Category: Vehicle Tracking

New research has shown the huge cost to businesses of vehicle theft, with hundreds of fleet cars being stolen by criminals every year.

 

Counting the cost

A Verizon Connect poll found the average company has at least one vehicle stolen annually, with theft of vehicles and equipment costing firms a collective £16,253.

For companies that operate large fleets, the impact rises exponentially – indeed, those with 101 to 250 cars are facing annual losses of as much as £50,000.

Unfortunately, only 44 per cent of those who reported having vehicles or equipment stolen were able to recover it in a useable condition, which means dozens of cars are undoubtedly having to be written off by insurance firms.

However, the poll also showed 58 per cent of the fleet managers surveyed are not using technology like immobilisers to help them in the battle against theft.

Verizon Connect spokesperson Derek Bryan said: “For many businesses across the UK, vehicles and the equipment inside are their livelihood – theft represents a huge cost. Fleet and business managers need to be extra vigilant.”

He also recommended making better use of devices that can track or disable vehicles remotely, as this could help with finding cars that have been stolen and act as a deterrent to criminals.

The news comes after the most recent data from the Office for National Statistics showed vehicle theft increased by seven per cent in the year to June 2019.

Ellie Baker, brand manager at Fuel Card Services, comments: “This new research really is shocking and shows the collective cost to businesses of having a car stolen is higher than most of us probably thought. It’s important to do all you can to protect your fleet from such unscrupulous individuals.”

Managing a fleet can be an expensive business. If drivers and their vehicles aren’t managed as efficiently as possible, productivity can suffer, operating margins may be reduced and customers might end up unhappy – which isn’t likely to result in repeat business.

When we talk to fleet owners, managing routes for maximum efficiency is always one of their biggest areas of concern. But how can efficiency be made to work at street level, particularly with roads now so busy and traffic unpredictable? One potential solution could come in the form of telematics and route management software.

What is route management software?

Fleet management tools make the most of sophisticated computers onboard each vehicle in a fleet to collect and transmit driver and vehicle data. Their managers can then access an online information portal connected to the software to glean access to reports and analytics.

The best examples provide real-time GPS tracking capabilities, advanced reporting features and a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) model for frequent updates.

With real-time tracking, it’s possible to ensure drivers are using routes that minimise the distance travelled, the amount of fuel used and, ultimately, the time taken to do their jobs. As a result, this is a core benefit of telematics systems that companies will want to make use of.

The benefits of route management

Many fleets have reported significant improvements in their efficiency after implementing route management solutions. Indeed, previous research from ABI suggests profitability could increase to the tune of 12 per cent, while travel time may be slashed by 15 per cent with such technology in place.

So, how exactly does it work to deliver benefits? The answer is in a number of ways:

1- Mapping

Since route management software uses the most up-to-date GIS-based modelling data, it is able to perform high-density routing and analytics for any fleet.

This means it is capable of carrying out tasks such as working out why particular routes might have become slower lately – for instance, perhaps persistent roadworks are hindering travel times.

Importantly, the software can then make improvements and reroute drivers using a new set of maps. It can also assist with plotting times and locations for breaks, customer stops and refuelling to make sure drivers are on the road as much as possible.

This building of long-term schedules – yet with the additional ability to fine-tune on the go – could make a real difference to fleet owners keen to streamline their operations.

2- Driver behaviour

Everyone wants to think they have a responsible and safe team of drivers in place, but even the best set of individuals can make mistakes or poor calls from time to time.

With route management tools in place, fleet managers can perform tasks like monitoring vehicle speeds in relation to speed limits and checking locations of any potentially alarming circumstances.

This is likely to have the preventative effect of ensuring safer driving practices. Furthermore, should repeat instances of questionable behaviour occur, the manager can pull up individual drivers’ routes to reconstruct what happened and take them to task on it.

Another benefit of this is that it could mean less time performing dull debriefing sessions if drivers are consistently performing well – managers only need deliver them when necessary.

3- Flexibility

We’ve already talked about the ability to reroute fleets should unforeseen circumstances occur on the roads, but another advantage is that, from seeing the bigger picture, it’s also possible to spot where expansion can take place.

For example, should a potential new job come in while drivers are already on the road, managers can look at their real-time data to see if a member of staff is close enough to be able to complete it without deviating too much from their route.

If they are, that’s greater productivity without too much more effort – with a new level of insight, hundreds of new jobs could be added each year without having to calculate many more routes.

What to look for in good route management software

There are many route management tools out there, but not all are created equal. To ensure you get what you need for your business, seek out software that has as a minimum:

• Tailored pricing
• No integration charges
• Affordability
• Verifiable results

Jenny Smith, general manager for Tele-Gence, commented: “We have many years of experience working with the automotive industry and so we understand the issues for businesses of any size in managing a fleet day-to-day, particularly smaller organisations. Through using telematics in the ways detailed above, you could significantly improve safety, efficiency and reduce costs – and what’s not to like about that?”

Your business can benefit from affordable telematics with no hidden start-up fees or long-term commitments. Find out how at www.tele-gence.com

There are many hazards when driving on rural thoroughfares, but one of the most common – and most dangerous to drivers – is the propensity for wild animals to suddenly run out into the road in front of cars.

 

Thousands of collisions every year

According to a survey carried out last year on 2,000 motorists by Confused.com, 39 per cent of Britons say they have hit an animal with their car at some time or another, while 49 per cent have taken aversive action to avoid doing so. Many of these motorists have either braked sharply or swerved, which may have put them or other road users in danger.

Highways England, Transport Scotland and the Welsh Department of Transport figures show they received reports of nearly 4,000 dead animals by the roadsides in 2016 and 2017, with deer, badgers and foxes the most common fatalities.

However, these statistics may be significantly short of the actual total, since there is no legal requirement to report hitting a wild animal in this country. Indeed, the National Deer Collisions Project believes the numbers may be closer to a million animals and ten million birds.

Drivers don’t always get away lightly either, with Highways England suggesting 400 motorists are injured in up to 74,000 deer-related accidents in particular every year.

Deer are certainly among the most hazardous animals from a driver’s perspective, because they are large, heavy and panic in the face of oncoming traffic, resulting in them frequently standing stock-still in the middle of the road.

However, short of signage placed by roads that are particularly affected, little has been done thus far to reduce the number of collisions with deer and their woodland neighbours.

 

A helping hand from specially-designed sonic devices

Now, though, new technology may be stepping up to offer a helping hand and an innovative solution to the issue.

According to Engineering and Technology magazine, Channock Chase in Staffordshire has been trialling virtual sonic fence devices using funding from the council, the British Deer Society and the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Austrian company ITPE Solutions supplied the gadgets, which were placed along a particularly perilous spot for fallow deer collisions. They work by emitting strobe LED lights and sonar signals when they sense car headlights, with the aim of scaring wildlife away before the vehicle reaches their location.

Encouragingly, the project was a success, with 60 per cent fewer deer deaths at night during the 12-month trial. This autumn, the scheme has been expanded to take in more roads and include even better sonic fence technology.

This isn’t the first time such solutions have been deployed, with Borzano in Italy and parts of Australia also reporting reductions in animal-related accidents since they brought in similar devices.

Ranger with Staffordshire County Council Rob Taylor told Engineering and Technology he wants to see further trials carried out and more research done into how sonic devices could be adapted for use with herds that tend to follow a lead animal.

Meanwhile, Highways England is reportedly looking into funding for a project using the technology.

“We are always open to new technologies and innovations to help reduce the number of animals harmed on our network and to help keep road users safe, and we are interested in the potential of the devices used in other countries,” a spokesperson told the magazine.

In the meantime, drivers will have to rely on the traditional advice to watch their speed and stay alert for animals on rural roads. But it is heartening to know that improved technology could soon be significantly improving safety in the countryside.

Jenny Smith, general manager for Tele-Gence, commented: “This is truly fascinating stuff and we’ll be watching with interest how further research develops. Animal collisions can occur in an instant, so any device that prevents this danger would be welcomed by us.”

 

Your business can benefit from affordable telematics with no hidden start-up fees or long-term commitments. Find out how at www.tele-gence.com

A popular maps service for people with hybrid or electric vehicles (EVs) has revealed it is now available through Google Assistant, meaning motorists can use it to locate charging points hands-free while they drive.

Zap-Map already operates a comprehensive database covering the locations of 95 per cent of the UK’s green car infrastructure, but this would previously have had to be searched manually.

 

Ask your car to look up maps for you

Now, Android and iOS mobile devices, Google Home hubs and cars linked to Google Assistant can search the information through voice commands.

This is perhaps most exciting for green vehicle drivers, who will simply need to activate the system by saying: “Hey Google, talk to Zap-Map” and can then ask the database to find the nearest charging point to their location, as well as its network operator and whether or not it is currently in use.

It could mean an end to the fear of setting out on a journey and being unsure where a car’s next charge might come from.

The news has already been welcomed by the RAC, which said it should help drivers navigate the unfamiliar world of public charging more easily.

Co-founder of Zap-Map Ben Lane said: “We are providing a quick and simple way for drivers to find out information on charge points at home, on the move and, for the first time ever, hands-free when they most need it – while driving.”

This comes after Ovum found the number of virtual digital assistants is set to surpass the world’s population by 2021.

Jenny Smith, general manager for Tele-Gence, commented: “Developments like these are really exciting and could help to eliminate the issue of being caught out somewhere with no idea where your car’s nearest charging point is. We’re looking forward to trying out the technology.”

 

Your business can benefit from affordable telematics with no hidden start-up fees or long-term commitments. Find out how at www.tele-gence.com

Speed awareness is one of the most important aspects of being able to drive safely.

As such, motorists up and down the country are being urged to keep a closer eye on their speedometer and to avoid the urge to speed due to the significant danger this poses to themselves, pedestrians and other road users.

Helping to avoid repeat offending

New research published by Kwik Fit has highlighted how 44 per cent of all drivers in the UK have been guilty of speeding and, of this figure, more than half (54 per cent) have done so on multiple occasions.

Repeat offending is therefore a major issue for the country’s drivers and one that Kwik Fit believes could be effectively tackled through greater awareness of the dangers of excessive speed.

Roger Griggs, communications director at Kwik Fit, commented: “One of the biggest dangers on our roads is excessive speed, and the findings of our research indicates that speed awareness courses have a greater impact on drivers’ behaviour than many perceive.

“Of course, while any measure which reduces the number of drivers repeatedly speeding is hugely welcome, we must focus on educating drivers not to speed in the first place – drivers should not need to be caught to be given a wake up call.”

The dangers of speeding

Speeding poses a host of dangers to motorists and those around them, with excessive speed linked to an increased likelihood for drivers to lose control of their vehicle, as well as greater stopping distances and an increased severity of injuries in the event of an accident. Consistent speeding also risks damaging the vehicle itself, creating potential for more accidents in the future.

According to Kwik Fit’s findings, the different punishments handed out by authorities do have an impact on repeat offending rates.

It found that 58 per cent of drivers who received a verbal warning were found guilty on another occasion of speeding. This compared to 55 per cent who received three points and a fine, and a staggering 90 per cent who received six points and a fine – although this final statistic may be skewed by the severity of the individual’s first offence and a correlation between how far over the speed limit a person was found guilty of travelling.

Overall, just 24 per cent of motorists who have been on a speed awareness course were found guilty of reoffending, with many stating this had a significant impact on their driving behaviour in future.

Despite this, Kwik Fit believes that more now needs to be done to address this dangerous issue and get through to motorists that speeding is one of the most dangerous things you can do in your vehicle.

Ellie Baker, brand manager at Fuel Card Services, comments: “Speeding poses one of the biggest risks to all road users and it’s an issue that motorists must not ignore. Greater awareness is therefore needed around the dangers of this behaviour, especially given the high proportion of repeat offenders who don’t appear to be getting the message.”

The thought that drivers in your fleet could be speeding is not a pleasant one. However, with Tele-Gence, you’ll be given reports on driver behaviour. You’ll know which drivers are safely operating their vehicles, and if any could be considered reckless. Get in touch today and find out what Tele-Gence could do for you.