The EU: "Travelling To Work Is Work" - Can Fleet Management Software Help?

The British Government has said that costs for businesses will rise after the European Court of Justice recently confirmed that 'time spent driving to work', in some circumstances, will count as part of the working week.

The case was brought to court by workers from a Spanish company which installs burglar alarms. Workers at the company drove for up to three hours to a job but their employers counted working hours from the moment they arrived at their first customer, until the moment they left.

The court ruled that this was unfair and concluded that travelling time should count as 'work' for employees such as tradesmen who do not have to work within a fixed office.

Lawyers representing the British government claimed that travelling to work could be abused by dishonest employees, however, Judges responded by saying that it was up to companies to prevent that from happening.

There is no official date for when the changes to the current law will be implemented but this is something businesses and staff should start to consider immediately.

For workers who need to travel from client to client, being able to record their journey time will give them the ability to prove just how long a journey has taken.

For businesses, having a better insight into the routes an employee has taken to a job gives them the ability to optimise productivity by possibly identifying more efficient directions.

Barney Goffer, SMB Sales Manager UK South, believes Fleet Management Systems could help save companies money whilst assisting workers in evidencing their time spent on the road when this new legislation is introduced.

"We completely understand why businesses may be worried about the coming changes to the law within this area, but it's important for employers to have access to the data of how much time a journey to a job may have taken.

"On the flipside, for the worker, having a fleet tracking device installed means they can present undeniable evidence to verify how much time a journey has taken.

"We believe that the information a fleet management system provides is helpful to both the employee and employer.

"The vast majority of people who work for companies that implement fleet tracking are honest about how long it's taken them to travel - but with access to precise data - there is absolutely no question.

"Fleet management software could make the introduction of this new legislation a lot easier for everybody."