Fleet managers are beginning to appreciate the wider benefits of telematics

See April 15 issue of Fleet News for more on telematics and its benefits for fleets.

Fleet managers are beginning to appreciate the wider benefits of telematics and are now using the technology in greater numbers according to two new surveys just published.

In addition, van fleet operators were shown the value of telematics at a seminar organised by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.

Speakers revealed the latest systems on offer while there was a live link-up with Ford in America, where Steve Walsh, vice-president, sales and operations, demonstrated Ford’s new Work Solutions system.

There were also case studies from users, including Tesco.com. Operations manager Dave Crellin said that after fitting telematics systems to its 2,200-strong van fleet,

Tesco was using 12% less fuel and there was 6% less vehicle damage.

Meanwhile one of two new surveys found that managing the health and safety of drivers is being recognised as a major benefit of telematics.

Traditionally tracking and telematics technology has been used to help drive a cost-effective and efficient fleet.

But a third of 385 fleet managers surveyed by Trimble said that health and safety was a main reason for them using vehicle tracking.

The poll found worker wellbeing is now seen to be as important to business as fuel usage and vehicle location.

“We have recently seen a shift in the reasons why businesses implement fleet management and telematics technology,” says Andrew Yeoman, MD of Trimble MRM in Europe. “The benefits of using telematics data for driver safety have become very clear.”

This is borne out in the other survey, which found an increase in vehicle tracking.

DigiCore’s Vehicle Tracking Survey 2010 found that 55% of companies that responded now use vehicle tracking – an increase from 25% in 2008.

The respondents were made up of mixed fleets, with 23% operating cars, 55% vans,

20% lorries and 2% other vehicles.

There is still a bias towards commercial vehicle fleets, with 41% of those not using telematics operating car fleets.

The survey found that improving productivity (41%) was still the main reason for adopting vehicle tracking.

However, fleet operators are achieving a much wider range of benefits from using the technology with reduced costs (77%), increased productivity (64%), added security (52%), and enhanced fleet and employee performance (51%) the most extensively highlighted.

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