One of the most important elements in any fleet of vehicles is the people who do the actual driving. No matter how good the vehicle is, whether truck or car, and no matter how good a condition the vehicle is in, if the driving behavior is not good, then the consequences can be late delivery of a freight consignment, increased running costs, and even accidents leading to higher insurance premiums.
One way of knowing how well a driver actually drives a vehicle is to install some kind of driver profiling and GPS tracking software. This type of software package can check whether a driver is keeping to the planned route, whether he is keeping to an economical speed, and how good is the general driving such as in the use of gears. This article will look at the various points and outline some considerations to be borne in mind when looking at driver profiling software.
When a driver veers from the route that was planned for the job, there is a good chance that time will be lost, which could well lead to the late delivery of a consignment of goods and possible claims for some form of compensation from the client. Drivers who constantly do not follow the route outlined in the job sheet can be cause of financial loss to a company, and it is important that these drivers are identified. Driver profiling and GPS tracking software can identify drivers who consistently do not follow routes, and allow action to be taken about the practice.
Driving speed is another element of the driver profile that needs great consideration. Driving at the wrong speed, especially the higher speeds can have a negative effect on fuel economy since more fuel is used at higher speeds. Constant stopping and starting can also lead to lower fuel economy and higher costs, especially when the fleet is composed of large trucks. By the use of driver profiling software these tendencies can be identified in drivers and measures taken to bring the drivers to drive at a more economical speed.
The general driving skill of the driver can also be profiled. A driver who drives fast then has to use the brakes to slow down is using much more fuel than a driver who drives at a constant and steady pace. Driver profiling software can identify those individuals who engage in this process. There is also the use of gears to be taken into account and whether they are contributing to proper fuel economy. Check www.trackingfox.com for more usefuls tips on car tracking and fleet management.
The driver profiling and GPS tracking software can be fitted to integrate with general vehicle tracking software in order that a full picture of the vehicle and driver behavior can be obtained. As can be see, driver profiling software as part of a general GPS vehicle tracking package is a great way to keep control of the fleet, including the drivers, leading to greater economies and a healthier bottom line. Remember, by keeping this in mind a fleet manager should consider driver profiling and GPS tracking software as a useful tool in keeping the fleet running smoothly.