Elevating Fleet Operations in COVID-19 Times with Telematics

The global pandemic has affected many fleet businesses around the globe and forced them to rethink the way they operate. Innovative technologies are here to help keep fleets moving through these uncertain times and navigate ways to keep their businesses running safely.

Fleet managers have always had their challenges, but the lockdowns and travel restrictions brought on by COVID-19 have added to them. Delivering quality service to customers while keeping costs down, even under such demanding circumstances is crucial but it can be complicated

Rest assured – there are solutions! Many fleet businesses are investing in useful tools like telematics to help them run efficiently and make profit.

Telematics are a key innovation in tech to help keep fleets moving through the pandemic and better manage vehicle location, usage, and driver behaviour. Here are the top 5 reasons your fleet business needs telematics:

1. Run a more economic fleet

In the current economic climate, there’s never been a more critical time to operate even more productively. With the reduced demand your business is likely experiencing, now is the perfect opportunity to equip yourself with the tools to get ahead. Business will pick up again and when it does, you don’t want to be behind the eight ball.

Fleet management software can help you operate as efficiently and productively as possible which all leads to profitable outcomes for your business. Metric tracking is an extremely useful feature as it tracks fuel costs, mileage, odometer readings and more, providing you with some valuable intel into how your assets are being utilised. This can help you make better business decisions for now and in the long run.

2. Advise, coach and train drivers from afar

With social distancing orders in place, many fleets are choosing to take advantage of remote training to provide important preparation and guidance for their drivers. This is where in-cabin voice capabilities and real-time assistance functions are especially nifty.

By leveraging quality and easy-to-operate technology, fleet managers can have the peace of mind that their operations will run more safely and efficiently with better communication overall. This beneficial tech can help improve the on-road performance of drivers, as well as tracking any unauthorized driving in the vehicle.

3. Plan your routes

While many processes have slowed, the demand for many different goods like food and medical supplies has not. It’s up to fleet carriers to get these goods to their destination as quickly and efficiently as possible.

With telematics, you can plan routes, pick the fastest and most efficient course, monitor the driver’s behaviour and progress, and communicate updates to the client or customer – all in accurate, real-time.

This helps businesses perform proactively, be more adaptable in what’s already a changeable and uncertain landscape, and efficiently move from point A to B.

Economic impacts

Being agile and responsive to change is pivotal. Business may fluctuate and that’s why fleet managers must always be ready at the helm to tackle whatever their workload may include – practically and effectively.

With telematics, you can easily access an abundance of information about orders and assets and see it all on the one screen. Dashboards with data reports will allow you to forecast and plan in a smarter, more optimised way.

For example, you can…

• see which driver is closest to a job and allocate them accordingly by updating their schedule in real-time
• monitor driver behaviour to make sure they’re not carrying out any unnecessary or unauthorized journeys
• track assets to ensure you’re not deploying vehicles that aren’t fully utilising carrying space or weight
• chart mileage on each vehicle and optimise your fleet to meet your current business requirements

5. Increase fuel efficiency

Most managers are well aware that fuel is often their area of greatest expenditure in their fleet. Telematics can help you reduce the costs of fuel with software that lets you track and manage fuel and economically boost your business.

By monitoring poor driving habits like speeding, aggressive acceleration, idling and ensuring that drivers are travelling the correct routes, your vehicles won’t run the risk of rapidly draining fuel.

6. Improve driver safety

Health and safety always comes first and social distancing is less challenging when you have the right tools and tech. Live GPS status and communication systems mean that drivers can check-in with managers virtually rather than in person.

GPS data and reports can also be effective in contact tracing, providing details about who a driver may have been in contact with. You can get ETA dashboards through to monitor multiple routes, their status, progress and the on-road conditions – all in the one place.

Some options even allow you to set up specific applications and checklists to include COVID-19 health and safety precautions, as well as alerting drivers to disinfect and clean surfaces in their respective vehicles.

Telematics with real-time data and useful communication specs allows drivers to operate safely and efficiently and puts the minds of fleet managers at ease.

There’s never been a better time to ensure your fleet keeps moving during COVID-19. You can get free quotes for fleet tracking solutions that are especially tailored to your business needs right now!