THE POWER OF TACHOGRAPH REALISED IN COVID ERA

 

Barney Goffer, Product Manager at Teletrac Navman, talks about how tachograph technology, first introduced in the 1980s to improve road safety, has become more important than ever – especially during the exceptional circumstances caused by Covid-19.

 

Milton Keynes, October 14th 2020 - During the national lockdown, as demand for goods shot up, the government extended the amount of time drivers could operate their vehicles to ensure medical supplies, food, and essential non-food items could reach their destinations to meet the increased demand. Indeed, there’s evidence to show Britain’s drivers and couriers have gone the extra mile, with parcel deliveries up 31 per cent[1], while Google searches for ‘food delivery’ reached an all-time high in April[2].

Now, with the Prime Minister confirming that the UK is in the grip of a second wave of coronavirus and speculation of a second lockdown growing, there are fears of a return to panic buying – potentially putting drivers under more pressure to overwork and ensure much-needed deliveries happen. This coupled with a rising shortage of drivers, could put operators in a challenging situation when it comes to keeping Britain moving.

Tachograph technology can go some way towards easing the situation. As has traditionally been the case, it can ensure driver hours are not exceeded and rest periods taken, while also helping identify those drivers who are not being fully utilised and therefore have spare capacity. Its ability to track distance covered and speed travelled can also facilitate the planning of efficient, shorter, and therefore safer routes across a fleet.

What’s more, tachograph technology has come a long way since it was introduced by law some 35 years ago. Digital or ‘smart’ tachographs have the ability to automatically store all data on the driver and the vehicle allowing operators to retrieve it remotely – thus supporting social-distancing restrictions. In addition, the time saved by the operator not having to manually retrieve data from cabs is significant.

Ultimately, the purpose of a tachograph remains to protect drivers and reduce the risk of them being involved in accidents due to tiredness – and it’s during such unprecedented times when drivers have been on the frontline of logistics, that the technology has played such an important role, ensuring everything and everyone gets from A to B – safely. 

 

[1] Findings taken from a Royal Mail Survey 2020

[2] Findings taken from Google Trends 2020

 

 

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Teletrac Navman is a leading software-as-a-service (SaaS) provider leveraging location-based technology and services for managing mobile assets. With specialised solutions that deliver greater visibility into real-time insights and analytics, Teletrac Navman helps companies make better business decisions that enhance productivity and profitability. Its fleet and asset management technology uncovers information that would otherwise go unseen, helping customers reduce risk and confidently move their business forward with certainty. It tracks and manages more than 550,000 vehicles and assets for more than 40,000 companies around the world. The company is headquartered in Garden Grove, CA, with additional offices in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and Mexico. For more information visit www.teletracnavman.com