Eliminating Human Error With GPS Tracking Technology

The recent report of a Kentucky based driver involved in a nine-vehicle crash that killed six people has taken over the transportation news circuits.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) served the trucker with an “imminent hazard out-of-service” order on July 19^th, barring him from operating a commercial vehicle in interstate commerce, after determining the driver had falsified his records-of-duty logs. The FMCSA also discovered the driver committed a variety of infractions, including testing positive for a controlled substance and lying about his safety record on his employment application.

Authorities were able to identify the falsified logs, and subsequent additional violations, from the vehicle’s GPS tracking system, according to the Department of Transportation. The system, monitored by the trucker’s employer, revealed the driver had been on-duty driving during hours leading up to the crash. Those on-duty hours were not recorded on the driver’s paper log.    

If it were not for the GPS tracking unit, vehicle activity would not have been recorded. In collaboration with the trucker’s employer, the FMCSA, and the Department of Transportation, the dangerous driver has been taken off of the road.

Fleet managers can avoid tragedies like this by investing in a GPS tracking solution that immediately verifies a driver’s true driving behavior. There are numerous GPS tracking solutions with different features and tools. But only a few that incorporate complete tracking solutions with paperless logs.

Teletrac offers Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs) that automatically record a driver’s daily hours of service right from the in-cab display. Manual logs are gone and true vehicle activity and operational hours are recorded. With this information, safety and compliance are improved across an entire fleet. 

Fleet compliance and regulations are major concerns for businesses. While the reputation of the Kentucky based carrier has suffered, your business does not need to. With ELDs, human error is reduced and fleet managers can benefits from a variety of features:

Up-To-Date Driver Status

By viewing driver statuses in real-time, fleet managers can easily plan jobs, dispatch deliveries, maintain direct communication with drivers, and increase fleet efficiency.   

Data

Teletrac’s HOS solution provides up to eight days of driving data from the in-cab display. With these records, fleet managers can determine driver behavior, vehicle activity, and filter through metrics that are crucial to business.

Customizable Solution

With multiple drivers on a specified route, Teletrac’s customizable HOS solution accommodates slip seat operations, revealing real-time data on drivers.

Accidents such as the kind the Kentucky based driver was involved in are preventable—the regulations he violated are those designed to keep him and the public safe. By incorporating an ELD solution, human error could have been prevented and compliance could have been met. 

*About the author: Oswaldo Flores is a member of Teletrac's marketing team. He is an expert in product management in the transportation sector for the United States and Mexico.