Owning and operating a company with a fleet of vehicles is tricky. There are numerous health and safety codes which your vehicles must adhere to in order to remain responsible. It’s important that your drivers do not engage in any harmful or distracting acts while on the road.
They need to be completely aware and observant at all times to avoid illegal activities such as speeding and road rage. A great fleet will adhere to the rules and standards that you have set and be conscious of their surroundings at all times.
Negative Fleet Behavior
There are a number of activities that your fleet can partake in which are counterproductive and harmful to your business. Many people see themselves as “above average” drivers, but this is often a misconception and a false sense of confidence in their own ability.
You need to communicate to your team and make them aware of negative driving behaviors. These include reckless driving, speeding, excessive braking, road rage, or other such behavior that puts their lives and the lives of pedestrians at risk.
How to Improve Fleet Behavior?
Set Targets
The first thing you should do while hiring drivers, really even before then, is research into industry and national driving standards. You can use your peers in business to gauge where to “draw the lines” and give your fleet specific instructions which will both be easy to follow and improve the safety for everyone involved.
You can also track some of your drivers’ behaviors with fleet tracking systems from companies within the industry. Your employees should know that standards must be met at all times and punishment will be accorded to those who cannot follow basic driver safety instructions.
Utilize Telematics
Telematics is a system which tracks drivers’ behaviors and allows managers to take action when drivers are not performing optimally or are ignoring basic instruction. The use of telematics has become widely adopted in the last several years, as it provides an analytical insight into how and what your drivers are doing on the road.
It’s important to remember that the majority of your drivers will drive safely and within the guidelines that you’ve set, but telematics can help you keep track of the odd drivers who needs to be disciplined or let go.
Provide Training
Remember, it’s up to you, in the role of upper management, to clearly articulate the safety guidelines you want your drivers to adhere to. You can always provide basic safety training in combination with the company-specific training you already provide.
The more knowledgeable your drivers are about your safety guidelines and company’s policies, the less likely they’ll be to commit unsafe acts on the road. This training can always be provided online and either in a series of instructional courses or one large course.
Reward Safe Driving
Punishment is never the only incentive at your disposal for reinforcing positive behaviors. Employees love recognition and the respect from their superiors, and you can provide exactly both of these by tracking their driving habits and providing rewards for those who are driving safely.
The exact reward depends on the scope and resources of your business, but a paid day off or gift cards and cash are always great reinforcement tools. You can also use successful employees as spokesmen, letting them share their stories to other current and potential employees for your company.
Final Thoughts
Keeping track of your fleet is a complex process, but there are a number of tracking systems which can help you to improve efficiency and ensure maintained safety standards. Right now, the industry’s leading service in this industry is iFleet, the all-rounded fleet management solution.
iFleet aids managers by helping them identify poor driver behavior through the use of telematic and real-time analytics. If you need a system which can accurately and concisely track your fleet’s results, iFleet is a great solution.
