Anyone who owns a business and has a fleet of vehicles knows the importance of maintaining driver safety. Even with the safest drivers on your payroll, there is always room for improvement. So, how can you increase driver and fleet safety? There are all kinds of tools out there to aid your quest for improvement – but which ones are the most effective?
A quick internet search provides you with hundreds of options for “ways to improve driver safety.” Not all of these are feasible options for a fleet of your size, but there are some that you may benefit from. Before you decide, you need to explore your options and find one that will not only benefit your business but also be cost-efficient for your fleet.
Motor Vehicle Record Checks are inexpensive and priceless. Before you ever put a driver behind one of your fleet vehicles, you can see how compliant they have been with their personal driving record. You can find out if the applicant has any previous DUI/DWI convictions, speeding, accidents, or is ultimately considered high-risk. If these records indicate these actions recently, it might not be a bad idea to keep this person out from behind your fleet vehicle’s steering wheel.
It never hurts to have a refresher on common fleet safety protocols. You can have these types of training at given intervals, or you can have them completed as needed. Many business owners choose to do these yearly, some quarterly. It all depends on the efficiency of your driver’s records.
Some of these can be completed via online video courses, with a small test at the end. Some prefer to have a hands-on approach and may bring in certified trainers to handle all driver’s training in person. For some, this is an easier solution because it is completed in a matter of days and is often more in-depth than the online courses.
Nothing changes driver attitudes like a hefty reward. These incentives and rewards don’t have to be “hefty” in terms of monetary value; even just having the recognition of being a good driver can often boost driver morale – but having a little extra incentive doesn’t hurt either.
These incentives and rewards may come in the form of extra time off, monetary bonuses, and other types of items/creative rewards – these are how you show your fleet they matter and that you see the effort they are making. Employees like to know that they are being noticed for their good deeds.
Newsletters can be done through email or by offering paper copies to your drivers. Instead of constantly having safety meetings, you can disseminate the safety information you want to touch on through this medium. One way to help ensure your newsletter is getting across to your drivers is by offering them a token gift – something that helps them remember the newsletter and the contents.
If you choose to send out a newsletter, a rule of thumb to follow is to keep it simple. One to two pages maximum will do the job, and your drivers are more likely to read them. Condensed information and information that follows the same logic throughout will make it easier for your drivers to remember it and commit it to practice. Some of the topics that you might cover in a newsletter include:
There are so many more topics that you could cover here, providing your fleet drivers with the tools they need to be successful behind the wheel.
If you want to make sure your drivers are safe behind the wheel, you can enforce a driver’s safety policy they must sign. Sometimes just having the policy out there, laying out exactly what is expected from your employees and drivers, makes it impossible to say that they do not know your safety rules, especially if they sign it.
Some of the elements to have within your safety agreement include:
Having exactly what you want from your employees in writing helps to ensure that they are following the fleet’s needs exactly. There are no surprises when it comes to your expectations as the owner.
One of the most efficient ways to ensure your drivers are safe is through telematics. Telematics can help you track each fleet vehicle and get updates on various information like speed, driving performance, and more. In the past, these types of features were only available on a large scale – if you were a small fleet, it was not cost-efficient for you to purchase this type of coverage.
Things have changed, though. Companies like Fleetr have entered the picture – making it possible for smaller fleets to get the same telematics coverage as large fleets, but at costs catered to smaller business sizes. Fleetr helps small fleet owners track fuel consumption, driver safety, sudden braking, speeding, and can even send push notifications if unsafe behavior is occurring.
If you are a small fleet and you are looking for the right telematics/GPS solution for your fleet, you needn’t look any further than Fleetr. Fleetr was made for small fleets (100 vehicles and under), with no contractual obligation. Fleetr isn’t just about the safety of your fleet. It is also about making your fleet more efficient overall! What exactly does that mean?
Fleetr changes the way you look at your fleet. Instead of being tied to a desktop computer, you can get information about your fleet on the go with the unique dashboard that is available on any smart device. Here is what Fleetr can do:
To sign up for Fleetr, go online to www.fleetr.com and see what specials are currently available. Order your OBD II port, sign up on the Fleetr app and dashboard, and wait for your fleet vehicle(s) new OBD II plugin to come in the mail. Once you receive it, plug it in and let the magic begin.
You can personalize your dashboard on the app and even what reports you want Fleetr to compile and at what interval. It is really easy to get started and only costs $9.99 per month per vehicle to access a more efficient fleet. There is no contract required, unlike some of the larger fleet management software companies – pay monthly for as long as you require the services, and when you are done, send back the OBD II plugin.
Using a fleet tracking solution like Fleetr helps you make sure your fleet represents your business the way you want it to be represented. Being safe behind the wheel helps to keep other customers and potential customers safe as well – all around, using Fleetr to promote your fleet’s safety isn’t that bad of an idea!
