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How technology is leading the way for fleet operators

By intouch * posted 10-04-2019 10:24

  
By Jim French, Australasian Solutions Specialist at Teletrac Navman

Technology is fast becoming a standard and no longer the future of businesses that operate fleets. Evident from this year’s IPWEA Australasian Fleet Conference last month, public and private government organisations, industry experts and technology providers gathered to discuss the big issues affecting the industry.


ipwea_imagereduced.jpgOpportunities to cut costs, improve safety and comply with regulation were all big topics. Yet the most consistent theme was how much telematics has become an ingrained part of today’s government fleets.

Getting on with the job

Amongst speakers and panellists like Peter Armour of Central Coast Council, Paul Woodland of Heavy Vehicle Industry Australia and Tom Johnson, author of The 7 qualities of the 100 best fleets in the Americas, the consensus was that telematics is now a critical component for the government fleet. Operating against complex and competing demands, while abiding by strict legislation, technology is lighting a path to turn these complexities into workable solutions.

The reason is simple – vehicles are now expending far more than fuel. They are also expending loads of rich data. Organisations that take advantage of this, through telematics, are better able to utilise their fleet, cut unnecessary spending, and keep drivers safe while remaining compliant. With constant pressure to do all this and more, technology is a gateway for success.

Cost and effect

Many are reaping the benefits of a system that is giving back more than they’re putting in. Telematics is proving to deliver huge return on investment for government fleets. Asset utilisation is one of the big benefits organisations are gaining due to an increase in fleet visibility, while also cutting back on costs. Management can see how many vehicles are in use, compared to the total number in the fleet.

Driver monitoring is also helping many to save on costs. Not only does it have safety benefits, but it gets drivers to ease up on harsh cornering and braking, reducing future maintenance bills.

Regulation through innovation

Fleets operators are setting the standard when it comes to working on the road, but the industry is facing challenging times as it adapts to shifting regulation. Many are still adjusting to last year’s changes to Chain of Responsibility and the review of the HVNL is leaving organisations uncertain about how to stay compliant. Telematics takes the pressure off with applications built to keep the fleet compliant.  Fatigue monitoring keeps drivers within allocated work and rest hours, mass management allows for easy measurement of vehicle mass to ensure limits are not exceeded and electronic pre-trip checklists provide an easy way to flag issues.

From location tracking to understanding driver behaviour, telematics is not only a benefit to the business but to the local community. If organisations aren’t already on board, they will be after this event.
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