Multinationals are mining data from vehicle telematics to improve fleet safety, enhance customer service and maximise vehicle uptime. How? Three examples.

Brandon Hire Station

The tool and plant hire company combines footage from in-vehicle cameras with telematics data to generate 12-second videos of risky events. These then lead to conversations between fleet managers and drivers. The result: in just 12 months, a dramatic reduction in high-risk events, such as tailgating (-77%) and collisions (-46%).

The information generated by on-board sensors, GPS and real-time data also has other benefits. It’s encouraging fleet managers to identify datasets with even greater returns on investment.

Ecolab

The service provider in water, hygiene and energy technology has a strong safety focus. It uses telematics to identify harsh acceleration, braking and cornering – all indications of high-risk behaviour. This allows supervisors to discuss driving performance with drivers, to develop training and to improve behaviour.

The safety benefits of telematics are an important argument to convince drivers that telematics is not for ‘spying’ on drivers, but to protect them. The company is also using the data to negotiate more accurate insurance premiums and policies.

Schindler

The elevator and escalator specialist has introduced telematics to about 1,000 of its vehicles across the UK, Sweden and Turkey. Pilot projects are underway in Germany, Spain and the US. National fleets pick their own telematics provider, while the company focuses on safety and fuel cost.

In the UK, Schindler uses Ctrack Online to track 357 vans, which now have a Driver Behaviour Indicator on the dashboard. Using traffic-light system and audible warnings, it helps drivers improve their behaviour (in terms of speeding, idling etc.)

The company doesn’t mandate telematics across its 22,000-strong international fleet, but ‘strongly recommends’ it. Schindler also doesn’t use GPS tracking, in deference to privacy concerns; but can activate the function in case of vehicle theft.

Source: FleetEurope