Opinion: Why telematics should be at the top of your fleet’s Christmas list

By Jonathan Haseler, managing director for UK and Ireland at Radius

Fleet managers are always looking for innovative ways to keep company vehicles running as smoothly as possible and safety and efficiency are key priorities all year round.

But safety becomes even more of a priority during the busy Christmas period when wintery weather is rife, more vehicles are on the road and workloads increase during this peak period of activity.

For managers who have already embraced telematics across their vehicle fleet, they benefit from enhanced tracking which helps them monitor and manage the demands placed on their driving employees at this time of year.

But businesses yet to implement telematics are in the dark about the whereabouts of their vehicles at any given time.

The transformational power of telematics

Telematics has the power to transform multiple aspects of a business, and this innovative software ensures fleet operations can be optimised to reduce costs, drive efficiency and improve safety.

As vehicles are often on the move, fleet managers with access to telematics software benefit from constant connection and can easily pinpoint a vehicle’s location.

This technology enables fleet managers to collate detailed information on vehicle performance and activity, which in turn can be used to inform decisions about fleet management.

For example, if there is a shortfall or surplus of vehicles in a fleet, decisions regarding the sale or purchase of vehicles can be informed by data rather than guesswork.

Telematics can also be used to spot fuel inefficiency, which is crucial as businesses look to streamline operations to meet customer needs in the face of increasing operating costs.

Businesses often operate on tight margins and need to ensure fuel is being consumed efficiently. Telematics data highlights driving habits which may contribute to excessive fuel use.

There is also now significant emphasis placed on environmental impact and many businesses are looking to reduce their fuel consumption as part of wider strategies - something telematics can assist with.

Balancing staff safety with business need

With any fleet vehicle, a significant amount of trust is placed on the employees who drive it - and their safety is of the utmost importance.

Speeding, harsh braking and dangerous driving practices are frequent occurrences. On UK roads, 1,766 people were killed and 28,941 were seriously injured in 2022 alone.

In light of this risk, businesses have a responsibility to ensure their drivers are not posing a risk to themselves or the wider public while on the roads in company vehicles. 

During the run-up to Christmas, many employees will have more deliveries to make, or they will be required to work to shorter deadlines to meet customer demand.

More cars are on the road at this time of year, with more than 32 million drivers expected to hit the road this Christmas while people travel for parties or to visit relatives.

Fleet drivers therefore must be especially vigilant when on their travels and telematics can ensure all of these pressures do not equate to dangerous driving.

With a telematics system in place, detailed information is captured on the standard of driving, looking at metrics such as speeding and harsh braking, with dash-cam footage supplementing this telematics data.

This data could be converted into a cross-company league table which can help ensure all employees are engaged with the need to drive safely.

Rewards and recognition for the safest drivers can act as an incentive to drive cautiously and can be part of an annual review around Christmas time. Instances of poor driving, on the other hand, can be recorded and reviewed when they arise.

If a driver is involved in an incident, telematics systems can flag this to the fleet manager instantly, allowing them to get in contact with the driver straight away and arrange support.

Telematics also has the capability to quickly inform the insurer of the incident too, to drive first notification of loss (FNOL).

Top of your list

While there is initial investment associated with the integration of telematics across a fleet, businesses simply cannot afford to not embrace this technology.

From lower insurance costs to reduced financial outputs on fuel and vehicle repairs, the economic benefits of telematics are broad-ranging.

But you cannot put a price on the enhanced safety telematics brings to a business’ workforce, which should be at the top of every fleet manager’s list this Christmas and beyond.