Engineering support services operation Babcock Rail is poised to roll out telematics across its 850-vehicle fleet following a year-long trial of the Tracker system on 200 vans.

It is one of a growing number of companies considering introducing tracking systems in a bid to better control fleet costs. Telematics firms predict that 2010 will be a year of rapid growth for their sector.

David Lang, Babcock Rail road transport manager, made the recommendation to his Board to introduce telematics after pulling together a report detailing savings on fuel consumption, mileage reduction and speeding incidents. First priority is the 680 vans, with the 170 cars likely to follow at a later date.

“Speeding has reduced by 40-50%, the proportion of incidents is down to 10% and the length of the periods of speeding has reduced as well,” says Lang.

“It will be a big upfront cost to install telematics across the fleet but it will be self-financing from the fuel savings, especially by reducing idling times. That’s how we will sell it to the Board.”

Buy-in from the Board and drivers will also come from focusing on the safety angle. The core business of rail inevitably makes Babcock highly safety conscious – its policy is ‘home safe everyday’ with a target of zero accidents.

“We had to get the unions on board before we introduced the tracker system and we sold it on improving safety for their members,” says Lang.

“Their concern was ‘big brother’ and time sheet conciliation, but that’s not why we are doing it.

“Tracking is a safety tool that has financial benefits for the company – reducing the fuel bill pays for having a safer workforce.”