Vehicle tracking: watch and learn

With UK economic expansion forecasts slashed by the IMF, there has never been a better time for fleet-dependent firms to start looking at ways of maximising ‘vehicle and driver’ efficiency as a means of maintaining their competitive edge.

Advanced vehicle tracking technology, or telematics, is one way to sharpen operations and increase business profitability. By harnessing internet, mobile phone and General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) technologies, telematics providers are able to offer tracking applications that are almost universally accessible ­ if you have a web-connected PC and the ability to ‘google’ then you’re already an expert.

The potential benefits of implementation can be immediate, with enhanced fleet reactivity and productivity making it possible to generate a fast return on investment and increase business capacity, in some cases, by up to 20% per annum.

Internet-based, live-tracking systems can offer 24/7 live-visibility of the mobile workforce via your provider’s secure, map-screen web page. This is supplemented in many cases by access to online, historical records of journeys made and other key data. The Quartix system, for instance, delivers copies of online activity logs to nominated inboxes, daily and/or weekly as part of a managed service. The logs detail key management information including mileage, fuel usage, speed, shift duration, driving time and time spent at each site, and records them in Excel format.

Small companies running just a few commercial vehicles, through to blue-chip nationals supporting extensive HGV, LCV and sales fleets can benefit from savings of up to £2,000 per vehicle, per year ­ accrued in a number of ways. Web tracking makes it easier to eliminate fleet inefficiencies such as journey duplication/overlap and unscheduled journeys. It also encourages a safer, more economic driving style among mobile employees and more efficient call placing. Other benefits include reduced vehicle wear and tear, the ability to cap ov ertime payments and reduce the admin time associated with maintaining rigorous health and safety policies.

Making your fleet more efficient relies on a continuous supply of accurate and comprehensive data. Self-managing tracking systems can provide a sound backdrop of fleet activity data, against which key personnel can make informed decisions on maximising fleet potential and improving health and safety.

The potential business benefits of vehicle tracking span every sector and vehicle-type. For haulage fleets, the main advantages include improved asset management, enhanced customer service and more efficient load placing, more accurate timesheets and demurrage charging, protection from claims of non-delivery and assisted compliance to Working Time Directive legislation.

The technology can also help improve security; most tracking units are virtually indiscernible when fitted and 24/7 web-enabled live vehicle positioning can effect rapid recovery of stolen trucks and trailers, which in turn can lead to reductions in annual fleet insurance premiums.

For van fleets, vehicle tracking can improve efficiency in job planning and allocation, resulting in greater employee productivity and more frequent meeting of service level agreements and key performance indicators. The technology makes it easier to analyse driving time against chargeable time and engineers are able to work uninterrupted by service centre calls. Using vehicle tracking can enhance the safety of those employees working alone and it can also serve as protection from claims of late or non-appearance on site.

But any company with a car fleet also stands to benefit. The software can dramatically increase sales or service team productivity, reduce the number of speeding incidents and accidents involving fleet cars as well as strengthen your company’s negotiating power in relation to incremental rises in fleet insurance premiums.

Many engineers keep valuable tools and possessions in company cars and telematics makes it more likely that if a vehicle is stolen, it will be quickly traced. The technology enables swift identification of drivers ‘at risk’ to themselves and other road users through excessive speed or driving hours and makes it easier to calculate the correct BIK tax charges for vehicles used for personal journeys.

Typical fixed charges range from 70-80p per vehicle per day; this can add up over the course of a contract, but the investments can affect the bottom line quickly providing the data supplied by systems is acted upon by the business. In common with most technology applications, the data supplied is ‘inert’ and related benefits are reliant on the skill and insight of the person carrying out analysis.

Those most familiar with the business processes and data structures will be in the strongest position to make good decisions ­ so it pays to seek a user-friendly tracking option that will make life easier for e.g. payroll administrator and health and safety officer as well as your fleet manager. The data can be used to optimum advantage by setting a range of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that can be reviewed regularly.

The level of service, (including ongoing customer support) is the best differentiator between the many different products on the market. It’s useful to run several system trials to assess the best option in terms of user-friendliness, reliability, level of detail and match to fleet functionality.

Telematics can’t be introduced on a whim. Its deployment needs sympathetic management and it is best introduced at a time coinciding with other events on the company calendar, such as delivery of new vehicles or the annual salary review. A consultation period is advisable and it can be helpful to point out that the tracking system will be used in a ‘housekeeping’ rather than disciplinary capacity.

Stay on track

● A wall-mounted screen, displaying a live-tracking webpage, can be useful for service centre staff to view fleet movements at a glance, without having to access individual PCs

● Use a live-tracking webscreen to help allocate urgent sales/delivery/service calls to the nearest mobile employee able to attend within contracted hours – minimising overtime costs.

● Arrange for all staff to have access to the live-tracking webpage as it provides opportunities for honing departmental processes e.g. sales and warehousing

● Use historical tracking data to facilitate more-accurate job costing

● By making best use of vehicles at those elusive hours at either end of the working day; business capacity can be significantly increased

Andy Kirk is sales & marketing director at Quartix