Business Car Q&A

How much more time on average does a fleet manager spend administrating their fleet as a result of using a telematics system?

• Time spent on administration is drastically reduced when fleet managers use telematics systems – it keeps all the of the necessary data in one place and gets rid of time-consuming paperwork.
• The data received is comprehensive and accurately tracks and manages fleets on a second-by-second basis, so it does all the hard work for you and frees up a lot of time.

How long does it take to install and uninstall telematics equipment into cars, and can anyone do it?

• On average, it takes a day to install telematics equipment into a car or van and the process is very straightforward. If the equipment is being fitted to an entire fleet, the timings will obviously vary depending on the number of cars.
• At Teletrac Navman we have specialists who install the equipment, but they can also offer training on how to do it.

How much money can an average fleet save on fuel over the course of a year by using telematics?

• Telematics software helps to identify the most efficient routes, particularly to avoid traffic hot spots, so it saves businesses a significant amount of money on fuel costs.
• Unsurprisingly, our customers have reported some fantastic results. For example, Cosmo Ceramics observed a saving of up to five gallons of fuel per vehicle per week – a saving of more than £10,000 a year.

Do any of your clients use a ‘carrot and stick’ approach of rewarding the best drivers after analysing data? If so, what are typical rewards that are given out?

• We have customers who gamify their telematics data in order to directly improve driver behaviour. By creating league tables and scoring drivers on metrics such as speed violations or harsh breaking, management creates positive competition. Some businesses offer monetary rewards for those who score the best.

What tends to hold back fleets from using telematics services at present?

• A recent Fleet Safety Survey found that nearly six out of ten respondents - 59.2 per cent - have already installed telematics systems in company vehicles, so firms are heading in the right direction.
• Those who haven’t yet invested might be reluctant to make the initial cash injection, but that is a false economy as telematics services lower operating costs and boosts revenue, along with other collective business benefits.

After using telematics systems have any of your clients seen a reduction in the number of accidents their fleets were involved in?

• Unable to answer. Currently updating our customer stories and don’t currently have an example of this with an existing customer. Can we remove the question?

What telematics innovations can fleets look forward to in the future?

• As the technology becomes more sophisticated and fears of intrusive spying on drivers recedes, telematics is now a vital part of fleet management. Telematics is fast becoming a must-have for the industry, with fleets of all sizes adopting the technology to improve efficiency in four key areas – cost control, risk management, carbon reduction and productivity.
• Telematics is a stand-out, cost effective solution that enables businesses to deliver on their goals – it’s a platform which makes absolute sense for both commercial and grey fleet companies and it will continue to play a critical role for fleets in the future.

Peter Millichap is Director of Marketing at Teletrac Navman.

About Teletrac Navman:

Teletrac Navman is a multinational telematics company leveraging 25 years of experience to help fleets boost revenue and lower operating costs. We equip businesses with advanced data tools for location tracking, fuel monitoring, reporting, safety and compliance, all via one powerful, user-friendly platform.

We're devoted to providing accurate and precise data secured by the strongest protection and controls. These tools and methods improve business’ bottom line and help them stay competitive. Teletrac Navman currently tracks nearly 500,000 vehicles owned by over 40,000 organisations on six continents, making us one of the world's largest fleet management providers.