Defining Accountability in Fleet Operations
Jonathan Stotts
Senior PR & Communications Manager
We recently sat down and had a conversation with Erin Gilchrist, the host of Straight Talk on Fleet, to discuss a topic that is important to everyone in the fleet industry: defining accountability.
When we talk about general safety, there is no more important word than “accountability.” That includes roadway safety, and it is hard to underestimate the importance of this. There are many steps that fleet operators must focus on and processes to follow to keep their vehicles in great condition but also their drivers safe.
It all comes down to the motivations of the companies and the type of organization it is. As she notes, meeting the baseline is never desirable. It just means you are average and at the bottom level of what is required. “That’s not winning. That’s not succeeding,” Erin states. Instead, she believes that the right mindset is one that puts “the highest standard for every vehicle, every single day” in place.
It can be hard to convince organizations of this, but it comes down to the following, according to Erin, “It’s about letting your drivers and your operators and your managers out there know what’s in it for them and how important it is to the organization and to them for their bonus, for their profitability, not only because you want them to get to and from work safely every single day, which is obviously the most important thing.”
Accountability is not a secondary “nice” achievement but a commitment all organizations should have.
