. However, many don’t realize that monitoring drivers can also help improve employee driving habits, saving your business even more money.
Keeping an eye on driver activity and behaviour has many surprising benefits. This article outlines why monitoring drivers can help save your business serious cash, and how to introduce fleet telematics in the right way.
Get a Beginners Guide to GPS Fleet Tracking in 2021:
Why Monitor Drivers?
Monitoring drivers isn’t about spying on your staff: it’s a fundamental aspect of managing your fleet.
Without Keeping An Eye On Your Vehicle Activity, You Cannot Make Informed Business Decisions
When you monitor drivers, you reduce fuel and maintenance costs, not to mention avoid costly penalties. Here’s how:
Save on Petrol
As the second-highest fleet cost, petrol can really cut into your profits. Did you know that fleets reduce petrol costs by 10% on average after the introduction of fleet tracking software?
There are a lot of reasons for this. GPS trackers allow you to optimise your driving routes and dispatch more effectively so fewer miles are wasted. However, driver behaviour also plays a big part.
Many Drivers Don’t Know That Their Habits Increase Petrol Costs
Speeding
Speeding uses significantly more petrol than driving moderate speeds.
GPS trackers like Vimcar’s Fleet Geo allow you to view your drivers’ route histories, speed, and stopping time.
With this data from monitoring drivers, you can identify problematic habits and address them with your staff. Reduced instances of speeding means fewer fines and less administration time paying tickets.
Vehicle Misuse
Staff with access to company vehicles may occasionally be tempted to use vehicles for an unauthorised trip. Without fleet telematics, fleet managers have few ways to prevent or identify vehicle misuse.
Over time, this extra mileage associated with vehicle misuse adds up to more fuel and maintenance costs.
Minimise Vehicle Maintenance
It’s easy to forget about vehicle maintenance costs, but they account for 15% of fleet vehicle ownership fees, the third highest fleet cost.
Speeding and excessive mileage mean increased vehicle wear and tear. Over time, this adds up to additional vehicle maintenance and breakdowns.
- Maintenance not only takes your cars off the road, but it demands additional mileage (and most likely, less-than-optimal routes) for your other vehicles while the van is in the shop.
Learn the Legislation
You Are Legally Required To Advise Your Drivers Before Installing Vehicle Tracking Devices
It’s important to know that while tracking vehicles is legal, tracking an individual is not.
Employees have the right to know about the information being collected and processed about them, so ensure you communicate to your drivers about your fleet telematics system.
How to (Tactfully!) Introduce Monitoring To Your Team
Your drivers should feel comfortable with your fleet telematics system. Introduce your trackers the right way by being transparent about your intentions.
- Be open to hearing your drivers’ concerns, and ensure they know that tracking doesn’t mean you don’t trust them.
Remember to touch on these points when introducing fleet telematics to your staff:
- Why and when their vehicles are tracked
- How fleet tracking benefits them and the company
- Who has access to the data, and how it will be used
Let your drivers know that monitoring is not about surveilling, it’s a business strategy to ensure you are optimising your fleet.
Monitor Drivers for Better Business Outcomes
Keeping an eye on your fleet by monitoring drivers gives you the tools you need for accountability and transparency.
Drivers Who Know They Are Being Tracked Drive Safer
When you monitor drivers you improve fuel efficiency, reduce mileage, save on maintenance costs, and reduce fines. If you’re serious about saving on fleet costs, it’s time to invest in fleet tracking software. Contact Vimcar’s sales representatives today to learn how Fleet Geo can transform your fleet management.
