As we like to say at Smartfleet: measure it so you can manage it. If increased safety and efficiency and reduced costs are central to your fleet objectives in 2022, telematics could help you achieve it.
High-performing telematics systems are hardwired into fleet vehicles to accurately capture real-time vehicle and driver feedback, such as safety and location data, vehicle performance and warning systems, driving patterns and breakdowns. Almost every aspect of fleet management can be measured with telematics. That data is a powerful tool for driving safety and efficiency, delivering valuable insights across the entire fleet or per vehicle.
Here are four ways telematics could help you achieve your fleet objective in 2022.
Ensuring the safety of drivers is top of the list for fleet managers and business owners alike. Telematics is an invaluable tool for managing risks to drivers and vehicles. Monitoring driver patterns and alerting drivers and managers to risky behaviour in real-time helps encourage a safer driving culture and promotes smoother driving, which reduces fuel consumption and vehicle wear and tear. And because telematics monitors vehicle warning systems and maintenance schedules, it helps reduce the risk of breakdowns that can expose both drivers and vehicles to hazardous situations.
The cost of oil has steadily increased over the last few years, making it more expensive to power a fleet. Telematics gives you the insight you need to manage fuel consumption more efficiently by helping you identify the routes that cost more to run, the driver behaviours like heavy braking, speeding and idling that use more fuel and the maintenance required to keep vehicles running smoothly. The bonus here is that you’re not just minimising costs, you’re driving performance up, too.
More and more, fleet managers are opting to run their vehicles longer than they once might have done – for some, it’s a financial decision and, for others, a vehicle sourcing issue. Either way, keeping it in optimal shape is critical for maintaining the efficiency of a long-serving vehicle. Telematics gives you a bird’s eye view of your fleet usage; how the vehicles are driven, the loads they carry, servicing schedules and which vehicles are under or over utilised. Knowing where the risks are in your fleet allows you to implement a range of strategies that can help you ensure they go the distance.
Another way telematics can help you drive fleet efficiency is through route planning and scheduling. Seeing where vehicles have travelled via route history playback allows you to calculate trip times and coordinate schedules with ease while defining geographical boundaries ensures efficient use of fuel and driver time.
To learn more about how Telematics by Smartfleet can help your run a safer, more efficient fleet, speak with your Client Relationship Manager.