Compliance: Are your telematics helping you?

Fleet operation is heavily regulated and we know how time consuming compliance can be. Research has shown that around 13% of UK operators spend up to three hours each day downloading working hours compliance data.  It doesn’t help when the data you need to gather is held across different departments. However, integrated telematics could help you to make the whole process easier. Are your telematics helping you with compliance? Here’s how they can.

Monitoring driving performance

When your data is spread across more than one department, it can have a real impact on your drivers.  When you can monitor everything centrally it doesn’t just make compliance reports simpler, it makes job allocation easier too. Realistic work schedules reduce stress and make drivers’ jobs easier.  This approach also reduces the likelihood of costly mistakes on the road, including accidents or even fines for dangerous driving. You can ultimately create a culture where safe driving is your top priority.

By monitoring performance data you can intervene early when problems arise. That means that you can spend less time talking to the insurers or even the HSE. Whilst your drivers may not initially like the idea of being monitored, it means that you can provide them with long term support, not just when things go wrong.

Keep on top of training

Monitoring your drivers doesn’t just help to create a safety culture. It can also help you to identify what training is required. Whilst some training is mandatory, you can also offer additional training to address any common problems.

Whilst we hope that you don’t have to deal with many corporate manslaughter investigations, telematics can help here too.  Clear and easily available training information will demonstrate that you take your legal responsibilities seriously and make efforts to comply.  That can help your defence and possibly reduce any penalty you may face.  Of course, the most important consideration is that you’ve taken steps to keep your employees and the general public safe.

Making risk assessments and inspections easier

Regular vehicle inspections are a key part of any good risk strategy but they can be time consuming.  Telematics can help to identify problems with vehicles as they arise. This doesn’t just help to prevent breakdowns. It can also assist your compliance managers in dealing with potential breaches, even whilst a vehicle is out on the road.  Best of all, it can all be done electronically, meaning that you don’t have a long paper trail to follow when you need to find information.

Of course, compliance doesn’t stop with the vehicles.  You have a duty to ensure that your drivers are fit to work as well.  Telematics enable you to monitor performance and pick up on any potential risks. You can also hold information about driver’s health centrally. That means that when you’re allocating tasks any driver specific health risks can be taken into account automatically.

Simpler communication

Using a mobile phone whilst driving has been illegal for 15 years. However, there are times when you need to communicate with your drivers when they’re out on the road.  Telematics terminals can eliminate the need for mobile phone use as you can send instructions to your drivers directly to the vehicle.

You can use the devices to send behavioural targets to your drivers and get performance feedback. They’re also useful for keeping customers updated about driver location and any potential delays.

In short, telematics help you to make compliance easier and enable better decision making.  To find out more about how telematics can help you with compliance, get in touch.