Among the ever-increasing responsibilities facing operations managers today is knowing where your semi-trucks and drivers are at all times. It’s not just knowing where they are — you also need to know how they are performing and how safe they are while on-the-clock and representing your business.
Most operations managers want to believe that their drivers are doing what they’re supposed to be doing. However, that wish is not always reality. While you can have a fleet of incredible and trustworthy operators and drivers, there almost always is at least one who goes rogue — someone who will “fudge” the numbers on fuel usage or the amount of time on their time card. This can result in more compensation than they are actually entitled to receive, cutting into your company’s profits and making it seem less efficient.
Furthermore, if they are not operating their vehicle safely, it can result in legal issues for your organization.
Unfortunately, not many fleet operators enjoy tracking semis and their driver in the field because they can be labor-intensive processes. Thankfully, global positioning system (GPS) technology exists and provides many tools that you use to simplify these tasks.
So, how can you monitor employees who are on the road with semi truck GPS tracking?
Set Geofence Perimeters Around Routes and Locations
One of the best tools at your disposal is Rastrac’s geofencing tool. When using your GPS-based tracking software’s map, you can set up virtual boundaries around the real-world areas in which the vehicle is anticipated to operate. If the vehicle leaves the designated area, you will receive an immediate alert notification via text or e-mail.
These boundaries can be set in a variety of shapes and colors to meet your tracking needs, including polygons and circles. You can even geofence corridors, which allows you to include long or short stretches of roads or highways in your virtual perimeter. You can adjust the border width of the geofenced corridor to 2-3 miles so you can be alerted to serious assigned route deviations but not small notifications if a trucker pulls over to refuel.
Monitor Driver Behaviors
According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Highway Loss Data Institute (IIHSHLDI), “1 in 10 highway deaths occur in a crash involving a large truck.”
While some of these accidents can sometimes be attributed to mechanical failures or braking issues, it also can be related to driver fatigue or poor driving behaviors as well. These are just a few of many reasons why monitoring driver behaviors in the field can be beneficial to your organization.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)’s 2016 Fatal Motor Vehicle Crashes: Overview report, in 2016 there were 4,317 fatalities in crashes involving large trucks. Of those fatalities:
- 722 (16.7%) were large truck occupants.
- 10.8% were nonoccupants (including pedestrians and bicyclists).
- 72.4% were occupants of other vehicles.
As a fleet operator, what can you do to help ensure that your fleet drivers don’t become part of those statistics?
Many modern semi-truck GPS tracking devices, when used in conjunction with fleet tracking software, can monitor several types of driver behaviors, including:
- Travel speeds
- Acceleration and deceleration speeds
- Braking
- Turning speeds
By being able to track these types of data, you can then use it to quickly address any concerning driving behaviors before they turn into major problems or result in accidents.
Monitor Vehicle Use and Performance
Another way you can help reduce those incidents through semi-truck GPS tracking is by actively monitoring trucks’ engine performance and ensuring that each vehicle receives regular maintenance.
By integrating modern semi-truck GPS tracking devices with a vehicle’s onboard diagnostics systems, you can:
- Receive timely and accurate telematics data and vehicle performance information.
- Track fuel usage.
- Monitor vehicle activity.
- Track engine idle times.
- Receive accurate hours of service (HOS) reports and know when your vehicles are traveling.
- Ensure maintenance is completed.
An added bonus is by monitoring this data and making sure that your fleet receives the maintenance it needs to avoid costly repairs, you can reduce your fleet’s overhead costs.
To learn more about semi-truck GPS tracking and how it can help you save more on your fleet expenses, check out our guide. Click on the banner below to access this resource.
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