Tracking Driver Behavior For A Safer, Greener Fleet
GPS vehicle tracking can gather and present a great deal of information about driver behavior. This information can include details on the vehicle’s speed, location, start and stop times, time spent idling, and many other factors. Fleet managers can use information about their drivers’ behavior to find problem areas, enforce company policies, and make changes that improve driver safety and productivity. One of the major factors contributing to high fleet costs is improper driver behavior. This can include unauthorized fleet vehicle use, speeding, aggressive driving and leaving the vehicle idling for extended periods. Fleet managers can use GPS tracking to cut the amount of fuel wasted while vehicles idle, enforce company speed limits, and find out which drivers are arriving for duty late.
A significant portion of the fuel consumption and wear on vehicles comes from employees driving work vehicles for personal use. GPS tracking can make it easy to enforce policies about using company vehicles for personal errands. Managers can receive alerts if vehicles start after hours, and vehicles can trigger an alert if they go out of an area designated by geofencing.
Driver behavior has a significant impact on the amount of fuel each vehicle uses. Driving too fast, harsh acceleration, leaving the vehicle idling, or taking long routes all lead to higher fuel use. Fleet managers can use GPS vehicle tracking to improve their drivers’ behavior in all four of those ares. By establishing policies based on acceptable average and top speeds, acceptable daily idling time, and other driving behaviors, fleet managers can greatly reduce the fuel consumption of their fleets. Also, drivers can use GPS systems to get directions for the most direct and timely routes to their destinations.
GPS tracking also helps drivers submit more accurate time sheets. GPS tracking can automate a portion of the time-tracking process by automatically logging when vehicles start and stop. This gives managers a good picture of their employees’ work day. It shows when they start, how long they take for lunch and other breaks, and when they return their vehicles at the end of the work day. All this information is captured automatically without the need for manual entry. This also serves to improve driver behavior by making the time-reporting based on accurate verifiable data and not paper time sheets, which are subject to human error and exaggeration.
For GPS tracking to result in positive behavioral changes, drivers must have frequent access to the results and data regarding their driving habits. Fleet managers should distribute weekly reports so their drivers can see trends and patterns in their driving behavior. They should also be able to see how their driving compares to other drivers in the company and to the benchmarks set by the company. For example, if the fleet manager sets a goal of less than one hour of engine idling per day, drivers should see in their weekly report how long they idled each day of the week as well as the average daily idle time of their fellow employees. Drivers with the best results should be rewarded accordingly.
