September 2020 - Fleet Management Backend Site

What Is Reckless Driving? How Can Your Tracking System Prevent It?

Posted on September 25, 2020 by fmsupadminnxtjs

Traffic accidents on the road are most often caused due to the negligence of the drivers. Reckless driving without adherence to the traffic rules and regulations is a major concern for the traffic departments world-wide.

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An automated GPS tracking system in combination with vehicle telematics when installed in the vehicle helps the traffic personnel, fleet operators and company administrations in identifying the errant drivers. The tracking system helps in identifying reckless driving, cautioning offenders and implementing penalties instantaneously.

What Is Reckless Driving?

Reckless driving can be termed as rash or negligent driving. The driver drives the vehicle with total disregard for traffic rules and regulations intentionally. This willful act of indifference endangers the passengers, other vehicles, pedestrians and property.

Reckless driving does not confine to over-speeding alone. Paying little or no regard to traffic rules, signals, signs and laws also come under reckless driving. The high speeds and dangerous driving cause serious injury and even death. The driver himself is at high risk and the extent of damage to the vehicle can be immense.

When Is Driving Termed Reckless

Crossing the speed limits specified or sign posted limits
Non-adherence to traffic signs and signals, red lights and stop signs
Disregard for oncoming traffic, right-of-way for vehicles and pedestrians
Tailgating or driving too close to the vehicle in front
Weaving in and out through traffic
Overtaking dangerously or from the wrong side
Driving into areas not designated for vehicles like pavements, sidewalks
Racing vehicles on the road
The crossing of double yellow lines on a highway
Overtaking a stationary school bus picking up students
Speaking on a phone or texting while driving, fiddling with the radio, eating
Disobeying instructions by traffic personnel on the road

Prevention Of Reckless Driving

The key to the prevention of reckless driving is to ensure that drivers understand the full implications of reckless driving. Drivers need to be aware of the fact that reckless driving is a serious violation of traffic regulations. Unlike inappropriate and careless driving, reckless driving is considered a criminal offense.
The performance of the drivers needs to be evaluated on a continuous basis. This will help in identifying areas where the drivers need additional training. Their performance can be rated and compared with their earlier performance to ensure improvement in driving habits. The tracking system generates a Driver Scorecard which makes this evaluation easy.
A comprehensive training program for the drivers has to be devised. Regular training programs have to be conducted for drivers. Topics on awareness of traffic rules, reckless driving, road rage, the seriousness of driving under the influence of alcohol, etc. should be focused on in training programs.
Technology has developed fleet management systems which will help in tackling reckless driving. The system detects over-speeding and traffic violations instantaneously. The system allows the analysis of driver behavior. This is communicated to the traffic authorities or fleet operators continuously.
Installing a vehicle telematics system in the vehicle will make the driver more accountable for his behavior on road. He will adhere to safe driving practices and be more alert to situations around him.
Routing of vehicles must be optimized to prevent fatigue in drivers. Trips have to be scheduled so that the driver meets his timeline as well as get enough rest before the next trip.
A properly spaced delivery schedule will enable the driver to deliver on time without having him driving recklessly to meet schedules. This will increase the efficiency and speed of operations.
Drivers have to primarily understand the importance of time management. This will help avoid over-speeding and reckless driving to a large extent.
All countries have their own set of rules, stipulations and penalty systems for traffic offenders. The penalties imposed vary depending on the seriousness of the offense.

Common penalties are:

Traffic fines
Suspension of driving license
Impounding of the vehicle
Black points on the drivers’ record
Arrest and jail sentences

The drivers have to be clearly informed of the penalties involved in violating traffic regulations. The knowledge of stipulated fines and jail terms will be a deterrent to negligent driving.
The increased repair charges due to reckless driving prompt auto insurance companies to raise their rates. The insurance rates are hiked as high as 87.5%.

How Can Your Tracking System Prevent It?

A GPS tracking system combined with dash cameras and vehicle telematics provides the most effective solution to reckless driving. An advanced tracking system tracks the fleet’s real-time on-road and records driver behavior continuously.

The system reports behavior indicative of rash driving like speeding, sudden acceleration and braking, sharp turning and cornering. The fleet managers or traffic personnel can use this data to evaluate drivers, provide additional training, sets incentives for safe drivers and penalties for dangerous drivers.

The GPS tracking system tracks the vehicle’s position at anytime on the road. The tracking system is two-way- communicating with the fleet operators as well as the drivers. The system alerts the driver to traffic blocks on his route, hazardous routes and inclement weather conditions. The driver receives communications sent by the fleet managers for changes in route or delivery.

Similarly, the fleet operators receive reports on the speed of the vehicle, the location and time of arrival and departure at the destination. Reports on the routes taken, the distance travelled, speed, fuel consumed, etc are generated.

The system can be programmed to alert the fleet managers of irresponsible driving behavior -rash driving, over speeding, harsh braking, and sudden acceleration by the drivers. This data enables the management to identify errant drivers and communicate their lapses immediately. Drivers can be corrected and serious offenders can be penalized without inordinate delay.

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The common undesirable driving habits are sudden breaking, jerking while starting, idling during stops and speeding when running late. The tracking system enables each factor to be addressed separately. The fleet managers can set automated alerts for deviations from the driving rules set by them.

The driver reports created can help to identify drivers who are the most negligent. Personalized improvement plans can be designed to point out their faults and educate them on safe driving practices. An individual driver’s performance can be compared over different periods of time to assess improvement. One-to-one coaching is found to be very helpful.

The tracking system reviews the vehicle’s performance data periodically and schedules preventive maintenance. This allows the fleet managers to attend to the routine maintenance and repairs more effectively. Well maintained vehicles reduce the risk of breakdowns.

Vehicle abuse by drivers increases maintenance costs. Maintenance expenses constitute a major part of overhead costs. Continuous monitoring of this type of abuse is essential to reduce the wear and tear of the vehicles. This directly results in saving money and reducing downtime of the vehicles.

The geo-fencing feature of the tracking system safe guards the vehicle from being used for notorious activities. The fleet managers are alerted when the vehicle crosses the virtual fence set around the vehicle. This feature helps in tracking a vehicle if stolen.

The dash cameras installed on the dashboard of a vehicle record all events happening inside and outside the vehicle. The information recorded on these devices is relayed by the tracking telematics system to the fleet controllers. The necessary corrective actions can be taken without delay.

The advantage of dashcams lies in the real-time video footage recorded. The footage provides clear proof in cases of accidents, thus reducing insurance disputes. The videos recorded can also be used in the training of drivers where they can observe the results of negligent driving.

Visually showing the drivers the actual video footage of the errors combined with the data reported makes the training easier and understandable. Real-time incidents and examples have a far more impact on improving driver performance than theoretical lectures by itself.

Monitoring, training, preventing and correction of driving patterns are the most critical factors in fleet management. The simplest and most efficient way to do this is by installing appropriate fleet tracking systems. The GPS tracking system and dash cams when integrated with vehicle diagnostics provide the most powerful tool in fleet tracking.

The vehicles using the tracking system have a lower risk of accidents and injuries. The alerts set in the systems warn the drivers immediately if they have overlooked any safety regulations. When drivers know that their behavior is being monitored they tend to be more careful and responsible while driving.

Conclusion

Since reckless driving can lead to loss of life or livelihood, driving with discipline and without distractions is of prime importance. Ongoing training for drivers is essential as safe driving is a mindset that has to be developed and nurtured in the long run.

How to Optimize Your Fleet Management with a Car Rental Software

Posted on September 9, 2020 by fmsupadminnxtjs

How many cars do you have in your fleet? 5? 15? 50? If you have just 5 cars, then you may be able to manually keep track of all the bookings, the locations of the cars, and the maintenance schedule. When you have 15 cars, it can get very difficult to monitor all the vehicles in your fleet and keep track of all the drivers’ schedules. Whether you have 5 or 50 cars in your fleet, a car rental software can help you effectively optimize your fleet management.

Not just that, this software application can enhance your fleet performance and reduce downtime. Let’s look more into detail about how a car rental software can help optimize your fleet management.

Reservation management

The software has an availability calendar that gives you a detailed view of the availability status of the drivers and all the cars in your fleet. You can get details of the exact location of the car and check when it will be free for use. The software also gives you details on whether a particular car is on road, idling, parked, or down for maintenance.

All the information regarding vehicle utilization will make it easy for you to manage car reservations based on customer’s needs and preferences. The automated reservation management system saves lots of work hours and reduces errors such as parallel booking and overbooking. You can also use the software to generate an agreement summary to share with the customer.

Track all the cars in your fleet in real-time

The car rental software allows GPS tracking of all the cars in your fleet. So, you will have accurate details of the exact location of the car at any point in time. The tracking feature enables location profitability. When you get a reservation request from a customer, you can check the location tracking details to find out which is the closest vehicle.

It will save miles as well as fuel usage. Also, the customer can get the vehicle quickly, which will add stars to your car rental service. This location tracking feature also enhances convenience for the customers. After they’ve booked a car, they will know approximately when they can expect it for pickup.

Check the condition of the car before and after renting

A mobile camera app can be used to check the condition of the car before pick up and after drop. The visual data will let you virtually inspect the vehicle for any damages. In case, there are any problems with the car, then these photos can help you identify how and when the problem started.
Set up a preventive maintenance program

One of the biggest benefits of using a car rental software to optimize your fleet management is the preventive maintenance feature. When you start using the application, you need to update details of the vehicle make and service history. The app will then automatically send maintenance notifications after 5k or 10k kilometers or fuel usage.

You can also update the calendar with the manufacturer-recommended service schedule. So, you don’t miss out on the services and keep your vehicle in good running condition. The software also helps you set up a form that drivers can use to update vehicle condition details. For example, if they feel that the engine is getting hot very soon or see the stitches coming out of the upholstery, they can update the form.

The fleet manager can cross verify the details given by the drivers and arrange for a service at the earliest. Preventive maintenance helps reduce vehicle downtime, which will be profitable for your business.

Build a geofence

Create a virtual geofence using the software application. The geofence can be based on the areas where you provide a car rental service. It can be the city, district, or state. If the vehicle goes out of the virtual fence, then you will receive an alert. The geofence helps prevent unauthorized vehicle use and also ensures the safety of the customer.

Manage Finances

Managing finances is one of the most vital tasks of any business. The car rental software helps you manage your accounts payable and receivable. You can calculate commission whether you offer standard or flexible rates and also check for additional payments.

The software keeps track of expenses due to repair, service, purchase of spare parts, driver salary, fines, toll payments, etc. It also helps you raise invoices and trace pending payments from customers. If you have standard payments such as EMIs and insurance, then the software can be programmed to give you notifications.

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As all the invoices and bills are dated and tracked, there will be no room for error in the finance management. You will also be able to identify areas of unnecessary expenses and cut down on them.

Manage Your Car Rental Website

In this digital era, a website is mandatory for any business. You can link the software with your website to manage web-based booking. The software also helps you share details regarding subscriptions, offers and promos on your website. Conduct marketing campaigns and offer quotes to customers using the software on your website.

Manage subscription plans

If you offer subscription-based car rental services, then this software will be very useful for you. It helps you keep track of the subscription availed by the customers. When the subscription time is coming to a close, it will send automatic notifications and reminders.

You can even setup an option to automatically renew the subscription. The software also makes it easy for customers to upgrade or downgrade the plan based on their requirements. The payment cycle will also be maintained based on subscription plans.

Monitor driver behaviour

Driver behaviour is one of the key parameters that customers use to evaluate your car rental services. Secondly, good driving keeps your vehicle in top condition. Rash driving and over-speeding can lead to accidents, which is detrimental to your business, both in terms of customer relationship and profit margin.

The software tracks distance travelled and speed of the vehicle, which will let you know if the driver was over speeding. Also, the number of repairs due to accidents or unnecessary replacements will let you know if the driving was careless. Using all this data, you can evaluate driver behaviour.

You can also integrate a feedback form on your website or app where customers can share their feedback regarding the driver and driving performance. The software also helps track driver attendance and punctuality.

Get Reports

The dashboard of the software application gives you a snapshot of the vital details of all the cars in your fleet. You can check details of the overall vehicle health, number of trips, distance travelled, locations, fuel usage as well as pickup and drop points.

Analyzing this data will help you identify the top-performing and low performing vehicles in your fleet. Also, it will let you know where the unnecessary expenses are coming in. By collating all this data, you will be able to evaluate the performance of your fleet.

The reports also come handy when you need to present data about the car rental service to the stakeholders or potential investors.

Conclusion

A car rental software solution helps automate repetitive tasks related to day-to-day operations and fleet management. The reports generated by the software will give you a clear and unbiased view of the performance of every car in your fleet.

Manually handling all these tasks is not only time consuming, but also prone to errors. Reduce the time required to manually oversee fleet management with automated software, so you can focus on building your business.

7 Important Tips For Optimized Fleet Maintenance

Posted on September 1, 2020 by fmsupadminnxtjs

Companies that operate fleets spend large amounts of money on vehicle maintenance. This is essential for them to keep their businesses going. Optimized Fleet maintenance is not just a business function.

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It has a key role to play in the commercial and economic activities of a nation, especially fleets consisting of trailers, trucks, and off-road vehicles for transporting goods. Therefore, maintenance of the fleet vehicles is essential to support the growth of the fleet operators’ business and economic advancement of a country.

As maintenance of vehicles is an expensive affair, most companies tend to cut corners and postpone or resort to quick fixes. This often leads to an increase in downtime and higher expenditure in the long run.

Fleet operators who understand the consequences of not completing maintenance jobs on time focus on optimizing their fleet maintenance activities and reap the benefits. If you are a fleet operator, read on to get some useful tips on optimizing fleet maintenance.

Fleet Maintenance – What Is It

Before understanding as to how you can optimize your fleet’s maintenance, it is important to have a clear idea as to what constitutes fleet maintenance. As a fleet owner, you need to schedule routine checking of your vehicles to understand the condition of the various parts of the vehicles in your fleet.

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This is essential to keep the vehicles in good running condition and reduce downtime. This also ensures the proper maintenance of the workflow of your business. Regular or preventive maintenance checks of your vehicles enable you to spot problems early and take timely action.

Washing the vehicles regularly to prevent the accumulation of dirt and ensuring that all accessories and maintenance tools are in good working condition are also part and parcel of fleet maintenance activities.

Top Tips For Optimizing Fleet Maintenance

Fleet maintenance may be a mundane task, but it should not be neglected. It keeps the productivity of your enterprise at the optimum level. Having said that here are a few tips for optimizing fleet maintenance:

Select Appropriate Vehicles

Optimization of fleet maintenance starts with the selection of the appropriate vehicles for meeting your requirements. If you do not choose the right vehicles, you will end up spending a lot of money on maintenance and even fail in meeting your delivery commitments.

In addition to losing your clients, you will also have to suffer financial losses in the long run. When you choose the right vehicles, you will be able to utilize them better and save both time and money.

Employ Telematics To Automate Fleet Maintenance

The best way to optimize fleet maintenance is to use the telematics system. It helps to automate most of the mundane tasks. It is not impossible but it is very challenging to do it manually. The use of technology eliminates human errors and makes fleet maintenance more efficient.

The telematics system helps you to monitor the operation and performance of each vehicle in your fleet with the help of both computer and mobile applications. These applications notify you when there is a problem with the performance of a vehicle or when it is misused in any manner. This also ensures the security of your vehicle in the fleet.

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The fleet telematics system also informs you as to how and when you can schedule maintenance jobs so that you can ensure that the vehicles are maintained at the optimum operating condition. This goes a long way in increasing the productivity of your fleet.

The applications enable fleet owners to get a clear idea of the maintenance cost involved and this helps them to eliminate the possibility of maintenance scams. As such, a fleet telematics system automates most of the functions of your business and enables you to reduce losses and enhance your overall profits.

Optimal Utilization of Vehicles

You can drastically minimize the need for unnecessary and unexpected maintenance through planning and proper utilization of the vehicles and keeping track of the load being carried by each vehicle. It also pays to have a clear idea of the routes and terrain through which the vehicles have to travel at the time of planning the schedules.

Keeping in view factors such as the terrain, topology, and the accessories that are needed to be loaded into your vehicles will be of great help in reducing the wearing out of your vehicles. If you load the vehicles more than the specified limits, there is no doubt that they will wear out faster and they will have to be taken to the repair shops for maintenance more frequently.

Increased downtime of the vehicles adversely affects their utilization. This, in turn, impacts productivity and the bottom line of your business.

Create A Maintenance Operations Control List

As a fleet operator, you must create a checklist of the various maintenance operations that need to be carried out on each vehicle in the fleet. This is to ensure that no aspects are overlooked and tasks are carried out systematically.

A checklist is also helpful in the early detection of issues with your vehicles and proactively taking action to rectify the problems. In addition to speeding up the maintenance process, it also enables you to reduce downtime and improve vehicle utilization.

When creating the checklist, you must keep the manufacturer’s specifications in this regard in mind. This is because the requirements for each type of vehicle are different.

Preventive maintenance, which involves periodic inspection as well as timely service, eliminates 50 percent of the maintenance issues. Preventive maintenance checks include inspecting wheels and checking alignment, applying lubricants at appropriate intervals, and checking hydraulic and transmission systems, among others.

Allocate the Maintenance Tasks

Allocating the various maintenance tasks to different staff members helps to improve the availability of the vehicles in your fleet. Also, it helps to streamline the maintenance workflow and asset utilization. Further, the allocation of maintenance tasks to different specialized groups ensures that no issues are left out because of oversight.

Formulating a stringent compliance policy would be of great help in this regard. Educate the drivers about your company’s policies concerning the fleet operation and empower them to comply not only with company rules but also road laws.

Develop A Plan Based On the Needs of Your Business

When developing a fleet maintenance plan, it is crucial to keep the needs of your business in mind. Most fleet operators lose money due to the downtime of their vehicles in the fleet. This is because they fail to carry out important business tasks on time due to maintenance downtime.

This can adversely affect your company’s customer base and you may even lose out to your competitors. You can avoid such pitfalls by scheduling the maintenance operations, keeping your customers’ demand trend in mind. In this regard, it is worth considering factors like seasonal demands, customer preferences, and workforce availability when scheduling fleet maintenance work.

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If you do it in a systematic and organized manner, the downtime of your vehicles will not adversely impact your business activities.

Provide Training and Encourage Transparent Communication

When it comes to optimizing fleet maintenance, training has an important role to play. You must train the drivers to operate the vehicles they are attached to most properly. They should also be educated in using the latest technologies that you have deployed for optimizing fleet maintenance.

Transparent and timely communication are also important factors that impact fleet maintenance optimization. They help you to eliminate unexpected vehicle breakdowns and downtimes. Drivers should be sensitized to immediately inform you about the maintenance requirements of the vehicles they drive.

Moreover, trained drivers may be able to resolve some minor issues during a trip itself. Further, sharing information about the need for route changes and completing additional emergency tasks, etc., will go a long way in optimizing fleet operation.

Final Thoughts

Fleet maintenance management is no longer a challenging task. You can take the help of technology. The tips given above will be of great help to you in improving the efficiency of your vehicle maintenance optimization efforts.