Technology is the Road Forward for Fleet Safety and Efficiency
Jonathan Stotts
Senior PR & Communications Manager
Technology continues to grow and expand, reaching deeper than ever into the fleet industry. That is a good thing as it brings ample tools to help facilitate the best possible efficiencies. In a recent conversation with Erin Gilchrist, the host of “Straight Talk on Fleet,” we discussed the importance and necessity of technology and how it fits into the advances in this industry.
Tech Solutions Are Out There – Are You Adopting Them?
The exponential growth of technology solutions in the fleet industry continues to expand. Those are available for both vehicle operators and drivers. Does technology inclusion like this equate to a higher level of vehicle safety being possible or being met?
Onboarding technology is happening at all levels. Manufacturers are bringing it to aid fleet managers, for example. Fleet leaders are introducing new tools, and drivers and operators are now empowered to do quick and efficient inspections with their digital inspection tools, shares Erin. She notes that with so many tools available and opportunities to meet safety expectations, it just makes sense that companies should be adopting and putting these types of technology into place. She states, “And if cost is bogging your organization down around safety tech solutions, then you’re just not talking to the right people because, again, the ROI is there.”
Technology Is Not Optional, But The Only Way Forward
Technology solutions like these are not optional opportunities to consider investing, according to Erin. She states, “Technology is the only way to really maximize efficiency and safety in your fleets and certainly to address the issues that we’re talking about today around underperforming vehicles, roadway debris, tire safety.” With so many tools, it can certainly seem overwhelming, but there are opportunities for improvement.
Think about tires, for example. “Tires are one of the most expensive things that fleets deal with every day, and the idea of leaving for a trip, any trip, without checking the tire health, inflation, tread depth, wear and tear, these are visible to the human eye.” However, with the use of a phone and the right tools, it takes moments to capture accurate data in these areas, allowing for a fast but thorough inspection of tire health. Erin continues, “With the tools and technology, anyone is capable of evaluating their own fitness and the vehicle fitness every day.”
Knowing Where to Start Could Mean Getting Some Help
There is no doubt that the inclusion of new safety-focused technology offers a strong ROI for organizations, but it can be challenging to adopt these changes. Erin states there’s help available. “We are hiring fleet experts who can talk to organizations about how to get this done. We’re helping them write policies. We’re helping them socialize, build communications and strategies around adoption and implementation.”
The key to adoption is twofold: people and processes. She states, “You cannot get anywhere without a good culture around people and safety. That requires the entire organization and all of those business units holding hands and working together to make sure every component is operating with that safety culture mindset.”
The second component is building core processes. “Really building those core processes to make it so easy to do these things right [is also critical]. With those technologies and policies and programs to back up the tech, you’ll see in no time that adoption will be a lot easier than you thought it would be.”
Making this move is exceptionally worth it. Erin states, “We’re seeing customers anywhere from 30% to 85% reduction in accidents, and that’s huge. And not only is it saving their organization a lot of money and increasing profitability, but it’s building driver retention and it’s actually putting them in a position to hire better drivers. It’s actually attracting employees.”
A company that can offer a safety culture at its core is one that is going to be able to overcome the labor shortages. It’s critical to have bottom line goals, but it is also essential to fully understand the individual needs of employees, too.
