Global passenger traffic and air cargo volume are on the increase, according to the latest edition of the World Airport Traffic Report from the Airports Council International (ACI).1 Although figures for 2015 have not been finalized, the ACI predicts that air traffic will continue to rise. The rising volume of airport traffic signals a potential opportunity for growth in telematics. Air operations are costly and time-sensitive. Fleet management and vehicle tracking of airport ground support equipment (GSE) such as baggage/cargo handling tugs, tractors, refuelers, and container loaders can provide the visibility and information required to streamline operations, increase safety, and control costs.
Benefits of using fleet management for ground support equipment:
Reduced set-up time for operations with real-time location visibility of equipment; searching for loaned or borrowed equipment will be a thing of the past. Alerts can be generated for assets entering no-go and restricted areas or assets leaving your work.
Easier and more accurate tracking of mileage and hours. Eliminate time-consuming and costly physical monitoring and checking.
Reduced maintenance and fuel costs through monitoring of power take off use and engine idling time. Auxiliary inputs are available to use a vast number 3rd party devices and other sensors.
Lower costs related to maintenance and down-time. Monitoring diagnostic trouble code information makes it possible to proactively attend to equipment issues early before they turn into asset down-time or costly repairs.
Improved airport safety by enforcing safety policies like start-up sequences and seat belt use, and by detecting aggressive driving on driveable assets.
Lower risk of unauthorized use by tracking off-hour usage. This information is also available on older equipment without a diagnostic port. Both 12 volt and 24 volt assets can be equipped.
Greater warranty compliance with maintenance alerts and schedules.
For other industry-specific solutions, visit the Geotab Marketplace to view the existing portfolio of MyGeotab Add-ins, Mobile Apps, Hardware accessories and Add-On, Custom Reports and General Software Solutions.
References:
Original Blog From Geotab, David Bradley, Engineering Consultant https://www.geotab.com/blog/ground-support-equipment/
Airports Council International. (August 31, 2015). ACI Releases 2014 World Airport Traffic Report: Airports In Advanced Economies Rebound In 2014 – Global Passenger Traffic Up By Over 5%; Air Cargo Volumes Rise After Three Years Of Stagnation – Aug 31, 2015. Retrieved from http://www.aci.aero/News/Releases/Most-Recent/2015/08/31/ACI-releases-2014-World-Airport-Traffic-Report-Airports-in-advanced-economies-rebound-in-2014–global-passenger-traffic-up-by-over-5-air-cargo-volumes-rise-after-three-years-of-stagnation-
Safety is incredibly important at GoFleet, whether in relation to drivers themselves or maintaining the integrity and safety of client data. All Geotab services and products – both old and new – are constantly held to this paradigm.
Below, we will dive further into engine immobilization and describe how the NFC Tag Reader and the Driver ID Relay can be used to help manage the on-road safety of fleet drivers.
The Importance of Professional Installation
Because of the high variety and assortment of vehicle electronics and electrical circuits, it’s apparent that it can be challenging to wire the relay in a way that is fail-safe for immobilization. In a situation where an individual is not a licensed automotive electrician or equivalent, the complexity of the installation can lead to a vehicle not being able to start if for example the relay or a part of the circuit fails. No one wants to be responsible for causing a vehicle to fail to start when someone really needs to get home. To ensure a quality install, we recommend professional installation by a knowledgeable technician.
How Geotab Supports Driver Identification
The combination of the Driver ID system with the GO device is designed to ensure that the driver identifies themselves before they begin to drive. Adding a relay to the Driver system can activate a switch or turn a third party device on or off. It can even be used to activate a third party drive inhibitor or rev limiter that is both effective and safe. Geotab and its providers can’t always guarantee that a vehicle can be immobilized 100% reliably. For example, it will not work if there is no cell network coverage. The included relay can be used as part of the immobilization solution, but Geotab’s support ends at the functioning of the GO device and the relay. A licensed automotive mechanic/electrician would need to select an appropriate inhibitor for installation. There is a different standard applied to systems that can affect safety versus systems that can’t and it is important customers understand this point.
This is the reason the relay should not be wired-in directly for immobilization. The wiring diagrams for every possible vehicle make, model, and year are simply not available or practical to obtain and each has different potential issues. We’ll continue to support both the NFC Tag Reader and Driver ID Relay, individually and in combination with one another.
The NFC Tag Reader
The Near Field Communication (NFC) Tag Reader is an extremely popular add-on for GO devices which is used for driver identification. Through the use of the NFC Tag Reader, we offer a simple method for identifying and tracking drivers in pooled vehicles. With a simple touch of the NFC fob, vehicle operators can easily, quickly, and securely transfer their driver identification information up to the cloud.
Driver IDs are tracked using driver tags/GO keys, which use the same NFC technology. Each individual driver tag has a unique serial number and can be paired with a particular driver, linking individual trips to drivers. A GO device can be configured to beep constantly until a key fob is tapped to remind the driver to identify themselves. To learn more about our NFC Driver ID, take a look at Geotab’s NFC Driver ID Innovation History.
The Driver ID Relay
The Driver ID Relay can be used in conjunction with the NFC Tag Reader. This product requires professional installation by a licensed automotive electrician/mechanic. A relay is an electromagnetic switch that uses a small electric current to control the flow (i.e. turn off/on) of a much larger electric current. Our products for the IOX can be daisy-chained together with up to four components. Think of a power extension plugged into another power extension, plugged into another, etc.
Using the NFC Tag Reader and Relay in conjunction allows access to certain key features of a vehicle, making it a powerful tool for accountability and safety. In the case of daisy-chaining, the NFC Tag Reader has to be the first in the array. Since the Relay can essentially prevent current flow, eg. act as an open circuit until a key fob is tapped, access can be prevented to various components of a vehicle. If installed correctly, access to a light, switch, PTO, or other input can be restricted.
Providing clients with ways to further increase the value of their fleet management solution has always been a top priority for both GoFleet and Geotab; IOX expansion is a prime example of this. Through the introduction of MyGeotab web-based fleet management software and the development of a wide range of hardware, GoFleet and Geotab have always built upon expandability to allow our clients to extract valuable data from its products.
What is IOX Expansion?
The Geotab platform can be further extended to provide added integration and flexibility with third-party providers through IOX Expansion Technology. The IOX Input/Output Expander has been around since the Geotab GO6 device was first introduced, but we continue to innovate and introduce IOX hardware for new and exciting applications.
The IOX functions on a basic principle. Each IOX performs a simple task and relays information to and/or from the GO device. An IOX connects to the GO device using the specialized mini USB port found on the side of all GO6 and GO7 devices, and it’s easy to set up and connect. While some IOX expansion products require the install be done by a certified installer, others can be connected to the GO device and easily installed on your own.
A number of different components can be measured by the IOX hardware and can be customized to meet a fleet’s specific use. For example, a fleet that relies on a dispatcher to organize and direct drivers can see a lot of benefit in using the IOX-GARMIN line, which can push messages and routes to the GARMIN to quickly advise the driver of the next stop on the route.
Types of IOX Expanders
More detailed information on IOX Expanders can be found on the Geotab Marketplace.
Fleets that measure a number of different metrics for their vehicles, or ones that use third party products from which data is recorded, can benefit from the use of the IOX-CAN. The IOX-CAN allows fleets to record data from unique hardware and transmit that data into MyGeotab. Geotab also uses this IOX to support partner integrations, such as Mobileye for Driver Distraction Systems and Valor for TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems) and Reefer Monitoring (Temperature Monitoring).
Some other great IOX Expanders include the IOX-BUZZ; it’s an external buzzer for the GO device that raises the volume of the device beeper to make it easier for drivers operating loud engine vehicles to hear audible alerts. The buzzer will sound when driver feedback or rule based audible feedback is configured within MyGeotab. The IOX-USB is great for powering USB devices like tablets and smartphones in Geotab Drive applications, whereas the IOX-NFCREADER can be used to identify the driver operating a specific vehicle using our specialized NFC keys.
One of the most powerful IOX from Geotab is the IOX-AUX. With this IOX a fleet can measure four inputs (up to eight with two IOX-AUX). Essentially, the IOX-AUX is connected to a signal that enables a fleet manager to monitor a variety of vehicle inputs such as sirens for emergency vehicles, refrigeration units, and seatbelt sensors. Using an On/Off built-in logic, the GO device can pick up a change in state of an object and attribute it as a signal. Then this information is sent to MyGeotab where it can be used in conjunction with the powerful Exception Rule logic in MyGeotab to create relevant and strong conditions and metrics for fleet vehicles.
How the IOX Works
The GO device uses the pre-programmed firmware to intelligently detect the IOX that is connected. Then, it adjusts the logic on a device level to account for the new IOX and the data that may be sent/received. While some IOX read information only, such as the IOX-AUX, others can actually push information as well, like the IOX-GARMIN.
Once the device is able to configure itself to receive the specific IOX information appropriately, it will start logging and transferring the data to MyGeotab. This process can take up to a couple of minutes. Some IOX transfer information as soon as the data is received, such as state changes for IOX-AUX or when drivers swipe their keys on the IOX-NFCREADER. Other IOX transmit information similar to GPS and speed data at regular intervals based on the logging algorithm.
IOX Expandability
The IOX is further expandable and up to five can be connected in series to one GO device. If a fleet requires multiple IOX, each supports further expandability using the in-line port with a termination shunt inserted upon shipment. Once the termination shunt is removed and the secondary port exposed, additional IOX can be connected to a total of five on one device. Essentially, fleets are getting six devices working independently as well as together to deliver a wide range of information to the equally powerful myGeotab web application.
The Future of IOX
Geotab has plans to extend the IOX line in the future. One such example is the IOX-GOTALK. GO TALK is a new product that provides real-time verbal feedback to drivers on their driving habits and performance en route. It can be configured to speak a number of pre-programmed notifications. Unique customized notifications can also be created to have the GO TALK speak different statements. Keep an eye out for other new and exciting IOX hardware down the road!
IOX Hardware Learning Resources
By providing more intelligent hardware, intricate firmware and feature packed software, the GoFleet and Geotab product line has evolved into an ecosystem of its own. The IOX is a simple, yet powerful, aspect of this system as it provides much of the data that is used by other components, like MyGeotab and the excellent SDK. With the data provided to our clients, fleet managers can create reports and rules in MyGeotab, harnessing the full potential of the Geotab fleet management solution.
Original Article By: Taimoor Khan, Technical Services Engineer https://www.geotab.com/blog/iox-expansion/
You might have already heard the buzz around the 2G sunset. In the article below, we try to answer some of the most common questions about the 2G sunset and what it means for fleet managers.
Q: What is the 2G sunset?
A: The demand for mobile broadband data has sky-rocketed with the increasing popularity of smart devices and M2M applications. According to AT&T, in the United States, “…data traffic has grown at a staggering rate since 2007, and will continue to increase dramatically in the foreseeable future.” Therefore, some cellular carriers are phasing out 2G to better respond to customer demand for enhanced services.
Q: When will the shutdown of 2G start?
A: Fleet managers should begin planning right away for the North American 2G transition to avoid any interruptions in service. Although AT&T plans to retire its 2G network in the U.S. by January 1, 2017, it has declared that some markets and territories may be sun-setted before then. There are reports that AT&T’s 2G service shut down has already started.
Worldwide, 2G is the preferred wireless technology, particularly in Asia and Africa, and providers will continue to support 2G for the near future. Australia’s Telstra announced that its 2G (GSM) network will close by the end of 2016. No confirmed dates of the 2G shut down for Canada have been announced, although Canadian Business reports, “Industry watchers predict most telecoms will abandon 2G by 2020.”
Q: What are the advantages of 3G?
A: The key advantages of later generations of cellular communications are enhancements in functionality and speed. All things considered, moving to 3G offers the benefits of upgraded hardware, access to advanced fleet management solutions, and widespread availability.
Q: Why should fleet managers transition to 3G?
A: The 2G shutdown in North America will have a real impact on vehicle tracking and fleet management. Fleet managers with outdated 2G telematics devices will eventually experience issues with connectivity and their units will stop reporting.
Transitioning to 3G will allow fleet managers to effectively manage and track their vehicles. Many 3G devices are also backwards compatible; this means, if a 3G network is not available, they will fall back or work on a 2G network if one can be found.
Upgrading devices makes it possible to take advantage of the latest Geotab Marketplace mobile apps and add-ins for driver safety, fleet efficiency, vehicle health, and compliance, such as:
Fleet Managers Hanging On To Their
2G Technology Will Get Left Behind.
Q: How is Geotab helping customers with 2G hardware?
A: Geotab is offering a special promotion to help customers with existing 2G hardware upgrade to new technology.
New Geotab GO7 Device Promo
Free hardware switch for Geotab devices operating on the KORE, Jasper and Aeris networks.
Contact your sales rep or [email protected] to see if your devices qualify for this upgrade to take advantage of this limited time opportunity.
Q: What are the advantages of the Geotab GO7 Device?
A: The new Geotab GO7 devices have several advantages over the older hardware. Over the years we have increased the data we can collect from the vehicle, including seatbelt usage, richer engine diagnostic data, fluid level monitoring, and engine health monitoring through temperatures. The older devices do not have enough memory to run the newer firmware so this data is not available on the older hardware.
G-force monitoring has also been improved; the GO7 takes more sensitive readings compared to early accelerometer in the GO5 devices.
Most importantly, the GO7 has the ability to add-on additional solutions or sensors through the IOX.
Benefits of the GO7 device:
Fast GPS acquisition time for superior data accuracy
High quality recording of valuable vehicle health and safety information
In-vehicle driver coaching
Accident detection and notification
Compact and durable (no external antenna)
IOX expansion for flexibility and third-party integration (e.g. temperature tracking, camera systems, etc.)
Easy plug & play installation
Wireless technology is always evolving. Rapid advancement demands strategic planning to ensure that vehicle management and asset tracking is not negatively affected.
USA customers, contact your sales rep or [email protected] to take advantage of the Geotab GO7 promotion! Promotion ends December 31st, 2015.
Whether we like to admit it or not, winter is coming, and it’s important that we be prepared. Some parts of North America have already started experiencing heavy snowfall.
It’s crucial we do everything we can to keep our roads as safe as possible throughout the winter months.
Check out these 10 tips to follow to stay safe this winter.
Create a ‘Survival Kit’
Your kit should contain items such as: booster cables, small shovel, gloves, snow brush, windshield wiper fluid, first aid kit, torch, safety vest, candles, water bottles and non-perishable energy foods. Keep this kit located in the trunk of your car.
Check Weather & Road Conditions Often
Choose your route ahead of time and check the forecast to make sure you know what you can expect before you hit the road.
Allow for Safe Distance Behind Snow Plows
If you get caught behind a snow plow, keep a safe distance. Snow plow drivers don’t always have the greatest visibility and often create snow clouds that can reduce your visibility.
Get Winter Tires!
They provide much better handling, braking and traction; they can also shorten your braking distance by as much as 25%. All-season tires are not equivalent to winter tires. They can lose their grip if the temperature drops below 7 degrees Celsius.
Slow Down; Give Yourself Extra Travel Time
This one is quite obvious and very important. Always drive according to the conditions of the road and do not rely on the estimated time of arrival your GPS gives you.
Clear Ice & Snow From Your Vehicle
Clean all mirrors, windows, lights and the roof; wait for foggy windows to clear up completely so your visibility isn’t effected.
Wear Comfortable Clothes
It’s normally a good idea to layer up in the winter but having too many layers can be restricting on your movement and make it hard to check your blind spots.
Keep Your Gas Tank Full
It helps to reduce moisture in the fuel system and also adds some extra weight to slow your vehicle down faster.
Avoid Using Cruise Control
You can easily lose control of your vehicle in bad weather by relying on cruise control. If driving conditions are very poor, or if there is a serious blizzard or ice storm, it’s best to avoid driving completely.
Learn The Best Way to Recover From a Skid in Your Vehicle
How your vehicle will respond to a skid depends on whether or not it has front wheel, rear wheel, or 4-wheel drive. If your vehicle has ABS brakes (anti-lock braking system), you should learn how to use it properly.
Check your build number to verify whether the changes are reflected in your system by going to Administration/About. The build number shows the month of release, for example: 5.7.1511.xxx release/2015-11.
In this edition:
Active Tracking Enhancements
Hours of Service Availability Enhancement
Marketplace Configurations
New Google Zone Import
Group Management Enhancement
Internationalization
New Addition to Security Clearances
Minor Interface Enhancements
Active Tracking Enhancements
Geotab’s Active Tracking feature for MyGeotab, which provides near-live vehicle animations on a map, is a critical tool for first responders, taxi companies, fleet owners, and other dispatchers who need to closely monitor the live position of their vehicles.
Previously, Active Tracking was enabled vehicle by vehicle. However, to accommodate managers of larger fleets, a new enhancement makes it possible to enable Active Tracking for an entire group of vehicles at once.
To make a bulk edit, follow the steps below:
Navigate to the Vehicles page and select the vehicles you would like to bulk edit. You can do this by selecting the drop-down above the vehicle list and selecting the visible vehicles in the list, individual or all in the group filter you have selected.
Select the Edit selected devices button to bring you to the device edit screen.
You will now have the option to turn on Active Tracking from the edit screen.
Bulk vehicle edit.
Active Tracking toggle in bulk edit.
Hours of Service Availability Enhancement
Fleet managers have a faster way to view the HOS availability of all their drivers. The Availability report will now load all drivers by default, instead of requiring the user to select each driver first. In the default setting, “All” drivers are selected. Click the Apply button to accept. When viewing HOS Availability, all drivers within the group filter should be displayed when first viewing the page.
Having faster access to HOS information enables fleet managers to identify which drivers are coming up to the end of their daily or weekly hours, and helps them avoid potential HOS violations.
Marketplace Configurations
In MyGeotab, the default setting has been updated so that users will see all available Marketplace applications. This includes both free and paid applications, including applications developed by third-party vendors.
Administrators have the ability to customize the types of applications visible to users through a toggle option. For example, the Marketplace view can be configured to display only free applications. To change this setting, navigate to Administration/System Settings. On the Marketplace tab, select the Off for “Display third-party apps.”
System Settings Marketplace option for setting application visibility.
New Google Zone Import
To streamline the creation of zones, which are a critical component in analyzing fleet behaviour, Geotab has made it possible to create zones from Google Keyhole Markup Language (KML) files using the Import KML Zones Add-In.
Geotab has developed a number of Add-In products which can be easily integrated into your MyGeotab UI. More information is available on the MyGeotab Software Development Kit (SDK) portal.
Import KML Zones add-in.
Group Management Enhancement
Quick edit functionality has been added to the Vehicle Edit section. When a vehicle is assigned to multiple groups, you can click the “x” to remove it from the group, while leaving the other assignments in place.
Management of Groups in Vehicle Edit.
Internationalization
Multi-language support has been extended to users. Report headings for default reports will be translated into the language currently set by the user. Users can also make use of this functionality for custom reports in any supported language.
To add multi-language support for a new custom report template, follow the appropriate method below.
From a default template:
Export the base report you want to build your custom from by going to Administration>Reports>Report Views, selecting the report, and clicking on the Export button.
Un-hide the Languages tab.
+ The Languages tab has English as its first column and subsequent columns contain French, Spanish, German, and Japanese. The column titles must be shown in English.
+ The other languages can be in any order.
+ Custom reports do not need to support all languages, a subset is acceptable.
If you add new header text in the report or summary tabs, you will need to add two asterisks before the heading (for example, “Date” would be “**Date”). Without the asterisks, the translations will not work.
From live data:
Navigate to the section you want to build your custom report from and run the report (for example, Activity>Risk Management>View>Advanced).
Un-hide the Languages tab.
+ The Languages tab has English as its first column and subsequent columns contain French, Spanish, German and Japanese. The column titles must be shown in English.
+ The other languages can be in any order.
+ Custom reports do not need to support all languages – a subset is acceptable.
For each tab, whether a sheet or a pivot table, at the English heading you wish to translate, type the prefix of two asterisks (for example, change “Date” to “**Date”). Without these the translations will not work.
If you create new columns, you will need to add them to the translations table, one per line.
Translating existing custom reports:
If you have existing custom reports that you wish to translate, please follow the above steps for creating a report template from live data. You will need to create a new tab with the exact title “Languages” which can be hidden later if desired.
Noto Sans Japanese font
The default system font for the Japanese language user interface in MyGeotab has been changed to Noto Sans Japanese for improved Japanese language legibility. The Noto font family is being developed by Google as a means of supporting all languages with a font that is high-quality and reader-friendly.
Sample of Noto Sans Japanese font.
New Addition to Security Clearances
An additional security clearance for “Administer devices delete/unplug/replace” has been created for configuring user-level security. A user will now need this particular clearance to makes changes on individual vehicles. To add or change security clearances in MyGeotab, go to Administration/Users and click on the Clearances button.
Minor Interface Enhancements
Vehicles are identified as “historical”, rather than “historic.” This change does not affect functionality.
A cancel button was added to the rule edit page.
The placeholder text for input fields and button tool-tips supports multiple languages.
Route and Route plan changes include: numbering route stops; adding a drag icon to routes on a list; warning that if a trip is optimized it may change the stop order; clarification that optimization is based on shortest distance.
Questions or Comments?
If you have a question or comment about any of the items mentioned, please email: [email protected].
Source:
Original Article By: Angie Milne, Solutions Specialist at Geotab https://www.geotab.com/blog/geotab-updates-preview-november-2015/
A poor safety rating can be crippling to a business. Orkin, the 20th largest fleet in the world knows this all too well. The sustainability of Orkin’s entire business was threatened by a poor safety rating. At one point 7% of Orkin’s entire revenue was going towards insurance and claims. A strict culture of safe driving was introduced through a comprehensive fleet & risk management program. Since implementing this program into their fleet 11 years ago, Orkin has saved as much as $40 million per year or $6000+/vehicle.
The margin for error within driver safety and compliance becomes narrower every year. Any tickets, accidents or claims impacts the entire company and forces harsher penalties, liability, and ultimately higher overall operating costs. Take a look at the action steps below, to see how we recommend our clients work towards running a safer fleet.
ACTION STEPS:
Post a weekly driver scorecard report for drivers and management. This report measures driver risk by each driver. Risky driving habits such as speeding, seat-belt use, harsh-braking and backing-up when leaving are measured.
Allow drivers to self-evaluate and make efforts to improve poor driving habits.
Define penalties around unsafe driving which puts your company at risk. Communicate that unsafe driving will not be tolerated.
Develop baseline measurements of driving habits through a driver scorecard. Evaluate current liability and insurance costs. Set goals for improvement based on the measurements and measure against these goals at 3-6-12 month intervals.
Implement driver training for high risk drivers. A study by SAFED showed that the average driver reduces fuel consumption by over 10% following fuel efficient driver training. Additionally driver training reduces risk and claims by as much as 50%.
INSURANCE DISCOUNT PARTNERSHIP
Call your insurance company. Evaluate potential insurance savings with your insurance company based on reduced liability.
GoFleet has developed an insurance discount partnership with multiple providers. Potential insurance discount can range from 10-40% on insurance premiums for fleets.
COMPLIANCE WITH HOS & DVIR
New CSA / DOT compliance requirements mandate Hours of Service (HOS / Driver Log) and Driver Vehicle Inspection Reports (DVIR) for specific types of commercial fleets (typically applying to heavy duty logistics fleets). These mandates help ensure drivers are not driving fatigued and that vehicles are being operated safely on the road. GoFleet offers HOS & DVIR compliance tools that are Android / Garmin / Mobile based.
Do you have HOS / DVIR requirements? Email us at [email protected] for more information or to get started.
For fleets, focusing on safety means more than reducing personal injury or eliminating the potential for vehicle damage. Safety behind the wheel can result in many direct and indirect benefits for your fleet.
MyGeotab, our easy to use fleet management software, has easy to setup driving rules that help fleets monitor unsafe driving behaviors. These rules are easy to configure and can be turned on or off with a simple mouse click. Manage seatbelt usage, speeding, harsh braking and more. Watch this video to find out how you can use GPS telematics technology to improve fleet and driver safety.
Start improving the safety of your fleet, contact a fleet consultant today! 1-888-998-1122 | [email protected]
It is normal for a fleet manager to always want his drivers to be on their best behavior. However, this is not always the case. Each company will always have employees with an aggressive style of driving who will often take unnecessary risks in traffic. This can be a problem for multiple reasons. For starters, the constant accelerating and braking used by an aggressive driver results in fuel-inefficiency. A fleet manager will want all of his vehicles to be driven in a smooth and safe manner whenever it is being used in order to maximize fuel efficiency. With GoFleet’s driver safety tracking, fleet managers can track a vehicle throughout the day—how hard your employees corner, how hard they brake, their fuel consumption, etc.
Bad Publicity
Another issue is the image that these drivers are creating for their companies. When one of their drivers cuts somebody off in traffic or exhibits risky behavior on the road, not only does this anger other drivers but the reputation of your business is tainted and compromised. Suffice to say, bad news travels faster than good news and your company will have a public relations nightmare if your drivers engage in unsafe driving behaviour. Your employees represent your business.
Having an unsafe driver is simply bad for business. Your employees’ actions can cost you money. If your driver ever gets into an accident, it is the employer that is left footing the bill and having to pay more on insurance. That is where fleet employee safety tracking will make a world of difference. With GoFleet’s OBD GPS Tracking System, you will have all the necessary details at your fingertips and you will be able to track the driving performance of each of your employees.
GoFleet’s Driver Safety Tracking
Having this kind of accountability will only serve to make all of your drivers more responsible on the road. You do not need to be constantly checking up on them in order to make sure that they are driving responsibly. By integrating GoFleet’s Driver Safety Tracking, most drivers will represent your company well on the field. By giving you the best resources possible and give you up-to-date metrics, you will be able to rectify any business inefficiencies.
The most impressive aspect of a fleet employee safety tracking system is the level of detail it provides. You can find out anything from average speeds to top speeds to hard braking and this can give you a clear picture of how each of your drivers behaves in traffic. This can also make it much easier for you to set future goals for the company. It will be much easier for you to monitor the developments and see which drivers are complying with your business goals and objectives.
Then there is also the aspect of the drivers that do everything by the book. Until now, it may have been hard to differentiate the exemplary employees in your workforce. Through GoFleet’s driver safety tracking system, we help report those who standout and create new benchmarks in what constitutes an exemplary employee. You can compensate and rate performances accordingly.
Professional Services & Fleet Consultants Are What Differentiates A GPS Fleet Management Company From its Competitors.
The objective to help manage a fleet is to have a consultant based mind which can help provide customers with the appropriate solutions; this will not only satisfy the customer, but will also start the process of tailoring the solution to their needs.
Cookie Cutter Approach
One of the most successful approaches, which we often use at the early stage of the process, is known as the “Cookie Cutter Approach”. It’s used to help customers focus on small metrics instead of taking on all data at once. This helps them to manage and organize data more efficiently. Also, only the required data should be discussed with the customer, as they require. Too much data and reports should be refrained from.
Pillar System
Another alternative approach we use is the “Pillar System”. It’s very similar to the Cookie Cutter Approach but the difference is that the Pillar System is a step-by-step overview of which metrics should take place before the other. This helps create a timeline in regards to how data and reports can be implemented as needed.
Once a system is established and in place, we start incorporating new data and reports along with the management process. Groups and rules will be categorized to help organize and manage a customer’s fleet. For bigger fleets, Security Clearances will be taken into consideration, as this should become a mandatory requirement.
Our fleet consultants understand the importance of how a fleet looks at their data once they are set up within the system. It is also important for them to understand how fleets manage their prospect levels and level of acceptance within their organization. Each fleet is managed differently, so it is important to understand how they currently manage and which data and information would be most suitable for each fleet. Our consultants often recommend different types of Risk Reports that should be used. Reports are also customized and designed to help factor towards fleet motivation compared to using default reports; data is tailored according to fleet.
Understanding fleet violations as a company is also an important factor. Relevant data can be used to develop a management system to incorporate an escalation process in regards to fleet violations. If an enforcement policy is not implemented, it is important for a fleet to create and implement an enforcement policy. This will help drivers within a fleet to have the decision of making the right choice. Areas for further review should be identified, as this is important to help further understand a fleet.
Once areas that require further review are identified, simple reports will be created to begin assessing these areas. Reports should be set-up to be sent to the correct user in order to improve productivity. We explain the data that is collected and help identify the following targets.
As a consultant, being professional is not a label, but a view.
Our fleet consultants have the drive to give exceptional service
and save our customers money.
Written by: Nitin Mehta, Account Management & Support Specialist
