Fleet Management Archives - Page 2 of 7

A Beginner’s Guide to Fleet Management

Posted on April 7, 2022 | by Alexis | Leave a Comment

Effective fleet management provides organizations with real-time visibility into their logistic operations and increases efficiency through vehicle routing and accurate reporting. Fleet management software paired with vehicle telematics can help support your day-to-day transportation needs while providing an overview of your business. Below is a beginner’s guide to fleet management.

What Is Fleet Management?

Fleet management has gained popularity over the past few years based on its reputation for guaranteeing efficient performance, optimum fleet maintenance and helping organizations run smoothly.

Fleet management refers to all actions allowing a fleet to run on time, efficiently, and within a given budget.

Similarly, it can be defined as the process by which fleet managers monitor the fleet’s activities by applying asset management, vehicle dispatch, and routing to make informed decisions.

Benefits of Fleet Management

You can maximize the efficiency of your fleet using fleet management software or by hiring reliable fleet managers.

Here are the major benefits of fleet management, and how they can improve your bottom line.

Ability to Manage Fleets Remotely

With all the various components that require coordination and organization, managing a fleet of any size can be difficult.

Luckily, fleet management software allows you to track all components remotely, thus simplifying coordination. Features such as vehicle tracking, and vehicle routing allow you to monitor the current location of your vehicles and find the easiest route.

Increase in Vehicle Lifespan

The GPS feature on vehicles allows easy monitoring of performance and identifies possible vehicle damage. It is easier to detect potential maintenance issues when you have access to logistics such as mileage and tire wear.

Being well informed allows you to carry out and perform timely maintenance, thus improving the lifespan of your vehicle.

Improved Safety

Fleet management software allows managers to trace the location of a vehicle and keep up with the driver’s behaviour. Most fleet management software has a video recording feature to help monitor driving behaviour while on the road.

This prevents dangerous behaviours such as drowsy or distracted driving, thus improving the vehicle’s safety and consignment.

Reduced Costs

Fleet management software comes with built-in tools such as GPS tracking to help with vehicle routing, which can help you determine the shortest route when making deliveries and eliminate costly lead times.

Fleet management software also provides accurate reports on your vehicles’ performance and total costs incurred during deliveries. These features all play an important role in cost reduction.

Central Data Management

It is a lot easier to organize and coordinate your fleet when all your data is centrally located. Fleet management software provides valuable data sets on demand, from a central (often cloud-based) location.

Improved Customer Service

Customers look forward to working with businesses whose feedback reflects accurate, reliable deliveries.

With fleet management software, you improve customer satisfaction by ensuring all the information you share with them is up to date. Additionally, the software will aid in tracking the current location of consignments.

Preventing Fraud

As a fleet manager, you have trust in your drivers. However, driver fraud does happen and requires even the most well-intentioned managers to stay vigilant.

Drivers who use their fuel card for reasons other than fueling company vehicles or falsely claiming card misplacement are both well-documented examples of driver fraud. Other examples include drivers using their own credentials to allow non-approved drivers to operate company vehicles.

An AI-powered fleet management system prevents fraud and helps promote transparency among your drivers.

Maintain Communication

Fleet management software equips your fleet with a built-in communication tool that allows you to make contact with your drivers directly.

As a result, drivers can communicate in real-time while on the road, without compromising safety or missing deliveries.

Vehicle Routing

Planning the day’s business in advance helps everything work seamlessly. A fleet management system can help you effectively assign vehicles, routes and drivers.

6 Tips For Effective Fleet Management

What are some of the fleet management steps can you incorporate into your operations, and where should you begin? Below, we offer some suggestions for managing your fleet more effectively.

1. Set Your Goals

If you want to be successful at managing your fleet, establish your business goals and monitor your progress from time to time.

Your goals should be specific, well defined and adequately aligned to the success of your business. Have a common objective to keep your team united and avoid the need for micromanagement.

2. Track Everything

Data is crucial in helping make sound business decisions. Having all necessary data on how your vehicles and drivers perform on a daily basis is essential.

Maintain a track record of how much fuel your vehicles consume, driver performance, and when deliveries are made. Keeping detailed records helps predict future outcomes and keeps your operations predictable.

3. Choose the Right Fleet Vehicles

Before purchasing or leasing any fleet vehicles, it is essential to assess your business needs. The vehicles you acquire should meet the size and scope of your operations, both in current and future states.

Purchasing too many vehicles up front could mean that several of them remain unused. Acquire too few, and your drivers – and trucks – could burn out.

4. Think About your Drivers

The credentials of your drivers ensure the safety of your fleet and consignment.

Having certified drivers with the right skillsets translates to better business performance, significantly reducing unnecessary costs and repairs.

5. Spend Wisely

As a fleet manager, you should consider all costs incurred through vehicles and equipment that are purchased, leased, or rented.

Spending your capital effectively depends on your knowledge base of strategies that help you meet return-on-investment goals. You should also consider available resources, flexible strategies, and any maintenance costs that change your business’s operational needs.

6. Invest in Fleet Management Software

Investing in technology-based systems such as fleet management software will help you utilize fleet intelligence, improve operational efficiency and properly manage your business.

Fleet management software continually improves the efficiency and productivity of your business by lowering costs and enhancing both customer and employee satisfaction, eventually leading to revenue growth and profitability.

What is Fleet Management Software?

Your fleet likely runs on data. Fleet management software acts as the “brain” behind your operations. The right fleet management solution will continually play a vital role in ensuring that fleet management activities are well coordinated and properly executed.

In addition, fleet management software records vehicle operations in real-time, allowing you to stay on top of maintenance and avoid potential breakdowns.

How Fleet Management Software Can Improve Fleet Safety

Fleet management is a data-driven process. It requires the involvement of multiple moving parts to function effectively.

It can help improve safety in several ways:

Real-time audio and visual feedback.
24/7 access to safety-related analytics, which can prevent accidents.
Driver performance applications keep your drivers safe and accountable.
Accurately records footage before, during, and after a reported incident. Footage can help prevent future accidents, assign liability and potentially exonerate your drivers.

A successful fleet management program tracks, analyzes, and optimizes your fleet. For more information, contact a GoFleet representative, and see how our fleet management solutions can benefit your business.

The Top10 KPIs that drive efficient fleet maintenance

Posted on March 17, 2022 | by Alexis | Leave a Comment

Maintaining an efficient fleet management system is key to keeping your vehicles on the road and your business running smoothly. From fuel efficiency to vehicle wear and tear, there are so many variables to consider that the maintenance of your fleet can seem daunting.

However, by regularly monitoring the metrics offered by key performance indicators (KPI), you can quickly identify and address issues before they become major problems. Here are the top 10 KPIs for managing your fleet maintenance more efficiently.

Reduce Fuel Costs and Emissions

Fleet managers face a constant challenge to reduce fuel costs and emissions while maintaining a safe and reliable fleet. A key performance indicator for driving more efficient fleet maintenance management is reducing the amount of fuel used by your fleet. There are many ways to achieve this goal, but some methods are more effective than others.

One way to reduce fuel costs and emissions is to keep your fleet in a state of good repair. This means fixing any broken or malfunctioning parts as soon as possible. A well-maintained fleet uses less fuel, which reduces emissions. Regular maintenance also helps prevent breakdowns, which can cause costly delays and have a negative impact on your business’ performance.

Another way to reduce fuel costs and emissions is to choose the right vehicles for your fleet. Consider the types of trips your vehicles will be performing and select the fleet that is suited to those tasks.

Finally, fleet managers can also reduce fuel costs and emissions by using smart driving techniques, including consolidating trips, avoiding excessive idling, and using the right gear for road conditions.

Improve Driver Safety

One major key performance indicator for more efficient fleet maintenance management is improving driver safety. By reducing the number of accidents and incidents on the road, companies can save money on repairs, insurance and downtime for their vehicles.

Some ways to improve driver safety and, in turn, fleet maintenance management include:

Training drivers on safe driving practices. This can include how to handle a vehicle in different types of weather conditions or how to respond to unexpected situations on the road.
Installing safety features in vehicles, such as collision avoidance systems or lane departure warnings.
Encouraging drivers to take breaks regularly and get enough sleep. This will help them stay alert while behind the wheel and reduce the risk of getting into an accident.
Monitoring driver behaviour and providing feedback. This can help identify issues early on before they lead to accidents.

Enhance Customer Service

Average response time measures the amount of time it takes for a service technician to respond to a customer request. Reducing the average response time can help improve customer satisfaction levels and instill faith in your business.

Another measurement is customer satisfaction rate, which identifies the percentage of customers who are satisfied with the service they receive. Improving the customer satisfaction rate can help improve retention and generate revenue.

By tracking and measuring these KPIs, organizations can identify areas where they need to make improvements and take the necessary steps to improve their fleet maintenance management process.

Optimize Fleet Maintenance Schedules

There are a number of KPIs that you can use to optimize your fleet maintenance schedules. One of the most important is vehicle uptime. By ensuring that your vehicles are in service as much as possible, you can improve overall fleet efficiency.

By optimizing your maintenance schedules, you can improve vehicle uptime and reliability, while reducing the overall cost of ownership for your fleet.

Finally, by ensuring that your vehicles are reliable, you can minimize the number of unexpected breakdowns and keep your fleet running smoothly.

Minimize Vehicle Downtime

The best way to manage fleet maintenance is by minimizing vehicle downtime. This can be done by tracking key performance indicators such as mean time to repair (MTTR). This measures the average time it takes to repair a vehicle after it has gone down. The lower the number, the more efficient your fleet maintenance management is.

Other KPIs that can help you manage fleet maintenance include vehicle availability and vehicle utilization. Vehicle availability measures the percentage of time a vehicle is available for use, while vehicle utilization measures how often a vehicle is used.

Reduce Inventory Costs

One way to reduce inventory costs is to drive more efficient fleet maintenance management. By taking a proactive approach to fleet maintenance, businesses can avoid unnecessary repairs, keep vehicles on the road longer, and save on inventory costs.

Lower Vehicle Maintenance Costs

There are a number of ways that you can lower your vehicle maintenance costs and drive more efficient fleet maintenance management. One key way is to track your vehicle maintenance KPI. Some of the most important KPIs to track include:

For example, vehicle repair costs measures how much money you are spending on vehicle repairs. The lower the amount, the more efficient your fleet maintenance management is.

Technician Productivity

Fleet managers must track technician productivity in order to ensure that vehicles are being maintained efficiently and cost-effectively. Productivity tracking can help identify inefficiencies and areas where technicians could improve their efficiency.

Some of the more common KPIs to measure technician productivity include:

Number of vehicles serviced per technician per day
Percentage of vehicles serviced within the manufacturer’s recommended time frame
Number of work orders completed per technician per day
Percentage of work orders completed on time

Enhance Driver Productivity

By tracking driver productivity, you can reduce wear and tear on vehicles and improve the overall safety of your drivers. Some important KPIs to track in fleet maintenance management include:

Driver productivity, measured in terms of miles driven per hour, or number of deliveries made
Vehicle uptime, or the percentage of time that vehicles are in use compared to the total time they could be used
Maintenance costs, including both routine and unexpected repairs
Fuel efficiency, measured in terms of miles per gallon or liters per kilometer
Number of accidents or incidents, measured through safety reports and insurance claims

Overall Equipment Effectiveness

It’s important to track the effectiveness of your fleet maintenance management system with an Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) KPI.

OEE measures how effectively your fleet maintenance management system is operating. It takes into account the availability, performance, and quality of your vehicles. By tracking OEE, you can identify areas where your fleet maintenance management system needs improvement and make changes that will improve its overall effectiveness.

There are a number of factors that can impact OEE. Some of the most important include:

The availability of vehicles
The performance of vehicles
The quality of vehicles

All of these should be considered when tracking OEE. By doing so, you can get an accurate picture of how well your fleet maintenance management system is performing and make the necessary changes to improve its efficiency.

By understanding the key performance indicators that are most important to fleet management, you can focus your time and resources on improving those areas. This will help you achieve better results for your business and improve your bottom line.

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Fleet Tracking: Insider Tips from GoFleet’s CEO

Posted on October 5, 2021 | by Victoria Gole | Leave a Comment

At its core, the fundamental goal of fleet management software is to ensure the proper utilization and protection of every driver and vehicle. Managers can leverage fleet tracking data to evaluate the demand for vehicles throughout all four seasons, predict growth, and track driver safety. Most important to effective fleet management? Choosing the right software to support their specific industries.

ACHR News recently sat down with Vishal Singh, CEO of GoFleet, a provider of industry-leading digital fleet tracking technology. They asked Singh for some pro tips on strategies for fleet management, and what to look for before you invest in fleet tracking software.

Fleet Management Responsibilities: 5 Key Areas

“Fleet management is about responsibility,” says Singh. While ensuring the safety of each driver and vehicle is the top priority, Singh believes any proactive focus should concentrate on:

Safety: The primary responsibility; making sure drivers and vehicles are kept safe.
Productivity: Keeping fleet operations productive and on target.
Compliance: Assuring compliance, not just on the road but with regards to company policies.
Maintenance: Being proactive instead of reactive and decreasing vehicular down time.
Sustainability & Growth: Making sure fleet scalability is integrated so it can expand as your business grows.

“When I’m looking at fleet management software, I’m thinking, ‘how can I best manage these five key areas?’” says Singh. “You need to think about what’s best for you and ask yourself ‘what suite of tools can best help me operate in my industry?’”

Choosing Fleet Management Software

Digital fleet management software has expanded since general GPS tracking, first introduced two decades ago. “Today, we can track a lot more than dots on a map,” says Singh. Using two-way dashboard cameras, fleet managers can actually observe drivers and their driving habits and prevent emergencies before they happen.

Collecting the right data is perhaps the most important criteria for choosing fleet management software, and the data you need will depend on the industry in which you operate. “If it’s for food delivery, I need something to monitor the temperature of the food,” Singh says. “If I’m in a high-risk area, where I’m delivering something of high value, I need cameras. I might also want to monitor and have video recordings, which can connect to the on-board devices for live-streaming.”

For example, if you are an HVC contractor, Singh emphasizes having good maintenance routines and a proactive seasonal maintenance strategy. “With fleet management software you can set up maintenance reminders to service every vehicle,” he says. Singh also warns that failure to do regular checks means you might miss something, leading to costly repairs.

The Advantages Of Fleet Management Software

Electronic tracking devices are essential tools for locating vehicles and monitoring road safety, but they can’t operate alone. When paired with fleet management software, companies can access a rich ecosystem of telematics data. “Fleet management software allows companies to monitor vehicle faults, making sure there are no issues with the vehicles,” says Singh. “We can also, depending on the software, have software that signs work orders for the vehicles.” This can simplify regular seasonal maintenance, routine inspections and more.

Predictive maintenance is a major benefit of fleet management software. Plugging an electronic tracking device into a vehicle’s onboard diagnostics provides a holistic overview of that vehicle’s health. “We can measure how well they’re being maintained, or if there are faults on the vehicle,” Singh explains. “Understanding those faults can tell us if we need to troubleshoot.”

What does tracking actually measure? “[Tracking allows me to] measure the actual behaviours that can help me in each of those key areas,” says Singh. This can include monitoring the temperature of goods being transported, the safety of your drivers, allocating resources — the list goes on.

“With this technology you can create a way to engage keyless ignition, making it easier to pool vehicles,” Singh says. “People can share vehicles a lot easier if anyone can use their phone to start the vehicle.”

Also important, says Singh, is knowing exactly where the failure points are in fleet operations. For fleet managers, the benefits of streamlining records collections for rich, actionable data improves operational efficiency while making the best use of your fleet.

Managing Fleet Safety And Liability

Managing a fleet is about more than paying attention to the state of each vehicle, says Singh. It also means managing and coaching safe driving behaviours.

Singh goes on to explain how an integrated system of dashboard cams, video recordings, sensors and management software can all work together to protect company liability and improve safety. “Vehicle tracking is one thing; tracking the behaviours, harsh breaking and all those conditions,” says Singh. “But having video evidence helps people be more accountable.”

How? “Having cameras onboard limits your risk,” said Singh. “If there’s an accident and you have video evidence, you’re going to avoid a potential lawsuit.” Having video footage of road incidents can also help exonerate your driver “so you don’t have to deal with investigations and claims. Now, if the driver was at fault, you can deal with the payout or settlement and then move on,” he adds.

Moreover, this niche tech an help avoid accidents altogether. “When you have all this data —cameras, video — you don’t need to wait for the accident to happen. You can proactively know who your at-risk drivers are,” he says. “Then, you can work on coaching them and help them take the necessary steps to improve their driving habits.”

Knowing When To Expand

To evaluate when it’s time to expand, he recommends first measuring vehicle utilization. “Generally, companies will set up a threshold where if the utilization is above a certain amount, it’s a trigger indication that they need more vehicles,” says Singh.

“Using fleet management software, I can evaluate the demand of my vehicles through my seasons,” Singh says. “When you evaluate things like engine usage, or miles driven, you want to evaluate that against the total available hours you can drive these vehicles.”

While utilization metrics will vary with each industry, Singh recommends the following: “If you feel that utilization is above, say, 80% or whatever metric — you can then evaluate the utilization to determine how many more vehicles you need to purchase.”

With the current supply chain challenges due to COVID-19, he notes it has become more difficult to acquire new vehicles, making it even more important to plan ahead. “If you see some vehicles are not well utilized, you can cut vehicles from the fleet by pooling them,” he advises. Singh also suggests leasing additional vehicles from pools to expand fleets in a cost-effective manner.

Sustainability & Beyond

While fleet managers look to the future, there has been a big move towards electric vehicles. Singh warns, however, that there are a lot of things to consider before plugging into the electric vehicle trend. “You have to consider installing electric chargers and charger sites. You have to consider how many miles or kilometers you are driving each day,” he says. If vehicles are traveling more than 200 to 300 miles, that might be more travel time than the range of the battery can offer.

For those transitioning to electric vehicles, Singh recommends adding one vehicle at a time. Despite the initial investment, Singh says the cost savings on electric vehicles is impressive, including lowered fuel, vehicle usage and maintenance costs.

Whether you have a few vehicles or an entire fleet, electric tracking devices paired with fleet management software provides your business with benefits that are scalable, cost-effective and safe. The real beauty of fleet tracking, Singh explains, is that “when you’re evaluating this data on a monthly basis, you’re going to be ahead of the curve.”

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How Government Fleets Can Benefit from Telematics Solutions

Posted on August 30, 2021 | by Victoria Gole | Leave a Comment

Local government and public works agencies rely heavily on datasets to improve their operations, satisfy their constituents and plan their community more effectively. What typically remains top of mind for most government agencies is the safety and satisfaction of their citizens. To this end, telematics can help achieve these goals by providing visibility into the inner workings of their services and fleets, creating a partnership with the public rather than an autocracy.

From vehicle tracking to functionality, telematics can have a positive impact on government operations. For example, a winter maintenance fleet manager can have specific data at his fingertips, including when plowing occurred and when, and even how much salt is left in a vehicle. The right telematics solution will help save costs, improve safety and overall operational efficiency, and help fleet managers monitor the status of services while tracking their assets on a single platform. Here’s how telematics can improve your government operations.

Single sign-on

Not all government vehicles are plows and spreaders, which is why it’s important to be able to manage all assets within your organization through one system. Managing your entire fleet through one platform reduces training, reinforces information and highlights inefficiencies.

A centralized, cloud-based “single source of truth” allows you to track assets in real-time while managing their maintenance and controlling costs. Telematics can automate your processes and eliminate hours of manual data processing, giving you more time to focus on decision-making, training and efficient operations.

Automate and manage your assets

Government organizations provide essential services and critical infrastructure that support the daily activities of residents and businesses. In addition they are responsible for maintaining service level agreements, infrastructure planning, policy and ensuring the best use and deployment of expenditures and assets.

Because government fleet managers and leaders typically oversee a diversity of vehicles and assets (usually in the form of unique GPS tracking), an integrated telematics solution would offer full visibility into the operational data of all government vehicle types on a single platform, providing the tools to maintain compliance and road safety while reducing costs.

When you increase your fleet’s capabilities, you can measure material usage and ensure equal delivery of services within the community. Ultimately, these datasets lead to lower costs and a reduced environmental impact.

Asset health

Whether seasonal or otherwise, repairing infrastructure and conducting road work is tough on vehicles and assets. Telematics allow you to monitor asset performance to ensure you get the most out of them. When you track asset utilization, such as average daily mileage and service history, you can increase their lifespan and improve your bottom line.

The right telematics solution will compile both historical and real-time data usage so you can proactively decide how best to maintain and use your assets. From forecasting future repairs to predicting vehicle replacement, the fleet reports offered from telematics data give valuable insights into performance and maintenance, giving you a holistic overview of your fleet’s health.

Increase productivity

The unfortunate truth about many government operations is the tendency towards using old management methods, such as spreadsheets, that offer little to no insight into asset usage. When you don’t know the health of your fleet, you can’t prepare for potential work, which can lead to unplanned downtime and reduced efficiency. It is essential to have an automated telematics management system that can track and manage your fleet in real-time so you can maintain productivity.

Manage public perception

In the end, government fleets answer to the governed. Give your community access to visibility and help fight false claims with historical reporting and analytics. Provide proof of vehicle location and services rendered; show your constituents how to track vehicles themselves with a public map they can easily access and maneuver. Transparency can foster a positive relationship with the public and improve overall satisfaction.

Use telematics to turn your fleet data into insights and action. Support your key government business drivers, including asset management, compliance, accountability, and efficiency. Contact your GoFleet specialist for your special offer, and schedule a demonstration today.

The sun is setting on 3G. Is your fleet prepared?

Posted on August 16, 2021 | by Alexis | Leave a Comment

Major wireless network carriers are in the process of phasing out their 3G networks – commonly referred to as the 3G sunset. This is the period when wireless carriers will shut off their 3G services to make room for upgraded connectivity. When this occurs, all devices that are not 4G (LTE) compatible or higher will no longer receive cellular service, The period when wireless carriers make room for upgraded connectivity by shutting down existing 3G services is most commonly referred to as the “3G sunset”. All devices that are not 4G and LTE compatible (or higher) cease to receive cellular service after the transition is complete.

While the 3G network shutdown is not expected to be completed until the end of 2022, wireless network carriers are already starting to phase out their 3G networks. With 4G and LTE services now on the horizon, the time to plan ahead is now.

What does the 3G sunset mean for my existing telematics solutions?

The 3G sunset means different things to different fleets; for fleets that haven’t yet upgraded their devices, it could mean loss of connection to vehicle and driving data. To prevent loss of data transferring (and signal), fleets with 3G vehicle tracking devices will need to upgrade to 4G devices.

Conversely, the upgrade to 4G and LTE will provide users with a wider range of capabilities, including enhanced connectivity and speed, faster download speed and wider support for streaming and video interactions. Unfortunately, this means that 3G devices will no longer work or be supported.

What can I do to prepare?

Fleet managers will want to check all of their installed devices to determine how many still operate on a 3G network. You will definitely want to consider reaching out to your GoFleet Account Manager to determine whether your devices are 3G or 4G, as well as what plans are available to you in order to avoid disruption of service.

Fortunately our team prides itself on expandable, scalable business solutions for fleets of all sizes. Your account manager will be more than happy to work with you to create an installation plan for your new 4G devices to ensure a seamless transition.

Fleets can start protecting their technology investment by selecting devices and telematics solutions that are scalable and adaptive. Don’t be caught in the middle of a massive service disruption by assuming the 3G sunset doesn’t apply to your fleet. The move towards 4G — and increasingly 5G — is inevitable. Knowing what lies ahead and adopting flexible technology will help your fleet stay agile.

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ZenduONE Can Grow Your Business — Here’s How.

Posted on July 30, 2021 | by Alexis | Leave a Comment

In a recent webinar we launched and shared information about the ZenduONE Mobile App and how it can be leveraged by fleets to streamline performance. To briefly recap, ZenduONE is the latest evolution of our streamlined performance and end-to-end business solutions. Users who download the mobile app from iOS or PlayStore can access all of the digital business solutions while on the move — in just a few clicks. This comprehensive dispatch, operations and accounting system enables fleet managers to leverage their existing dash cams to review video footage on the go.

ZenduONE is, above all, part of a group of scalable service offerings that can grow and adapt to your ever-changing business needs. Now, more than ever, you can get the content you need, without scouring hours of footage or reviewing irrelevant alerts.

Scale up or scale down

With ZenduONE, you can access all of your solutions from a single app. The goal of the app is twofold: providing visibility to drivers into their performance on the road in real-time, and becoming a convenient tool for fleet managers to expand their fleet business while gaining valuable insight into fleet productivity, operations and safety.

All of your favourite ZenduIT apps can now be accessed on the ZenduONE platform: Asset, Video review, TimeCard, ZenduMaintenance, ZenduReports, and so much more. A range of 15 fleet applications are currently available to install with a single click — and more on the horizon. You can rest easy knowing that all of your users will be fully supported.

ZenduIT has modularized the ZenduCAM platform into separate entities in order to host them all on one app and more importantly, keep your productivity organized based on the functionalities that matter to you.

What does this mean for your business? ZenduONE accommodates your shifting priorities and organizational needs. If you’re a fleet manager, you can review video footage based on the alerts you’ve predetermined, process a work order for vehicle parts, dispatch a driver, review time cards, or find asset locations on a map; and you don’t ever have to be at your desk. Whether you have a large fleet or are just starting out, ZenduONE allows you to pick and choose the workflows you need, when you need them.

Interested in learning more about how ZenduONE can provide a fully-integrated, scalable workflow experience? Schedule a demonstration with one of our consultants and try us for three months — absolutely free!

GoFleet Offers Vehicle Dash Cam Solutions Across A Number Of Industries

Posted on July 23, 2021 | by Alexis | Leave a Comment

Generally speaking, commercial dash cams are well-suited to answering “when” and “where” questions around accidents or other incidents involving your vehicles. When paired with a top-tier telematics platform, your dash cam system can provide a deeper dive, answering the “why’s” and “how’s” of driving behaviour on the road. Dash cams ensure and improve safety for drivers and vehicles, while providing peace of mind to the people who employ them.

By now, you’re likely familiar with GoFleet’s dash cam offerings. What might be less familiar is which scalable, comprehensive solution will work best for your fleet. Depending on your requirements and the industry in which you operate, the answer can get complicated.

Whether you have a handful of vehicles, or an entire cavalcade, both our dual-facing and multi-camera options help correct similar issues across nearly every fleet industry. “From my experience, it’s not about fleet size. For example, a client might want a four-channel setup, because they want a camera solution that has a nearly 360 degree view to get a better understanding of who’s at fault,” says Ron Sabbun, who works with Strategic Partnerships at GoFleet’s Partner ZenduIT. “Our product sales depend on two main criteria; customer requirements, and the industry they’re in.”

With a number of device solutions, paired with a robust Trax platform that can monitor vehicles, report on and interpret driving data in real time, the applications for commercial dash cams seem nearly limitless. In this post, we’ll look at some of the more universal use cases for commercial dash cams that GoFleet can solve for.

Driver Exoneration

Whether you work in transportation, waste management, hospitals, government, field services or passenger transport, a time may come when your driver is involved in a traffic accident.

“One of the major reasons customers elect to get dash cams is to get video evidence of any incidents that occur while their driver is on the road,” says Sabbun. “In an accident, they want to get a better idea of what led up to the event, the driver’s reaction during the event, and who was at fault.”

Not coincidentally, Sabbun points to passenger transport as a growing industry that requires the use of dash cams. Unlike public transportation, passenger transport describes the privatized movement of passengers on a given network, such as transporting people with special needs, or ferrying executives around. “These companies really understand the liability process if their drivers get into an accident. Not only does the driver have to prove that they were not at fault, but they require evidence that their passengers weren’t injured.”

Preventing Distracted Driving

While issues of fatigue or driver drowsiness tend to be risks associated with trucking, distracted driving can affect any driver in any industry where vehicles are employed. Dual camera systems with both driver and road-facing camera views would be a popular choice where it’s a requirement to monitor and gauge a driver’s behaviour inside the cab, especially as that behaviour relates to an accident. GoFleet’s cameras offer advanced alerts for fatigue and driver distraction, which focus on a driver’s physical indicators, such as his facial features and the direction of his gaze. For added safety, the camera will produce an audible alert in the event of distraction; a great tool to keep your driver’s eyes on the road where they belong.

Content Review

Commercial dash cams display video relating to an event of interest for the purpose of review. Events of interest can either be an on-demand request that has been flagged by a fleet manager, or automatically triggered by a preset list of notifications. Either way, a fleet manager’s time, the number of events or notifications, and the number of vehicles sending data back to the business are all factors that can contribute to a bottleneck in the review process. Having the right tools to sort through the most critical events for review is essential. The content review process can even be simplified by GoFleet’s Managed Services, which allows fleets to work with industry consultants who provide recommendations on how to increase safety and sort through dash camera footage for you.

Generating Reports

Dash cams can generate a lot of data within a very short time frame. Distilling that information into key metrics that measure how drivers and fleets are performing over time is essential to fleets big and small. GoFleet’s telematics system will provide reports such as driver scorecards, which help measure how a driver is performing over time, as well as how he compares against his fellow drivers. Scorecards can provide the foundation for both reward incentives and coaching programs.

Providing Feedback

Coaching and feedback between drivers and fleet managers create value and can provide a significant ROI. Depending on the size of your business, you can initiate a review and/or coaching session based on metric-driven reports, either in-person or by supplying drivers with a formal review checklist. This list compiles shortlisted events and videos, as well as notes and comments; completion of a pending review can be part of a driver’s to-do list before starting the next trip.

Opportunity for feedback ensures that our solutions make your job easier, while improving workflow and increasing overall fleet safety. Reporting and feedback are scalable solutions that can work in virtually any industry that employs a commercial fleet.

Reducing Operational Expenses

Your fleet can realize major savings by implementing commercial fleet dash cams. Outside of exonerating drivers, there are significant savings around fewer traffic violations, reduced insurance premiums and lower maintenance costs for your vehicles. There are also a number of studies that illustrate a correlation between safe driving and better fuel efficiency (examples here, here and here).

Driver Retention

There has long been an impression of dash cams as a means to surveil drivers. While the primary purpose may be recording and monitoring driving behaviour, the process of reviewing content doesn’t have to be punitive. Rather, dash cam telematics can create recognition programs within your fleet, in addition to capturing accidents. In fact, driver scoring encourages your fleet to maintain positive behaviour and create a work culture based on compliance and safety, a key factor to driving engagement within your team.

Conclusion

From a growing awareness of the value of commercial dash cams to the availability of cutting-edge hardware with a host of functionalities aimed at keeping drivers and vehicles safe, dash cams are now the norm for commercial vehicles and fleets of all sizes. As the choices keep expanding, so does the analysis process. Selecting the right dash cam solution requires you to look at the combination of hardware and software holistically, within the framework of your fleet’s requirements. Thankfully, GoFleet is here to assist you with navigating your decision-making journey.

Schedule a demonstration and get a FREE trial when you contact your GoFleet consultant. There’s never been a better time, call now!

keyless entry, geotab, car sharing, telematics, fleet, key

Everything You Need to Know About Keyless Entry and Car Sharing in Fleets

Posted on January 22, 2021 | by Burhanuddin | Leave a Comment

When productivity and efficiency is addressed in fleets, typically attention is never brought to key management. However, with keys being easy to misplace and hard to manage, there is a lack of efficiency that often goes unnoticed.

With the introduction of keyless entry with Geotab Keyless, the management process will be simplified as fleets will embrace more freedom with keys going digital. Geotab’s IOX add-on for keyless functionality with integrated key fobs will convert a smartphone into the key giving drivers access to the vehicle when in close proximity.

How to Know Whether Car Sharing and Keyless Entry Will Work for Your Fleet

If your fleet falls under one of the following categories, car sharing would be a great choice:

If you’re a corporate or government fleet that only needs vehicles on an occasional basis or a fleet manager who needs to pool vehicles together for multiple drivers to share
If you’re planning to have a car sharing business
If you’re a dealership, test driving can become much easier with keyless entry giving you, the manager, full access over the vehicle going out for a test drive
If multiple drivers are able to or need to access the same car
If you’re a small fleet wanting to make the most use out of your fleet without expanding
If you’re a large fleet who often deals with vehicle confusion, mismanagement and theft
If your fleet isn’t always returning to one area but is situated in different locations
If drivers aren’t using their own vehicles and are being provided with vehicles for part time use

How Geotab Keyless Can Be Leveraged

Taking a look at the manager’s perspective, micromanaging vehicle utilization can become efficient and straightforward. When keyless entry strategies are implemented within MyGeotab, fleet management can expect to notice the following:

Visibility of all vehicles in a fleet and where the vehicle is located on one map
The ability to find a driver and assign them to a vehicle within minutes
The ability to unlock, lock and even completely shut down a car (when the car isn’t in motion)
Access to various other features offered by Geotab in MyGeotab

From a driver’s perspective, an app on their smartphone will inform them about the vehicle’s location and allow them to access the vehicle in close proximity.

It should be noted that being out of cellular coverage will not be an issue. When you are out of range, the vehicle will be accessible via Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology. As BLE is a simple highly automated wireless local data network that enables informational communications between assets requiring no barcode, no paperwork nor wire to operate the network, it is part of the success of keyless entry.

What are the Benefits of Keyless Entry?

After the implementation of keyless entry, fleets can typically begin to notice 4 main benefits:

The process of switching between vehicles being as simple as leaving one vehicle and getting in close proximity to the other one you are assigned to, hence, the process of returning/receiving keys will come to an end.
Vehicle ownership won’t be required as the concept of car sharing will be applied. Drivers won’t own the car since the manager is in full control of the vehicle and can restrict access immediately for any reason.
Since car sharing is now simplified, managers can make more use of every vehicle in their fleet resulting in more productive routing and planning to increase profits.
If vehicles are only accessible by smartphones, it will be more difficult to steal a vehicle. Moreover, with the additional addon of a vehicle immobilizer, the vehicle can shut down completely and even if someone breaks into the vehicle, it can’t be operated.

Interested in Keyless Entry and Car Sharing? Additional Points You Need to Know

To install the Keyless entry IOX, it’s important to know that one of the key fobs must be soldered within the hardware as a permanent fit.

If a vehicle operates with a key rather than through push-to-start, one of the vehicle’s keys must remain inside the vehicle for the driver to use. However, since the key will be inside the car and not with the manager, the issue with using and exchanging keys will no longer be an issue.

As well, since cell phones will become the new key for the vehicle, drivers must be made well aware that the mobile device requires enough battery life at all times to ensure the digital key functions properly.

With Geotab Keyless entering the market and car sharing dominating various vehicle-based industries, it is predicted that fleets will increasingly begin to leverage keyless strategies. Since the simplicity of a keyless entry process requires minimal hassle with getting into the right vehicle and even changing between vehicles, it’s something many fleets won’t be able to overlook.

As we’re dedicated to always help to improve operations and efficiencies in fleets of any size, keyless entry is something that many businesses should look into. To learn more about Geotab Keyless and how it can help increase productivity and efficiency, contact us to speak with our Car Sharing Experts!

Maximize Your Existing Tech Stack To Get Ahead In 2021

Posted on December 1, 2020 | by Victoria Gole | Leave a Comment

As businesses round up the year, it’s the perfect time for teams to perform a review of business operations. This allows management to see what processes and projects are working towards their long-term goals and how their finances stack up. When it comes to fleets, the process is no different. However, in addition to reviewing processes and projects, it’s critical for fleets to see how they can utilize their existing tech stack to help them further get ahead.

2020 Overview: Adjusting To A New Normal

2020 was a unique year. For many, it was the first time they truly expected industry uncertainty and long-haul transporters definitely went through a moment of change. As regulations, demand and driver processes were adjusted, with the right driver and utilization of tools, teams were able to power through it.

For nearly all fleets, 2020 caused operations to change by increasing health and safety protocols, PPE and more. Some fleets also decided to put attention towards their current processes and technologies within their fleet by focusing on using performance or finance boosting tools. Some found this easy to do as they leveraged their existing tech stack.

As a result, leveraging existing tech stacks is a critical recommendation for all long-haul transporters, to help them get ahead in 2021.

Leveraging Telematics And Connected Networks Already In Place

Nearly all fleets are already digitally connected by some form of a GPS or fleet tracking device to optimize routing, complete routes efficiently and to monitor hours-of-service (HOS) or driving times.

When looking to maximize existing tech stacks, it’s important for fleets to leverage these already in place networks that connect to already installed hardware. Doing so will immediately increase route completion performance.

One advantage is to leverage bypass programs that require no hardware as installation is digital. Regardless of where vehicles are, operations can change for the better almost immediately. During a time where social distancing and PPE measures are heightened, this is a major benefit.

Leveraging A Tech Stack With GO9 Devices

Fleets that are fitted with Geotab GO9 fleet trackers are used for several reasons including GPS tracking, HOS tracking and engine diagnostics. These already in use devices can also leverage the connected network it relies – by installing the unique Drivewyze Weigh Station Bypass Program fleets can truly meet global expansion dreams.

While Drivewyze did not invent the weigh station bypass program, they did modernize it. By leveraging relationships and connected networks, they were able to implement a program where over 47 states and provinces allowed them to operate by using the safety scores of fleets, as well as other credentials, to allow vehicles to have a green light to pass and not have to pull into weigh stations.

A New Efficiency Tool: Hardware-Free Weigh Station Bypass Programs

A weigh station bypass program works by using vehicle GPS location data from a GO9 device in correlation to the GPS location of weigh stations, as well as unique weigh in motion scales strategically embedded in highways prior to a station. If a weigh station is participating in the program, the vehicle will have their fleet information and weight calculated from the motion scales automatically and this data will be cross referenced against screening rules to determine whether they are required to pull in. Typical screening rules include:

Fleet safety score
Weight of vehicle while approaching station
IFTA payment completion

Many fleets find that they are authorized to pass stations approximately 98% of the time, immediately resulting in saving resources and time. In fact, most fleets report approvals of preclearance more often than not and notice a near immediate ROI when a truck receives just one or two bypasses a month. For drivers who find they are held up at weigh stations this is a game changer.

Weigh Station Bypass Programs In Real Life

Over the last year, weigh station bypass programs have thrived as they have been leveraged by fleets to streamline workflows when it comes to driver delivery times. When speaking to Drivewyze’s Weigh Station Bypass Program, they remained agile when encountered with recent pandemic restrictions.

The COVID-19 Shutdown

During the COVID-19 pandemic many cities and countries shut down for a period of time, resulting in various businesses being closed or services being halted. For long haul trucking, it was felt most as several truck rest stops and weigh stations were closed for a short period of time. As a result, many drivers were unsure of where they could safely stop to rest so resources were overused and HOS records were affected, as they drove around looking for a safe place to stop.

To help long haul fleets, Drivewyze accelerated their development of new features to automatically allow their systems to monitor the location of open rest stops and even provide data on their capacity level.

Becoming Part Of A Response Plan

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many offices were instructed to enforce remote working options when possible. For some fleets, as part of their response plan, they took this time to proactively work towards upgrading their fleets by enrolling them into a bypass program. Because the program is completely digital and is free of hardware installation, the implementation of Drivewyze’s program was able to happen instantly. This resulted in improving operational efficiencies and social distancing measures as they did not have to pull off the highway into a weigh station.

After this unexpected year that many fleets have had, it’s hard to tell how 2021 will be. It’s critical for long haul fleets of all sizes to do what they can to elevate their existing tech stack to help them remain successful in the new year.

To learn how weigh station bypass could benefit your fleet, speak with one of our long-haul transportation specialists about receiving a Weigh Station Analytics report to see exactly how much time and money your fleet could save, or inquire about a free trial to experience the service in-cab.

Written by: Victoria Gole, Marketing, Branding & Communications Specialist at GoFleet

Contributions by: Doug Johnson, VP of Marketing at Drivewyze

Trucking With Pets: What Fleets Need To Know

Posted on October 23, 2020 | by Victoria Gole | Leave a Comment

Long haul trucking is often perceived as a lonely job as commercial truck drivers drive long hours to deliver goods over the course of hours, days or even weeks. With the monotony and morale being important concerns, many fleets are looking at how they can make long haul trucking a little more enjoyable. One of the best ways to alleviate these concerns is trucking with pets.

With a multitude of benefits, nearly 40% of long haul commercial motor vehicle drivers are already taking pets with them on the road. This growing trend is something fleet businesses are continuing to review.

Fleet Pet Policy

Whether you’re a fleet owner or driver, it’s important to review current policies when looking into drivers bringing pets on the road with them. On one hand, fleets must readjust their policies to reflect new values, and on the other hand, fleet companies have not clarified their positions on whether bringing pets would be welcomed. Fleet businesses must constantly review policies, including old and outdated ones, and better adapt to the constantly changing needs of their employees.

Old or Outdated Pet Policy

If your fleet has a pet policy but the language is outdated, it’s important to address it and make the necessary policy modifications. Companies should ensure that old policies do not conflict with new values. Updating the policy on pet companionship in fleets will help companies specifically clarify their position and what is encouraged throughout the company.

It is critical that your policies reflect the current values of your fleet and adapt to changing needs.

No Pet Policy

If there is currently no pet policy – it’s time to make one! While some fleets may be strict about not allowing pets to travel with drivers, many are open to it.

If your fleet is looking to enforce a new pet policy to allow trucking with pets – there are a few things to consider:

What are the associated fees for bringing a pet along for the ride may be? Typically, fleets require drivers to provide a $200 – $1,500 deposit for insurance in case there are any damages to company property, which includes damages to vehicles, equipment, cargo etc.
Whether there is a maximum pet weight limit, breed or type for animals, drivers can travel with. Typically, fleets set a weight limit between 25 and 35 pounds, which engenders a variety of common breeds such as dachshunds, pugs, terriers, chihuahuas and more.
The completion of an internal training course to review all aspects of bringing a pet on the road. The course will cover what are the best practices to follow with your travelling pet, how to set up your vehicle to support an animal and proper health requirements of animals.

Benefits Of Trucking With Pets

For fleets who encourage drivers to bring their pets along for the ride, there are a multitude of benefits that are associated with having pets travel with their owners.

Fleets can expect for drivers to have lower blood pressure, cholesterol and better overall cardiovascular health, as studies show that having a pet companion can improve health. Drivers can also stay active and reach health goals as they will be required to take daily 20-30 minute walks – which is perfect for truck stop breaks!

Medical professionals even claim that driving with an animal can reduce stress and anxiety levels as well as provide drivers with a better outlook on life. Since they have a companion on long isolated trips, drivers are less at risk for thinking or feeling negative. A study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology states that pet owners reported fewer doctor visits than non-pet owners. Meaning fleets can even expect healthier drivers, which results in less sick days.

Pets can also reduce fatigue driving and accidents, which are related to driving tired. This is because animals will require drivers to frequently pull over to allow the animal to relieve themselves and stretch their legs. Furthermore, having pets on board can even deter potential theft.

With an estimated 3.5 million truck drivers on U.S. roads, fleets cannot afford to overlook the benefits that trucking with pets drives.

What Drivers Need To Be Aware Of

Checking your fleets pet policy isn’t the only factor that drivers need to consider. Apart from checking with management, drivers should ensure the following:

Their pet fits the proper pet sizing to travel comfortably with them
The vehicle is pet-proofed with a separate space set aside for the animals call their own
Tools and/or equipment such as; a crate, leash, pet bed, various toys, animal cleaning supplies, adequate food and treats
The animal is properly trained be comfortable with being in a moving vehicle, while the driver is focused on the road, and is well socialized
The animal is up to date with vaccinations and drivers are up to date and/or researched veterinary inspection laws, as they vary from state to state

What Fleet Managers Need To Know

Changing the policy speaking to pet companions may seem fun and exciting, but management must take the proper steps to keep the drivers, organization and animals happy. While this includes refining pet policies, fleet managers should also consider the following:

What should be included in company training material pertaining to travelling with pets?
Whether drivers would be accepted to register pets as a service or companion animal to ensure animals are never left unattended for too long (this is specific to in-store visits)?
What are the possible legal ramifications if there is an accident where the animal is hurt, if the animal caused the accident or if the animal hurt someone?

With all policy shifts, there are pros and cons. When it comes to the growing trend of trucking with pets, more fleets are realizing that new policies should reflect current values.

If you’re looking for more insight about how you can create the proper training course to ensure drivers are trained on new trucking with pets policies contact us today! Our online training platform ZenduLearn is a customizable training solution that can accompany any training topics specific to your fleet.