How Much Can You Monitor Your Drivers Via Fleet Tracking
Before we explain how best to track your drivers and what to look for in a fleet tracking system to enable you better to monitor your workers, it is important to understand the extent of this practice. The first thing your drivers are going to ask you when you reveal your plans of introducing a fleet tracking system to the equation will be something like this: “what exactly are you going to monitor?” You need to have a solid answer to this because the agreeability of your drivers towards getting monitored by a fleet management system will depend on how you introduce the system to them (more on that later).
For now, we need to understand the extent of fleet tracking, more specifically concerning the ability of a GPS tracking system to monitor your drivers. In actuality, you are monitoring your assets and not the people driving them. The two just happen to overlap. Thus it would be wrong to say that GPS tracking invades the privacy of your drivers because it is your vehicles that are being tracked. However, the concerns of your workers are also understandable, and you should not invalidate them because that is not how leaders operate.
As for the monitoring part, firstly, you’ll get to see where each of your drivers is at a given moment. Location tracking is kind of built into the whole GPS tracking thing, and for premium-level products such as Fleetr, the locational updates are almost instantaneous, i.e., live or real-time. Following this, you can also monitor the driving behavior of your drivers, i.e., whether or not they are following the safe practices and if they are involved in any unsafe driving instances. This also extends to idling, violating the geo-fence (if you have set one up), and so on.
To sum it up, you’ll get to see:
- The current location of your drivers
- The driving behavior of all of your drivers
- Any instances of speeding, swift turns, traffic law violations, and other unsafe driving instances
- Any violations of the geo-fence
- Idling notifications to warn you of fuel wastage
None of this information breaches the privacy of your drivers. Instead, you only get to monitor the things that matter for your business!
The Perfect Way To Introduce A GPS Tracking System To Your Drivers
Now that we understand what you’ll be monitoring via a GPS tracking system. Your drivers are your asset, and to move them forward, you need to show exemplary leadership and management skills. However, the basis of that lies in being properly informed about their progress, and that is what GPS tracking ensures. Your drivers may not see things your way, but there is much you can do to change their perception about both fleet tracking and your intentions in this regard.
Whether or not you can expect enthusiastic participation from your drivers in this regard will depend on how well you introduce the technology to them. In this section, we will discuss some sure ways of getting the approval of your drivers for GPS fleet tracking:
Be Open About It
First of all, you need to let it out, don’t keep it to yourself. You need to offer all the details your drivers need to see how fleet tracking can help all of you. Seeing that you are open about the matter, ready to discuss things and protocols, your drivers are more likely to become open to the upcoming change themselves.
Share The Details
Next, you need to detail just enough to inform your drivers about what this whole GPS tracking business holds for them. Show them how it works, what you’ll monitor, and how the data will contribute to the betterment of the business. This way, any misconceptions and doubts will evaporate.
Show Them The Full Picture
Your drivers may think of fleet tracking as a surveillance system which is far from the truth. If you show them how fleet tracking fits into your business model, how other people have benefitted from it, and what it has to offer, they’ll surely understand your inclination towards it.
Make Them See Things Your Way
Perspective matters a lot. Your drivers may be confused and unsure about how to receive fleet tracking. Just give them a picture from your end – show them why you think GPS tracking will be a good addition to your business. If they see the merit in your decision, they’ll be more likely to agree with you.
Tell Them That Their Cooperation Is Necessary For The Business
Lastly, show them why their cooperation is important. If there is friction, don’t rub it out. Instead, be positive – show them why it is important for you and the business that they show support and cooperation in this matter. Tell them that they can trust you to make decisions that benefit everyone associated with the business, and this way, you’ll win their support.
What To Look For In A Fleet Management System
Now that we’re done with the whole part about monitoring your drivers effectively in the field and the extent of a GPS tracking system let’s dive a bit deeper into what you should look for when picking a product. Not all fleet management solutions are the same. Some distinguish themselves based on superior features and better performance, such as Fleetr, with premium features and affordable rent.
We have listed down some of the most important features that set apart high-end products from the inadequate lot, be sure that the one you’re picking has them all just as Fleetr does:
Live Location Tracking
This is the first feature to look for – you need live location tracking, and the live part is the most important one. Live means that the locational updates are almost instantaneous, which means that you’ll see a marker corresponding to a fleet vehicle moving on the screen as the vehicle moves in real-time.
Driver Behavior Monitoring
This feature will let you see whether or not your drivers are driving safely. Instances of speeding, traffic law violations, hard presses on brakes, and so on will not go unnoticed. Driver behavior is very important because it would be nearly impossible to prevent a crash and a subsequent lawsuit without regulating this aspect.
Timely Notifications
Notifications are another important component to look for when selecting a fleet tracking system. Most GPS tracking systems come with mobile apps, and this is important because you can’t always keep your eyes glued to your computer screen. Moreover, the mobile app will notify you instantly when something worthy of your attention happens. These notifications cover things like idling, maintenance, driver behavior, and so on.
Route Optimization
Route optimization helps conserve fuel for your trips and lowers the complexity and distance involved in the operation. The algorithm powering your fleet management will pick the perfect route for each stop based on distance, the number of turns, traffic density, and so on. This way, you’ll travel the most optimal route for each stop and thus save up on time, effort, and fuel.
Bottom Line: Fleetr Can Help You Best Monitor Your Drivers
Fleetr offers all of the features discussed in this article and will let you effectively track your drivers on the road without any trouble. Our fleet tracking solution works well and goes easy on clients in several ways – for instance, we don’t have any binding contracts, hidden charges, installation fees, or other undisclosed issues. The whole deal is as transparent as things get in the GPS fleet tracking business. We won’t ask you to use our system for a proscribed period, and you can track as many vehicles as you want. Just modify your subscription accordingly, unlike most package deals which are highly inflexible. All we ask from your side is $9.99 per month for one vehicle, and that will be it. This will even cover the cost of the device itself.
We understand why you might be feeling a bit overwhelmed at the moment, and it is understandably so. Feel free to contact us, and we’ll guide you through the whole thing!
