Tracking a Fleet
Many people are familiar with vehicle sensors used to locate a vehicle’s position (GPS) or test its emissions. Telematics is the use of sensors like these to help an organization extend vehicle life, prevent breakdowns, maintain fuel and emissions efficiency, keep drivers safe and help reduce the number of miles driven. Sensors can be placed in a vehicle fleet to collect data such as vehicle location, acceleration, braking, turns, idle time and seat belt use. Data from the sensors can then be analyzed to help an organization reduce its fleets’ impact on the environment and reduce fleet operating and maintenance costs.
RATIONALE
Collecting and analyzing on-site data from a vehicle fleet can help fleet managers understand how their vehicle fleets are operating and help them improve those operations.
EFFORT REQUIRED
The use of this technology requires significant knowledge and capital, but return on investment is generally high.
BENEFITS
Using sensors in vehicles can help fleet managers better maintain the vehicles in their fleets. Through better maintenance, fleet managers will extend vehicle life, maintain vehicle fuel and emissions efficiency and minimize the number of spills or leaks of potentially harmful fluids. Tracking of the vehicle location can be used in conjunction with route optimization software to reduce the number of miles driven, improve customer service and reduce wasted driver time. Organizations have also found that these sensors can help reduce idling time, increase driver safety and identify driver behaviors that could decrease fuel efficiency or driver safety.
RISKS
As with other high technology programs, there is a risk that end users will not have enough education and skills to implement this technology appropriately.
ACTION AGENTS
In-house or outsourced fleet management departments
COSTS
The costs for purchase of equipment, monitoring and software analysis tools and training on these tools can be quite high.
Devices that can detect environmental changes and that communicate this change to a control system.
