The #1 Topic All Fleet Managers Should Address

When a business contemplates acquiring new software, one of the most important factors in the decision is how the purchase will pay for itself. Although this is a common business practice how much emphasis should the return on investment have on a system that protects business assets and also saves lives?

The discussion on safety within the commercial fleet industry is alive and well. Congress continues to conduct and analyze studies around driver fatigue and debate HOS regulations in hopes of increasing public safety. As commercial trucking accidents resulting in fatalities continue to make headlines, highway safety will always be an important issue and a main component of operations in a fleet based business.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) reports there were approximately 34,000 fatalities on the road in 2012. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released a report stating almost 700 people were killed in 2012 due to an incident with a large truck.  TruckInfo.net states motor vehicle accidents cost society close to $5,000 per second.

Fleet managers equipped with GPS tracking software have clear insight into driver behavior and are able to provide constructive feedback. J. Kimo Ketner of Fleet Safety Institute states “Aggressive and fatigued driving are just two of the key issues fleet operators must address.” GPS tracking software can enhance fleet safety by enabling fleet managers to track key metrics such as speeding, harsh braking, and unauthorized usage of vehicles. Fleet safety systems also prevent drivers from getting lost and provide critical data in the case of a stolen vehicle. All these combined with the benefits of reduced maintenance and overhead costs not only protect the bottom line but also provides business owners with additional peace of mind.

Commercial fleets and highway safety will remain a hot topic within the industry.  As regulations are passed and new and more advanced safety technologies are introduced to the market, fleet operators should never lose sight of the main objective: saving lives.