Benjamin Franklin famously said that “nothing is certain except death and taxes.” Given today’s fractured economic climate, one could easily add the skyrocketing cost of fuel to that list.
In the transportation industry, fleet managers are challenged to mitigate rising fuel costs without compromising other aspects of their business. Many companies have chosen to add electric vehicles to their fleet. While these vehicles definitely save on fuel costs, they can be cost prohibitive.
Telematics combines telecommunications and informatics. Electronic logging devices (ELDs) automatically record hours-of-service (HOS) and driving time data.
Through the use of GPS and communication technologies, telematics provides fleet managers with data about vehicle location, vehicle use, kilometres driven, idle time, fuel economy, driver behaviour, and engine maintenance.
Within the transportation industry, telematics can track all aspects of the vehicle, from electrical, mechanical engineering to software engineering.
In the context of saving fuel costs, telematics controls and monitors vehicles on the move; it acts as a single monitor for all the different sensory and electrical features of your vehicles, including fuel efficiency, all the while providing data on-demand and in real-time.
Here are just a few of the ways that telematics can help you reduce fuel costs.
Improving driving habits
Everyone develops bad habits over time, and commercial drivers are no exception. Idling, aggressive driving and sudden acceleration can all add up to large fuel costs.
With telematics data, fleet managers can receive alerts in real-time, allowing them to coach the driver to prevent future incidents. Many of these telematics systems are paired with powerful software packages to help track vehicle activity and manage fuel consumption.
Telematics can also help you keep scorecards for your drivers, allowing them to challenge each other, and themselves, to improve their performance on the road.
Deterring fuel theft
Telematics solutions in your vehicles can be accessed remotely to help you keep track of fuel usage. Instant alerts let you know if there is any suspicious behaviour around fuel consumption.
Monitoring and maintaining diesel fuel levels
A poorly maintained diesel exhaust fuel (DEF) level can have an adverse effect on your vehicles’ mechanics, resulting in inefficient use of fuel, and an unfavourable impact on the environment.
Telematics ensures that DEF maintenance is optimal. These solutions send real-time data alerts when diesel exhaust levels are not on par with the emission regulation threshold.
Providing proactive maintenance schedule alerts
Regardless of the telematics solution you choose for your fleet, running full-time diagnostics should always be a priority, especially if fuel conservation is a pain point.
If the device senses that something isn’t running as it’s supposed to, it proactively sends an alert to the driver, while simultaneously alerting the repair centre.
Maintenance alerts slow down the gradual wear and tear on your vehicles and helps prevent future breakdowns, all of which help you save on fuel costs.
Optimizing existing routes and finding new ones
The data collected by GPS integration (common in most telematics systems) can be used to find better, safer routes, which can reduce not only the overall travel time, but the amount of fuel it takes to reach your destination.
GPS can also provide real-time traffic or route status; in the event of heavy traffic, this feature can help you find an alternative route and avoid idling.
General tips on reducing fuel costs
The alerts provided by telematics give you a holistic overview of your fleet. Most of these alerts have a direct impact on fuel consumption and acting on them can create big savings with minimal effort.
Here are a few of the diagnostics that telematics can track and alert you to in order to save fuel:
Keeping tires properly inflated. You can increase your gas mileage by up to 3% by keeping tires inflated to the correct pressure.
Reducing the use of air conditioners and heaters, or keeping them at optimal levels.
Staying on top of alignments and other scheduled maintenance work. Regular maintenance not only improves fuel efficiency, it also minimizes the risk of accidents.
Telematics can identify if the vehicle’s payload is too heavy, which can cause damage to your fleet and exponential gas consumption.
You can improve gas mileage by using the vehicle’s recommended grade of motor oil. Motor oil that says “Energy Conserving” on the packaging can also support your fuel-saving efforts with friction-reducing additives.
Conclusion
Whether you choose a telematics solution that gives you real-time feedback on fuel consumption or provides data to help you make informed decisions about maintenance and vehicle replacement, the fact remains that telematics can improve the status of your vehicles while having a positive impact on your bottom line.
Contact us at GoFleet and ask us how our telematics solutions can help reduce your fuel costs!
When it comes to transportation of goods and services, truck drivers are the adhesive that holds the supply chain together. Given their importance, finding, hiring, and retaining truck drivers has proven to be more difficult than ever.
By the end of this article, you will gain insight into the present trucking industry, and how the use of telematics can make a big difference with the current labour shortage.
What is ‘telematics’?
In broad terms, telematics is a field that combines telecommunications and informatics. Informatics involves the working of computer systems – the science involved in the processing of information, its storage, and retrieval.
When you apply this combination to vehicles, telematics becomes a highly sophisticated computing system that can track all aspects of the vehicle, from electrical, mechanical engineering to software engineering.
The use of telematics in the context of vehicle use often involves the following:
Using telecommunications to send, receive and store information to help control remote objects.
The combined use of telecommunications, and informatics to control and monitor vehicles that are on the move.
The use of GPS to help with the navigation and live tracking of vehicles.
Telematics acts as a single monitor for all the different sensory and electrical features of your vehicle, all the while providing instant information on a single vehicle, or an entire fleet, on demand and in real-time.
The trucking industry’s labour shortage
According to a recent report from the American Trucking Association (ATA), the shortage in truck drivers hit an all-time high of over 80,000 drivers in 2021.
The most prevalent causes were:
Demographics – The average age of current drivers is above 50, leading to more retirees and fewer hires year over year.
Fewer female drivers – According to the same ATA report, women only make up 7% of the overall existing drivers.
Lack of new drivers – The availability of potential drivers on par with a truck carrier’s hiring standard is extremely low.
Lifestyle –The lifestyle of the average truck driver is another important factor that deters people from choosing truck driving as a profession. Long hours, irregular meals and sleeping patterns all contribute to the decline.
The pandemic – Among the many people that were temporarily laid off due to COVID, most did not come back.
This labour shortage will be acutely felt for a long time and may persist until the trucking industry increases its bandwidth to allow younger drivers into the fold and/or improves its hiring and training practices.
Mitigating the labour shortage
There are two parts to managing the labour shortage. The first and most self-evident is to make the driving profession more lucrative and attractive to potential drivers, including:
Offering fair wages with extra benefits, including solid health insurance and pension plans.
An increase in freight rates.
A refresh in the truck industry’s branding, making it an appealing and viable career path.
Better work schedules and route assignment for improved work/life balance.
The second solution would be the adoption of technology. Telematics has massive potential to help your workforce mitigate the labour shortage while providing attractive solutions that make everyone’s job easier in the short and long-term.
How telematics can help
Telematics has the power to improve the working conditions of your existing and future drivers in a very significant way.
The benefits of telematics from a business perspective
Improves productivity and efficiency: The data collected by integrated GPS found in most telematics systems can be used to optimize routes, which reduces the overall time spent on the road, reduces delivery times, and improves fuel usage.
Reduces operation costs: All the improvements listed in the previous statement help reduce operational costs. Moreover, since telematics tracks and keeps records of virtually everything that has to do with the vehicle, there are opportunities to identify potential issues within your vehicles before they happen, thus improving operational costs and maximizing fleet efficiency.
Automates payroll management: With the time and distance data provided by telematics, it becomes easier to manage payroll without having to worry about clerical errors.
Streamlines telecommunications: Telematics systems help you seamlessly streamline all forms of end-to-end communication within your business operations, from customers to drivers.
Offers proactive maintenance and repair alerts: The diagnostics data provided by telematics can help you maintain your fleet and keep everything in working order. Issues can be flagged to your driver while also alerting your repair centre, preventing break downs before they happen.
Attracts and retains drivers: This is the most important benefit given the subject of this article. Vehicles fitted with telematics technology will always prove to be more attractive, and the many features that the tech offers, especially in them being engaged, and not disconnected over miles of long lonely road, will certainly help in their retention.
The benefits of telematics from a driver’s perspective
Improves safety and compliance: The built-in driver monitoring software encourages drivers to comply with all regulatory driving standards. This goes a long way in avoiding, and preventing accidents, ensuring the overall health, and safety of the drivers.
Opportunities for real-time coaching: Virtually everyone develops bad driving habits over time. Whether it’s harsh braking, frequent acceleration or failing to use a turn signal, telematics can identify these occurrences and alert both you and your driver to these behaviours as soon as they happen, giving you an opportunity to correct and coach in real-time.
Increases job safety: Contrary to popular belief, telematics isn’t the digital, overbearing “Big Brother” that everyone thinks. There are lots of ways to introduce telematics to your drivers that frame it as a benefit; less in-cab surveillance and more of an insurance policy that helps prevent accidents, exonerate your drivers and keep them safe.
Conclusion
While there is no singular solution to fix the entire trucking industry, an organized business that leverages telematics data not only lures prospective employees, but it can also help your organization use your existing drivers and vehicles more efficiently while keeping them safe on the road.
Maintaining an efficient fleet management system is key to keeping your vehicles on the road and your business running smoothly. From fuel efficiency to vehicle wear and tear, there are so many variables to consider that the maintenance of your fleet can seem daunting.
However, by regularly monitoring the metrics offered by key performance indicators (KPI), you can quickly identify and address issues before they become major problems. Here are the top 10 KPIs for managing your fleet maintenance more efficiently.
Reduce Fuel Costs and Emissions
Fleet managers face a constant challenge to reduce fuel costs and emissions while maintaining a safe and reliable fleet. A key performance indicator for driving more efficient fleet maintenance management is reducing the amount of fuel used by your fleet. There are many ways to achieve this goal, but some methods are more effective than others.
One way to reduce fuel costs and emissions is to keep your fleet in a state of good repair. This means fixing any broken or malfunctioning parts as soon as possible. A well-maintained fleet uses less fuel, which reduces emissions. Regular maintenance also helps prevent breakdowns, which can cause costly delays and have a negative impact on your business’ performance.
Another way to reduce fuel costs and emissions is to choose the right vehicles for your fleet. Consider the types of trips your vehicles will be performing and select the fleet that is suited to those tasks.
Finally, fleet managers can also reduce fuel costs and emissions by using smart driving techniques, including consolidating trips, avoiding excessive idling, and using the right gear for road conditions.
Improve Driver Safety
One major key performance indicator for more efficient fleet maintenance management is improving driver safety. By reducing the number of accidents and incidents on the road, companies can save money on repairs, insurance and downtime for their vehicles.
Some ways to improve driver safety and, in turn, fleet maintenance management include:
Training drivers on safe driving practices. This can include how to handle a vehicle in different types of weather conditions or how to respond to unexpected situations on the road.
Installing safety features in vehicles, such as collision avoidance systems or lane departure warnings.
Encouraging drivers to take breaks regularly and get enough sleep. This will help them stay alert while behind the wheel and reduce the risk of getting into an accident.
Monitoring driver behaviour and providing feedback. This can help identify issues early on before they lead to accidents.
Enhance Customer Service
Average response time measures the amount of time it takes for a service technician to respond to a customer request. Reducing the average response time can help improve customer satisfaction levels and instill faith in your business.
Another measurement is customer satisfaction rate, which identifies the percentage of customers who are satisfied with the service they receive. Improving the customer satisfaction rate can help improve retention and generate revenue.
By tracking and measuring these KPIs, organizations can identify areas where they need to make improvements and take the necessary steps to improve their fleet maintenance management process.
Optimize Fleet Maintenance Schedules
There are a number of KPIs that you can use to optimize your fleet maintenance schedules. One of the most important is vehicle uptime. By ensuring that your vehicles are in service as much as possible, you can improve overall fleet efficiency.
By optimizing your maintenance schedules, you can improve vehicle uptime and reliability, while reducing the overall cost of ownership for your fleet.
Finally, by ensuring that your vehicles are reliable, you can minimize the number of unexpected breakdowns and keep your fleet running smoothly.
Minimize Vehicle Downtime
The best way to manage fleet maintenance is by minimizing vehicle downtime. This can be done by tracking key performance indicators such as mean time to repair (MTTR). This measures the average time it takes to repair a vehicle after it has gone down. The lower the number, the more efficient your fleet maintenance management is.
Other KPIs that can help you manage fleet maintenance include vehicle availability and vehicle utilization. Vehicle availability measures the percentage of time a vehicle is available for use, while vehicle utilization measures how often a vehicle is used.
Reduce Inventory Costs
One way to reduce inventory costs is to drive more efficient fleet maintenance management. By taking a proactive approach to fleet maintenance, businesses can avoid unnecessary repairs, keep vehicles on the road longer, and save on inventory costs.
Lower Vehicle Maintenance Costs
There are a number of ways that you can lower your vehicle maintenance costs and drive more efficient fleet maintenance management. One key way is to track your vehicle maintenance KPI. Some of the most important KPIs to track include:
For example, vehicle repair costs measures how much money you are spending on vehicle repairs. The lower the amount, the more efficient your fleet maintenance management is.
Technician Productivity
Fleet managers must track technician productivity in order to ensure that vehicles are being maintained efficiently and cost-effectively. Productivity tracking can help identify inefficiencies and areas where technicians could improve their efficiency.
Some of the more common KPIs to measure technician productivity include:
Number of vehicles serviced per technician per day
Percentage of vehicles serviced within the manufacturer’s recommended time frame
Number of work orders completed per technician per day
Percentage of work orders completed on time
Enhance Driver Productivity
By tracking driver productivity, you can reduce wear and tear on vehicles and improve the overall safety of your drivers. Some important KPIs to track in fleet maintenance management include:
Driver productivity, measured in terms of miles driven per hour, or number of deliveries made
Vehicle uptime, or the percentage of time that vehicles are in use compared to the total time they could be used
Maintenance costs, including both routine and unexpected repairs
Fuel efficiency, measured in terms of miles per gallon or liters per kilometer
Number of accidents or incidents, measured through safety reports and insurance claims
Overall Equipment Effectiveness
It’s important to track the effectiveness of your fleet maintenance management system with an Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) KPI.
OEE measures how effectively your fleet maintenance management system is operating. It takes into account the availability, performance, and quality of your vehicles. By tracking OEE, you can identify areas where your fleet maintenance management system needs improvement and make changes that will improve its overall effectiveness.
There are a number of factors that can impact OEE. Some of the most important include:
The availability of vehicles
The performance of vehicles
The quality of vehicles
All of these should be considered when tracking OEE. By doing so, you can get an accurate picture of how well your fleet maintenance management system is performing and make the necessary changes to improve its efficiency.
By understanding the key performance indicators that are most important to fleet management, you can focus your time and resources on improving those areas. This will help you achieve better results for your business and improve your bottom line.
Today, most fleet managers understand the value of including a camera (or two) on every vehicle. Fleet cameras assist with driver supervision, improve performance, and can lower legal liabilities.
One study found that simply including cameras was enough to lower insurance costs for 58% of respondents. And organizations that actively integrate advanced fleet cameras into operations see even more advantages.
JTI-Macdonald used smart fleet monitoring to lower preventable accidents by 64% and reduce its average cost per claim by 64%. Operators are always looking to increase efficiency and cut costs, so it makes perfect sense that fleet camera use is steadily on the rise.
Integrating a vehicle monitoring system is always a smart choice. If you’re a manager, the question is this – what fleet camera solution is right for your organization?
Are standalone dash cams good enough? Or will your organization benefit from using a more advanced multi-camera system?
Why Every Fleet Manager Needs a Smart Multi-Cam Solution
Fleet management can be tricky, especially when it comes to supervising drivers in the field. You need a way to know what’s going on without riding with every driver.
In the past, managers had to rely on indirect methods like driver self-supervision, trip recorders, or MVR monitoring services. Monitoring services are great for ensuring route adherence, catching driving violations, and spotting license-related red flags. But these technologies don’t actually show how employees are driving.
Not having direct fleet visibility makes it difficult to analyze performance, monitor driver activities, and make safety assessments. It’s also harder to defend the organization in case of accidents, insurance claims, or any legal disputes.
Fleet cameras represent the only practical way for managers to always have an eye on drivers. However, not all camera options deliver the same management advantages.
A single dashcam will provide forward-facing visibility but miss side or rear views
Not all cameras assess driving speed or driving safety
Not all cameras include geographic information
Some camera footage archives can’t be effectively searched by managers or supervisors
Rather than generic dash cameras, choose a fleet camera solution developed with management in mind. ZenduCAM is a smart, multi-camera solution built to make your work more efficient and extend your capabilities. It enhances driver visibility, facilitates remote supervision, and assists with training and performance improvement.
1. Get Complete Driver and Fleet Visibility
Unlike other fleet camera options, ZenduCAM’s multi-camera system shows everything that happens inside the cab and around its periphery. Having a complete view of the driving environment is essential for legal record keeping, performance reviews, and improving safety training.
It’s difficult to understand how well a driver is doing or determine what caused an incident without seeing the driver and what’s around them. A single dashcam doesn’t provide this and neither does a dual camera system where one camera points forwards while the other looks in at the driver.
ZenduCAM doesn’t rely on one or two views. You can have up to four cameras set up on any vehicle. Choose from:
a driver-facing camera
a forward-facing wide-angle camera
a forward-facing driver distraction camera
a rearview camera
a sideview camera
This fleet camera setup provides a complete 360-degree view of the cab’s interior and exterior. You can view the driver’s actions while understanding what road conditions they are responding to. The footage recorded gives complete context on driver behavior, performance, road conditions, and road safety.
2. Monitor Everyone’s Location
Fleet managers need to see what drivers are doing and know their locations at all times. That’s why all our fleet cameras come with location monitoring technology. You can either use our built-in GPS or integrate the system with a 3rd party telematics device, like Geotab.
This is real-time GPS tracking designed for active fleet management. You get complete fleet visibility, along with tracking control and geographic-based record keeping.
You can track the assets you want – when and where you need to – by setting up a few geofencing rules. Then sit back and watch the entire fleet on a single dashboard.
3. Preserve Driving Footage
ZenduCAM is the easiest way to amass a significant driving footage archive for training purposes and internal use or managing insurance claims, compliance verification, and providing legal backup.
Our fleet cameras automatically upload recorded footage to the cloud with complete location and driver information. In addition, any footage around an accident, dangerous driving, or other event is also stored in a separate library.
Want to use physical storage as well? Each device can store anywhere from 3 to 30 days of footage.
The archive is easy to sort through and can be filtered by time, area, driver, or type of incident. ZenduCAM was designed to streamline the claims management process and improve fraud prevention.
4. Screen For Dangerous Driving
Unless you plan to stay glued to the screen, you need a fleet camera system that can supervise drivers for you. ZenduCAM does this with AI, facial recognition, and night vision technology. It watches for unsafe conditions, driver errors, and road incidents.
The AI algorithms identify dangerous driving patterns like sudden accelerations, turns, swerving, or braking. We paired this with facial recognition technology to identify distracted or fatigued drivers.
When abnormal driving is detected, ZenduCAM gives drivers instant feedback, logs the event, and sends management alerts.
5. Customize Driver Training
Organizations are always looking to improve driver performance and safety. You can leverage ZenduCAM’s real-time driving analytics and camera footage archives into a customized internal training program with a few steps.
Find preventable driving errors and incidents
Use the insights to understand what caused them
Check the footage to see how drivers could have prevented errors
Train or retrain drivers as necessary.
This is similar to how JTI-Macdonald dropped its preventable accident rate. The organization used smart telematics to identify problematic drivers and then developed a targeted retraining program.
You can jumpstart any safety training program by checking ZenduCAM for the most common errors or drivers with the worst performance levels.
6. Customize Alert and Recording Triggers
Whenever a driving rule is broken, ZenduCAM sends alerts via email, text message, or the app. These alerts include video footage, location information, and incident descriptions.
You can customize ZenduCAM’s triggers to control what alerts you get and what driving events it should single out.
Most fleet managers use this to get instant notifications on accidents. But you can also use it to follow new drivers more closely or set alerts for repeated safety violations.
7. See and Manage Everything On-The-Go
Fleet management can’t be confined to office environments and desktop computers. Does the fleet you manage run according to your personal schedule? Do drivers stop working whenever you need to go on break? Probably not.
If your fleet is always on the go, you need a way to manage them on the go. With ZenduCAM’s mobile and tablet apps, you can always keep an eye on drivers and vehicles assets – no matter where you are or what device is available.
The apps are robust enough for full mobile fleet management. You can view live fleet camera footage, check on individual drivers, watch recordings, and see all your alerts.
Get The Fleet Camera Solution You Need
At GoFleet, we leverage advanced and emerging technologies to build world-class fleet cameras and monitoring solutions.
ZenduCAM is an innovative fleet camera system with an array of smart technologies. Ready to improve your management capabilities? Contact us today for your free demonstration.
With an estimated 3,700 people killed in car accidents every day, it’s little wonder that vehicle safety features are such a hot-button topic for car manufacturers and consumers alike.
Advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) are quickly becoming the gold standard in new vehicles, and the features that come with them can drastically improve driver and vehicle safety.
Let’s look at the top eight ways ADAS improve vehicle safety.
1) Blind Spot Detection
Blind spot detection uses sensors to detect vehicles in areas of the road just outside of the driver’s field of vision that can’t be easily viewed in the rear-view mirrors or windows. In these instances, ADAS would warn you through lights and sounds when another vehicle is present but not necessarily visible.
The system also warns you when there are pedestrians or cyclists near your car so that you can avoid an accident.
2) Lane Departure Warning
A lane departure warning system (LDWS) is an active safety technology designed to warn a driver if they inadvertently veer out of their lane on the road. The system uses cameras or other sensors to track a vehicle’s position; if it senses that the car is crossing a line, an alert is triggered.
LDWS systems are considered an “active” safety feature, which means they take immediate action in some way when required, versus passive systems such as airbags, which only deploy when triggered by a crash.
Because LDWS is classified as an active safety feature, it can provide drivers with potentially life-saving alerts when traveling at high speeds on busy roads.
3) Advanced Cruise Control
Vehicles equipped with an advanced cruise control system will ensure your drivers maintain a safe distance from other cars on the road.
The best ADAS systems aren’t just meant for highway driving. They should also be employed when navigating through stop-and-go traffic to heighten awareness of upcoming stop signs and traffic lights, as well as cars around you when pulling out into an intersection or turning at an intersection.
4) Pedestrian Protection Systems
Injuries sustained by pedestrians account for almost half of all traffic-related deaths worldwide. For this reason, many manufacturers are outfitting their vehicles with pedestrian protection systems to reduce the risk of injury if a pedestrian is hit by a vehicle, or help avoid accidents altogether.
The system works as soon as a sensor detects an imminent collision and initiates an automatic braking command to minimize or prevent any impact between car and pedestrian.
The system also works in reverse. In the event of a potential rear impact, it will trigger another sequence of events – warning lights and sounds alerting the driver to upcoming impact – potentially avoiding rear-end collisions altogether.
5) Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB)
AEB prevents or mitigates front-to-rear impact by stopping a vehicle if an imminent collision is detected. AEB systems can be activated via Forward Collision Warning (FCW) and Lane Departure Warning (LDW).
It’s also common for AEB to work with adaptive cruise control, which automatically slows a vehicle down when another car is detected. Some advanced versions of AEB can steer vehicles out of danger autonomously.
6) Parking Assistance Systems
Parking assistance systems are among the most basic forms of ADAS. They include automatic sensors that help guide a vehicle into a parking spot, and cameras that automatically detect other vehicles or obstacles while parking.
These features can help prevent driver error when parking- one of the most common causes for collisions. These systems sometimes come with sensor warnings when approaching objects in front or on both sides of your vehicle.
7) Driver Drowsiness Monitoring System (DDMS)
Many vehicles already have or are developing systems that monitor drivers’ eyes to help detect drowsiness.
The system uses infrared lights positioned on, near, or in front of a car’s rearview mirror(s) and camera(s) to analyze blinking, eye position, and driver response to determine whether they are tired.
If it looks like a driver needs some rest, the vehicle produces visual and/or audio triggers until the driver regained alertness.
Many manufacturers now offer hands-free features for their infotainment systems, enabling drivers to always keep both hands on the wheel and their eyes on the road.
8) Traffic Sign Recognition System
If you’re driving in an unfamiliar city, traffic sign recognition systems can be a lifesaver. These systems automatically detect speed limit signs and display that information in your instrument cluster.
Illustration and photo of a autonomous self-driving cars driving on a highway. The cars are connected through wireless technology and artificial intelligence which enables them to drive on the road safely.
Other Benefits of ADAS
As impressive as these benefits are, it’s important to remember that there are many other ways that ADAS technologies improve vehicle safety. Here’s a quick rundown of some additional features and benefits of these systems:
Traction control-equipped vehicles are more efficient on slippery roads. While you may think that traction control is only helpful in poor weather conditions, like snow and ice, it’s a valuable feature even on ordinary days in slick terrain.Traction control delegates optimal power to each wheel to keep your vehicle as stable as possible while driving at high speeds in slippery conditions. Additionally, traction-control technology can help drivers avoid swerving, which prevents accidents and maintains safety while driving on typical roadways.
Tire pressure monitoring systems are essential to improve safety on both new and old vehicles. Drivers with older vehicles without these systems often have incorrect tire pressure, leading to poor vehicle handling and poor fuel efficiency.With these devices installed in your car, you can make sure that your tires are properly inflated at all times.
Mapping solutions help drivers get to their destinations efficiently and safely. Mapping systems always provide your location, allowing you to make informed decisions about your route and keeping you on track towards your destination.Some advanced navigation devices will even re-route you if there’s an accident along your route, ensuring that safety is always a priority on the road.
The Bottom Line
As technology continues to advance, so will vehicle safety. From automatic emergency brakes to collision-avoidance systems and more, there are plenty of features available on vehicles today that would have seemed like science fiction just a few years ago.
While we have come a long way in terms of road safety over time, there is still room for improvement when considering driver and passenger protection. Contact your GoFleet consultant for a full list of our ADAS features, and let us help you make your fleet safer for your drivers and your business.
If you’ve driven a car manufactured in the last five years, you’ve likely used advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) without even knowing it.
We’ve all had moments on the road where we’ve felt unsafe; either we’ve forgotten to check our blind spot, the car in front of us brakes suddenly, or a pedestrian appears seemingly out of nowhere. ADAS can help you and your drivers avoid dangerous driving scenarios and much more.
Advanced driver-assistance systems are vehicle-embedded technology programs that use sensors to warn drivers of potential hazards on the road or within the vehicle. Sensors include radar and cameras that create a virtual map of the vehicle’s environment, and either provides data directly to the driver or takes action automatically.
Types of information detected by these systems include:
Pedestrian detection and avoidance
Lane departure warning and correction
Traffic sign recognition
Automatic emergency braking
Blind spot detection.
While on the surface ADAS might appear by some to be automation that relieves the driver from taking responsibility for his own driving behaviour, we understand that most vehicle accidents are the result of human error; ADAS actually mitigates the risks associated with driving.
Not only do these programs detect and alert drivers to crucial safety information, recent programs actually assist the driver in making safety decisions – what the industry has coined an “active safety system.” This means that sensors communicate with the braking and steering systems to create a collaborative driving experience that is safer and more responsive than ever before.
How Does ADAS Work?
As mentioned above, ADAS programs employ several advanced technologies to make driving safer, including automated sensors like cameras and radar that are linked to the vehicle to deliver warnings to the driver and take control if circumstances require.
For example, the technology embedded in self-driving vehicles makes it possible for the “brain” of the system to “gain 360-degree vision, both near (in the vehicle’s immediate vicinity) and far,” according to Synopsys.
ADAS features like parking assistants and surround view are supported by cameras on each side of the vehicle. Parking assist cameras collaborate with radar systems to provide blind spot detection warnings, rear collision warnings, cross-traffic alerts, adaptive cruise control, and emergency braking.
For detection immediately surrounding the vehicle’s bumpers, assistive driving systems use ultrasound technology. In short, ADAS applications use “embedded vision” to reduce the occurrence of accidents and occupant injuries, keeping everyone on the road safer and aware
ADAS Applications
Some of the more common applications of ADAS extend beyond safety to making the driving experience more relaxing and automated. The features you select for your vehicle will depend on your budget and what is most important to you as a driver.
If you’re a fleet manager, asset tracking, driver safety and fleet management would likely be top of mind. Fleets equipped with ADAS can monitor blind spots, detect driver drowsiness or distraction. Ultrasound technology can keep tabs on what’s going on directly outside the vehicle while sensors keep an eye on your driver’s head movements to make sure his eyes are on the road.
The newest ADAS features allow vehicles to communicate with other vehicles or pedestrians. This is called V2X and it uses reliable 5G networks to help solve issues caused by delays in human functioning, generally referred to in the industry as “latency”.
One of the most familiar and recognizable features of advanced driver-assistance systems is navigation programs. These applications give drivers on-screen instructions and vocal reminders to help them follow routes while focusing on the road ahead.
According to the AAA, ADAS features can prevent up to 63,000 truck collisions annually. In addition, ADAS works with video telematics to monitor your drivers’ behaviour when on the road.
The integration captures data and video signals based on your ADAS and automotive sensors. As a result, you can easily identify new or risky driving behaviours. You can use the data to coach your drivers and help them improve.
ADAS can also prevent collisions, or at the very least reduce their severity. You can use the integrated data to improve your CSA scores, enhance compliance and exonerate drivers from expensive insurance claims.
For fleets that drive long distances, adaptive cruise control (ACC) is an extremely helpful feature. ACC can automatically accelerate, slow down, and even stop the vehicle. Many vehicles also include adaptive light control, another ADAS feature, to best match the vehicle’s headlights with the lighting conditions surrounding it.
These systems use light detection and ranging (LiDAR) technology, combining the power of cameras and sensors to create “computer vision that transform outputs into 3D, with the capability to discern between static and moving objects for added layers of blind-spot or bad-lighting situations,” as described by Car and Driver.
Why is ADAS Necessary?
With the ever-increasing number of distractions on the road, on our devices and in the world at large, it’s becoming more important than ever to have advanced driver-assistance programs that aid us in keeping ourselves and others safe.
These programs are designed not only for safety, but have adaptive and automated features to improve the driving experience as well as the quality of driving across the world.
What’s Next for ADAS?
ADAS is an important step towards safer roads and safer drivers. New features are brought to market almost daily, aimed at keeping our roads safer than ever before. For fleet managers, ADAS has the power to transform the driving experience, coach drivers and eliminate dangerous driving habits.
The new year brings with it new business opportunities and, in the case of fleet management, new digital solutions to better automate your workflow.
Your team’s goal should always be ensuring that your enterprise has the best solutions provider for meeting your fleet’s individual needs. That’s why there are some key aspects to bear in mind before renegotiating your business contract.
When assessing your business needs (and how your existing provider has measured up over the past year), you will want to ask yourself several questions, including: How safe were my drivers because of our software? How many of our vehicles remained secure? Were compliance or servicing issues addressed ahead of time? Did route optimization software really work for us? Was delivery route optimization successful?
On a more nuanced scale, the following factors provide a framework for assessing the services and expertise of your fleet solutions provider.
Connected trucks telematics
Technological & Industry Expertise
In the fleet industry, time is money (literally). Whether you operate in construction or the emergency industry, you need a solutions provider that can tailor technology to fit your industry needs.
With the emergence of recent ELD mandates and the constant evolution of digital technology, it’s wise for all fleet-related industries to stay ahead of the curve.
Make sure that you choose your provider wisely, taking into consideration both technological know-how and effective, scalable optimization for your specific industry’s needs.
Scalability
All fleets have had to adapt to major changes over the past few years; the pandemic, a global backlog in supply chain, regulatory compliance changes and the ongoing shortage of trained drivers have all contributed to a seismic shift in how fleets operate.
Across industries, fleets need the flexibility to either scale down or grow their operations on command. Make sure your fleet solutions provider has the bandwidth and digital tools to help your enterprise grow responsibly.
Support Capabilities
The best part of having the right fleet management software is the 24/7 support. With resources available on a continuous basis, your drivers are never alone. No matter how near or far from home, fleet tracking software can help your team stay safe, automatically recording videos of accidents, anywhere on Earth.
Fleet command centre support has never been better, offering a growing toolbox of telematics that include live real-time asset tracking, vehicle temperature tracking, driver safety coaching, and so much more.
Innovative Culture
A good fleet management solutions provider should be both wise and nimble, not only in adapting to emerging software capabilities, but to stay steps ahead of industry needs. In the telematics industry, the motto is ‘measure or perish.’
An innovative telematics provider will be able to fine tune your specific fleet needs and pair them with the best of emerging technology—in tracking devices, software interfaces and command centre platforms. Don’t make the mistake of trusting your fleet’s integrity to a provider that’s unable to out-innovate both the competition and global challenges.
Going Pro: GoFleet Systems Solutions
At GoFleet, our digital designers and telematics experts provide all the above, giving your enterprise a stable framework for optimal command centre control. We’ve established key partnerships with OEM manufacturers such as Ford, GM, Volvo, Mercedes, and John Deere, among others. Our collaborative partnership with data security leader, Geotab, has allowed our GoFleet experts to:
Install and operate 2 million+ telematics devices
Log in 100 million+ miles driven by fleets, every day
Process more than 40 billion data points from fleets to their command centres, daily.
That’s what drives growing industries to us, to handle their digital fleet management needs.
GoFleet’s mission is to offer the best-quality services and products available on the market, matched by the highest industry standards for telematic support.
Whether it’s route optimization software, vehicle safety reports, delivery route optimization, dispatch monitoring and much more, with GoFleet, you have the pros working for you.
Want proof? Read here about the problem areas of daily fleet operation management, or this whitepaper regarding the innovations, enhanced sensors and emerging AI technology now helping industries strive for sustainability. Our subject matter experts research industry-leading subjects to help keep your operations agile and efficient.
Some other key factors that made GoFleet an industry leader in asset management software:
Privacy
No business could survive if their private data was easily accessible. In a digital world where unsavoury characters prey on insecure data transmission lines, one can never be too cautious.
From fleet command centres to the drivers themselves, GoFleet’s industry-leading security measures allow peace of mind and security of data.
Within our Geotab datacenter security system, there’s even a Privacy Mode tool that stops live monitoring of vehicles during defined time periods. With GoFleet’s third-party identification measures, firewalls and data breach security precautions are virtually a non-issue.
Safety
While dash cams can’t necessarily prevent accidents, there is ample evidence to suggest that dash cam technology can help change the behaviours that cause accidents, such as distracted driving, harsh braking or fatigue.
Face-recognition dash cams, improved GPS navigational systems, finely-tuned vehicle sensors and AI have all moved the goalposts of possibility for global asset tracking technology, keeping your drivers and your business safe.
Driver safety and retention should be high on the list of any fleet’s priorities. GoFleet recommends ‘a culture of safety‘ be instituted in all fleet organizations, providing clear guidance and transparency in assuring the safety of their assets, as well as the privacy and well-being of their fleet drivers and operators.
Fleet safety today extends to being able to transmit engine diagnostic data, pain-point measures, remote vehicle management, engine starter inhibit technology and vehicular maintenance servicing alerts, all of which equate to a real safety commitment.
Cloud system with data protection
Data Storage & Bandwidth
Today, Cloud-based technology allows even heavy digital data to be safely transferred and stored, without weighing down any one server. Our global solutions include 24/7 tracking over cellular networks, GPS coordinates, satellite transmissions and more, for both EV and fuel-based models.
Using our proprietary APIs for easier app-to-app interfacing, GoFleet feeds your fleet operations system with the data you need, when you need it. We even provide an IoT gateway to push your data through, from sensors and into the Cloud, for instant access.
Migration & Ecosystem Needs
Most Canadian and many U.S.-based fleets face considerable snowfall each year. Tractors and heavy farm equipment can likewise face a host of additional weather-related challenges.
Our global data tracking solutions offer fleets remote entry, ride-sharing access, OEM management, automated ELD logs, incident alerts, even On/Off tracking for when vehicles are stationary. Our integrated asset management system allows industries to go global, responsibly.
Energy Consumption Monitoring
Fleets that want to stay healthy and wise take full advantage of the route optimization technology available today, for improving both dispatch and delivery decisions. Our route optimization software and APIs allow for better, wiser route calculations, as well as better diagnostics.
Fuel Cards are another wise way to monitor and track consumption. Meanwhile, as more fleets began moving toward EVs, GoFleet’s electric vehicle management support has become increasingly robust. Our fleet command centre technology allows for real-time fuel and EV energy usage across your entire fleet family. We also provide Charge Assurance alerts and routine EV Charging Beta readings for EVs.
All of this translates into lower fuel and energy costs, and far wiser fleet resource management.
Did you know that it was possible to retain good drivers and improve morale and driver safety through smart digital data engineering? GoFleet’s Mobile Driver solutions integrate your fleet’s operating system to simplify data retrieval, while boosting driver safety and performance.
Current digitized reporting technology includes Driver Video Reviews, Digital Time Cards, Delivery Form Creation, Driver Messaging and Training, Indoor Tracking, OEM & Car Sharing, Fuel & Maintenance Management, ROI Calculators, Asset Monitoring, Cold Chain tracking sensors, E-learning, Team Performance scoring and Rewards Program management.
Our nimble fleet mobile apps—including Mobile Dispatch, ZenScores, ZenduForms and ZenduMessenger, to name a few—have successfully automated data tools for capturing fleet telematics across all industries. What this means for fleets:
Streamlining the Work Order Management Process by electronically filling out safety and vehicle inspection reports across fleet operations.
Complying with ELD mandates by automatically logging-in work hours directly into electronic logbooks, providing actionable data for fleet reports.
Receiving automated diagnostic data and vehicle inspection reports, allowing for improved scheduling of vehicles for routine maintenance needs, as well as alerts to safety concerns.
They say forewarned is fore-armed. With GoFleet’s seamless integration of the best in digital device telematic technology available today, your fleet will always stay ahead of any curve.
GoFleet & Go Home
Make sure your operations team properly assesses both your fleet capacity and constraints, long before you sign on the dotted line. Nothing costs a fleet more than inadequate support, creating efficiency backlogs and security breaches that were easily avoidable.
To find out where future fleet technology is heading, and how to surf ahead, just ask. GoFleet offers free demos and customized efficiency assessments that help teams navigate emerging technologies. This lets fleet operations teams, and their drivers, finish work earlier and wiser.
From cars to commercial fleets and everything in between, there isn’t a vehicle in production that couldn’t benefit from a dash cam solution. But what is the best dash cam for fleets?
The road can be a dangerous and precarious place; new and emerging dash cam technology makes transportation safer for drivers, passengers and fleet managers.
Dash cam strategies significantly improved this past year, right alongside improved driver safety records. Fleet navigation strategies and capacities likewise increased dramatically, allowing businesses of any size to thrive in this globalized world.
AI technology also took a quantum leap forward this past year. While we’re not yet at the stage of employing a fleet of fully autonomous vehicles, AI has revolutionized and streamlined the fleet industry, from fleet management software to dash cam technology like Smart Witness.
Imagine having the capture and retrieval capacity to provide diagnostic engine data and maintenance servicing reminders—long before a vehicle breaks down. Or the video capacity and resolution to show conclusive evidence exonerating drivers falsely accused of causing accidents.
What if it were possible to give driver safety alerts in real-time, helping prevent accidents, reduce drowsiness, or warn of tailgating—even at night? Try to picture fleet operations managers receiving video alerts triggered by any range of incidents—immediately, rather than waiting for formal accident reports or written tickets.
Who knew that by 2022 command centres could conduct virtual ride-alongs or in-cab coaching, record training sessions, detect unsafe behaviours and reward safe drivers in real-time?
That’s the beauty of dash cam technology today: All of these leaps in fleet operation strategies are actually here. From AI-equipped dash cams to infrared technology, 2022 is going to make smart fleets wiser, safer, and more automated.
Here are what the smarter fleets are focusing on this year.
2022 Dash Cam Wish List
As the world becomes ever more interconnected, dash cam digital technology strategies are providing more peace of mind than ever before. Emerging trends for the upcoming year give fleets an advantage over every generation that came before.
Thermostat sensors in commercial transportation vehicles now provide temperature readings once a minute.
Multi-camera solutions for armoured trucks and emergency vehicles mean command centres can now receive live stream of both the driver and contents in the back of the vehicle.
Delivery vehicles and ride shares now have facial recognition software to authorize driver use, or log in route details.
Fleet managers, command centres and anyone hurrying on the road are sure to benefit from the following vast technological improvements—coming to a fleet near you.
Improved Driver Safety
When digital dash cam technology first came about, drivers were wary. But given the remarkable evolution of responsive navigation and its impact on road safety, drivers soon began requesting this emerging technology as an added protection for them on the road.
Technology like MobilEye 560 continuously scans the road ahead to analyze driving patterns and speeds, warning drivers of potential collisions or other road hazards.
MobileEye and Samsara AI dash cams also come equipped with infrared LED and low light camera video recording capability, allowing for clear night vision.
The ZenduCam multi-camera solution provides drivers a microphone and a panic button to reach fleet managers in real-time.
Reduced Vehicle Incidents
Avoiding collisions and offering warning alerts in critical situations can make the difference between life and death on the road. GoFleet’s integrated 5-Driver Assistance warns of pedestrian and cyclist collisions, speed limit indications, lane departure warnings, harsh breaking and more.
ADAS, or Advanced Driver Assistance Systems, have become a leading industry trend due to their ability to prevent accidents. For example, MobileEye uses ADAS technology to warn of objects ahead, tailgating, even distracted driving. When it comes to road safety, every bit helps.
Incident-based reporting now allows dash cams to filter the footage surrounding an accident or event, and automatically stream it to the fleet command centre. No longer will fleet managers have to review hours of footage to localize an event. Today, that tedious task is fully automated.
Improved Driver Training
GoFleet’s seamless integration of emerging dash cam technologies allows real-time alerts, so drivers are warned before accidents happen.
Alerts are sent immediately after an event—such as crossing a lane boundary or tailgating—and received within a few tenths of a second.
Automated reports—on individuals or entire fleets—provide detailed driver scorecards and can even measure safety improvements over the life of your drivers.
Driver safety software can even be ‘gamefied,’ allowing for healthy team competition that makes road safety more engaging and fun. For example, Drivewyze rewards hard-earned driver safety scores by offering bypass opportunities at inspection sites and weigh stations.
Seamless Integration
GoFleet’s future-focused vision has stayed miles ahead of emerging technology, allowing for a seamless integration of customizable platforms loaded with the best features available to fleets in the new year.
Better data and vastly improved interconnectivity has allowed GPS tracking solutions such as GeoTabs to be paired with emerging dash cam technology. This gives fleets the following capabilities:
Connecting to a vehicles engine to provide ongoing diagnostic codes, engine data, fuel use and more, under any weather condition, anywhere on Earth.
Compliance rules, such as the ELD mandate, are merged into the navigation software so driver logs are automatically registered, and driving hours compared against regulation hours.
Timecard reports, detailed diver records, real-time streaming dash cam footage, video incident management solutions, even requisition sign-off forms can all be automated by triggering digital signatures or electronic logs, with encryption features for data security.
Streamlined and simplified, automating paperwork (and guesswork) means that the daily administration of fleet operations has become a less onerous task, allowing managers to focus on what matters most.
The Best Dash Cam for Fleets: Strategies
With the many recent advances in smart dash cam technology, the selection process can be daunting. There are dual-facing dash cameras, wireless cameras, rear-view mirror dash cams, even multi-camera devices that employ backup cameras—just in case.
GoFleet can help you integrate your required services with the right dash navigation system platform.
Dash cams in 2022 are powered by an ever-growing number of sources, including wireless, GPS, Bluetooth, lithium batteries and even solar-powered sensors. The sky is now, quite literally, the limit.
Before committing to any dash navigation system, fleets are strongly recommended to seek the advice of telematics experts. Our GoFleet advisors offer free trials and live demonstrations, so your team can effectively evaluate different dash-cam options in live action.
There is no ‘one size fits all’ to fleet monitoring. Like any good diagnosis, the trick lies in being laser focused on individual needs, then adjusting the available technology appropriately to effectively measure and support the impacted operation areas.
With that said, our experts, designers and engineers are excited to recommend the following next-generation top-rated dash cams for fleet vehicles and cars in 2022.
This GPS active dash cam provides real-time video and advanced AI technology, with audio-visual alerts, analytic reporting of unsafe driver behaviour, driver coaching capability, even ‘panic button’ video alerts from drivers in the event of an incident.
Live video footage can record incidents both day and night, and exonerate your drivers from false accusations or accident liability.
Features include:
HD Recording Support: 1080p high-definition footage
Facial AI: Detects distracted or drowsy driving
Real-time Coaching: Contact drivers remotely to provide live training on the road
Supports Remote Retrieval & Streaming: For critical recorded events; know your company’s liability within minutes
All-in-one Coaching Dashboard: Insights enabled for fleet managers and drivers
The beauty of this wide-angle, full HP 1080p HDR video camera with infrared LED for night vision is simple: they’ve thought of everything. This intelligent dual dash cam combines internet-connected cameras with cloud-based software and real-time visibility.
It helps your team coach drivers in real-time by using AI detection of unsafe or distracted behaviours, helping prevent accidents, litigation and preventable losses.
Features include:
Real-time Visibility: Live video streaming, accident retrieval, and distracted driving detection
Optimize Dispatch Routes: Custom dashboards and reports for managers to monitor GPS locations and driving behaviour
Stay Connected with Live Updates: Data, security and privacy that is GDPR compliant and are monitored 24/7
This intelligent, next-level dash cam unit has multiple camera inputs for the same device, connecting up to 4 cameras in a single vehicle. This solution also comes equipped with a panic button, GPS receiver, microphone, 3-Axis G-Sensor, all translating into 360-degree visibility and real-time footage of driving events.
This solution is available for Android or iOS platforms, and the cloud.
Features include:
360-Degree Visibility: Connect up to 4 cameras to reduce blind spots and view live HD footage at any time.
Set Rules & Alerts: Get real-time footage of driving events triggered by defined rules in the Geotab telematics solution.
View Footage Anywhere, Anytime: View events on a smartphone or tablet. Available on Android and iOS platforms.
ZenduCam AD Plus
The ZenduCam AD Plus continuously captures video events using AI and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) functionalities, so you can review incidents in real-time and conduct driver coaching on the go. This solution integrates seamlessly with popular fleet management platforms (such as Trax and Geotab) to provide a holistic overview of your fleet.
Features include:
This driver-facing camera has facial AI recognition to authenticate drivers and detect risky driving behaviour.
This plug-n-play 3-channel dash camera allows for easy installation, no technician required.
The AD Plus supports live video streaming, so you can upload video playback and crucial events in real-time.
Receive notifications of all critical road and driver-facing events with harsh driving detection.
ADAS means your drivers can prevent accidents before they happen.
Mobileye was designed with one priority in mind: Protecting the driver. It uses a single forward-facing camera that scans the road ahead, providing the driver with critical safety feedback in real-time.
Features include:
Prevent Collisions: Mobileye’s collision avoidance system warns drivers of potential hazards in real time with audio and/or visual warnings.
Stay Connected: Receive critical real-time alerts on your smartphone, in addition to the EyeWatch that is included with the system.
Night Vision & Weather Resistance: Works in all weather conditions and has night vision capabilities for accident avoidance in any situation.
Used in conjunction with Geotab integration, transmission of alerts and video footage of the road are captured and sent, all under one operating system equipped with IHC analog output.
Mobileye provides five different Driver Assistance warning mechanisms:
Pedestrian Collision Warning (PCW)
Forward Collision Warning (FCW)
Lane Departure Warning (LDW)
Headway Monitoring and Warning (HMW)
Speed Limit Indication (SLI)
Get Smart
Despite the speed with which technology evolves, GoFleet dash cam solutions keep the pace, making it easier for fleets to optimize.
The coming year is sure to lower insurance premiums and preventable thefts by protecting fleet management agencies and drivers.
Smart dash cam technology frees fleets and drivers from false claims, preventing needless accidents and helping fleets stay in compliance.
Despite current global supply chain issues and derailed logistics, our integrated dash cam solutions will keep you ahead of any curve—even helping measure and lower fuel maintenance costs.
GoFleet’s quick response and expert flexibility will help ensure your fleet stays robust. Schedule a demo and see what GoFleet can do for your business.
Creating a successful dash cam program within your fleet requires a few key ingredients. Optimal installation, platform integration, driver coaching, clear company policies and rewards programs are all important factors to consider. As we’ve mentioned in this post, getting your drivers’ buy-in is the lynch pin to any successful program; this is especially true for businesses that employ union drivers.
It’s understandable that unions will have questions and concerns on behalf of their members regarding tracking technology; how it works, but more so how it will be used. That’s why the most successful dash cam programs are those that put the needs, opinions and safety of their drivers first.
John Hamill, a Business Agent at the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, began studying video-based safety back in 1994, when cameras were first being used in ambulances. Since then, Hamill has helped design strategic risk-management policies as part of successful collective bargaining agreements that advocate for video-based safety technology.
As an expert in strategic planning for ambulance and passenger transit companies, Hamill brings more than 30 years of experience in transportation, training, and risk management. An expert on safety change management, Hamill knows how to craft responsible dash cam programs that work for companies, drivers and their unions.
Hamill offers recommends the following four best practices to implement a responsible and successful dash cam program for union drivers.
Best Practice No. 1: Engage the Union, First
Driver and asset safety is the entire purpose for creating a dash cam program, and unions and fleet companies have the shared goal of keeping drivers safe. For these reasons, companies are advised to value and build on their union partnerships by engaging the union prior to any rollout.
“My biggest tip to companies with union drivers is this: before going to your drivers, get the union to buy in first,” Hamill says. “Not going to the union first can lead to so many issues down the line. If, for example, the union hears about an issue first, they may want to shut down the initiative entirely. That can set a precedent that’s hard to overcome.” When unions help in crafting the policies and rollout, future misunderstandings are avoided, and everyone wins.
When beginning the dialogue with unions, Hamill recommends that companies communicate the many benefits of video-based safety for drivers. To fully articulate such benefits, says Hamill, “use data and proof points from other companies to really show the value of cameras.” This means expressing, with evidence, such benefits as:
Annual decreases in the frequency of preventable accidents as a result of video-based driver coaching and alerts.
Number of drivers exonerated from road accidents because of dash cam evidence.
Increase in driver retention and decrease in turnover after implementation of video-based driver recognition and driver rewards programs.
Many companies employ a mix of union and non-union drivers, often after negotiating annual contracts. However, notes Hamill, even in cases where the contract has already been negotiated and the dash cam program is not part of the collective bargaining agreement, companies can still utilize a side letter or a memorandum of understanding (MOU). Side letters or MOUs “are the best way to implement cameras before the next contract,” Hamill states.
Best Practice No. 2: Survey Your Drivers to Alleviate Anxiety
After starting a dialogue with the union, open the lines of communication with your drivers. Hamill recommends that you survey your drivers, introduce the topic, and ask for their opinions. Then, says Hamill, “you can build policies to alleviate their anxieties and really help create that trust.”
Hamill suggests using initial surveys that allow for broad questions and free responses, such as How do you feel about dashboard cameras as they pertain to safety? “That will give you an overall sense of sentiment. You might be surprised what the answers reveal about their specific concerns or experiences,” says Hamill. “Doing a survey can really help inform what your policy should address.”
These surveys will highlight key concerns from your team. One recurring fear of drivers is the belief that dash cams will be used to ‘spy’ on them and watch their every move. This is a common misconception that can be addressed early on. “Before you install a single camera or even build out your policy, transparent communication about the technology is key,” Hamill states.
Communicating how the technology works and what types of road events will be recorded will help build trust and transparency. Be sure to identify the following:
What are the specific dash cam capabilities
What types of events will trigger footage to be recorded and uploaded
Whether audio is being captured
What other dash cam features may be activated or deactivated
Whether in-cab coaching and safety alerts will be turned on.
“Communication will help combat fear and anxiety—which are so dangerous not only to your safety program and the culture of your company, but actually to the drivers themselves,” Hamill notes. Instead, drivers should feel comfortable and secure, with their focus safely on the road.
Best Practice No. 3: Create & Follow Clear Safety Policies
Hamill states that the key to successful fleet operations lies in designing thorough safety policies so your company’s expectations and driver requirements are clear, and following those policies.
While every company will have different needs and safety requirements, he recommends articulating the basic rules required by law—such as DOT standards—and then building out company policy from there. Safety policies may include:
A ‘zero tolerance’ policy for dangerous or illicit activities, such as driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
A tiered system of discipline based on the seriousness of an infraction, such as distractions or texting while driving.
A strike (or point) system for infractions such as speeding, close following distance or not wearing a seatbelt.
Coaching drivers and explaining clearly in advance which behaviours will result in training or coaching, and which behaviours will result in progressive discipline.
Both drivers and their union representatives should be provided with written documentation of your company’s safety and coaching policies, guidelines for coaching, and a clearly outlined process for any disciplinary actions. You can also use GoFleet’s driver coaching tools to ensure follow-through and accountability, and provide benchmarks such as driver scorecards and compliance reports.
Best Practice No. 4: Make Good Driving Rewarding & Fun
“It’s so important to make safety fun,” Hamill says, “and reward the people who are driving safely.” The ‘gamification’ of any activity—be it taking the stairs or good driving, has been proven effective by countless studies. When an activity is made more fun or rewarding, people are far more likely to do it.
Hamill notes that as a safety manager for MV Transportation, they offered a $200 bonus to drivers who went without incident for a year. This created genuine excitement and excellence from drivers. “If you don’t offer that positive incentive, you’re not encouraging people to strive for excellence,” Hamill says. “By default, you’re rewarding complacency.”
GoFleet helps incentivize driver performance through KPI metrics and driver rankings. We recommend creating a Driver Safety Rewards Program to encourage and reward safe drivers; we can also help you start a Safe Driver Contest to reinforce good practices. Our telematics devices allow you to rank driver safety so you can reward safe drivers and help ensure driver retention.
Hamill notes that while the initial perception of dash cameras can be challenging, the long-term benefits in fleet safety and efficiency make all the difference with regards to a company’s safety culture and success. Certainly, the same holds true for the safety and success of its drivers.
Interested to learn more and talk to one of our dash camera specialists? Contact us today!
According to the American Transportation Research Institute’s (ATRI) 2021 Critical Issues in the Trucking Industry report, fleets still list driver shortage as a top concern. Second on the list is driver retention, proving that it takes more than a competitive salary to attract and maintain a top-tier roster of professional drivers.
Thankfully, GoFleet has a number of resources to help mitigate driver shortage. By leveraging ZenScore, ZenduCAM and our managed service, we can help you recruit — and retain — the best drivers for your fleet.
The Driver Shortage
The trucking sector has undergone a period of belt-tightening, particularly with regards to the shortage of available drivers. The reasons are nuanced, but the end result is a deficit of available — and skilled — truck operators.
The pandemic has contributed to a massive imbalance of supply and demand. Drivers are hesitant to return to work due to the pandemic, or struggling to find licensing bureaus and training schools that remained open during lockdown. The result was a surge in freight volume with a drastically reduced headcount of qualified drivers, and a potential backlog of potential drivers waiting to be certified.
Retirements, layoffs and career changes represent another layer of lowered headcount. The average age of a truck driver is 46 (compared to 42 for all workers) and private fleet drivers can average 57 years old. With truck operators retiring faster than they can be replaced, fleet managers are left short-staffed and struggling to recruit suitable candidates.
Drivers are also changing careers, looking to replace their time behind the wheel with other swelling industries such as warehousing and construction. According to BLS, there have been roughly 43,000 construction jobs added to the construction industry since June.
While we can’t make recommendations about wages and salaries, GoFleet can show you how our end-to-end digital fleet solutions can help you with consistency, transparency and safety; three pillars upon which you can build a stellar team of drivers.
Build a workplace safety culture
If you can effectively connect culture and safety, you’ll be more likely to boost retention. A positive corporate safety culture engages drivers by emphasizing that their actions matter. On the road, dash cams and telematics data help engage drivers on their routes by identifying risky behaviour, providing live coaching and reinforcing compliance regulations.
You should be clear and consistent with corporate messaging: safety is your top priority. Reinforce the connection between a driver’s behaviour and the fleet’s reputation, and make safety a part of every operation and branding opportunity, on and off the road.
Connect with technology
Compliance rules, such as the ELD mandate, require drivers to monitor their hours of service (HOS) Investing in dash cam technology makes your drivers daily routine easier, safer, and more productive. When drivers feel supported, not surveilled, they’re more likely to stay at their job.
For example, ZenduCAM provides live HD streaming to identify accidents or incidents with real-time transmission of images, GPS location tracking and driving behaviour data. ZenduCAM can help you track your drivers’ hours of service as well as their CSA scores. Smarter routing and scheduling can make trips more efficient, bringing your drivers home more often, contributing to their overall job satisfaction and aiding your business in retaining your drivers.
Reward your top performers
As part of our Managed Service offering, you can view the performance of your drivers at a glance with our built-in points system and break down the performance of each driver individually in detailed scorecards.
Identify your best drivers through this driver score program. This scorecard tells your drivers where they rank, and what they have to do to achieve the next reward level. By changing the narrative from punishing “bad” behaviour to rewarding good driving habits, your drivers are less likely to see dash cams as invasive or punitive.
GoFleet’s ZenScore creates quantifiable assessments on driving behaviour by identifying dangerous driving habits and optimizing the efficiency of your fleet. This interactive dashboard and driver scoring system monitors violations while incentivizing drivers to improve performance through contests and KPI metrics. Offer bonuses to individuals with high safety scores to help with retention, or try gamification to keep your fleet engaged.
Help optimize their routes
A common refrain from drivers leaving the trucking industry is the desire to be at home with their loved ones on a more regular basis (hence the move to more stationary industries such as construction.)
Using a custom mapping solution such as ZenduMaps, you can configure your maps to show data such as road status, vehicle location, weather reports and compliance times. Work with your fleet to optimize their routes, shorten trips and reduce the amount of time spent on the road while still managing operations efficiently.
Improve training
Ongoing communication between you and your drivers is essential to reducing errors and improving efficiency. A great tool to help improve effective and continuous communication is ZenduLearn, an innovative training solution that leverages an online course hub to provide the skills and resources your drivers need.
Having detailed insights about each driver’s behaviour allows training to be tailored to each specific individual based on what they need to improve on. The application offers completion tracking and personalized learning, automating the most common tasks of employee training, such as marking quizzes, sending notifications for incomplete training modules, and issuing certifications. The centralized platform also allows you to keep track of every driver’s progress so you can maintain a strong learning environment within your team.
Conclusion
According to FreightWaves magazine, the average cost of turnover is $11,500 per driver. High-performing truck drivers are an asset and an incredibly valuable resource to any business. Their role requires constant and heightened awareness and good judgement.
Discover how to use industry-leading telematics, dash cams and managed service solutions to help you improve operational efficiency, enhance safety and create a lineup of exemplary drivers. Schedule a free demonstration today, and let us take you team to the next level.
