Building Trust Between Fleet Managers and Drivers Using GPS

Keeping an eye on your drivers in any fleet is practically par for the course these days. However, installing fleet tracking software through a GPS or other tracking device can sometimes cause tension between a fleet manager and his or her employees. Understandably so: who wouldn’t feel a little insulted if they thought their employer didn’t trust them?

Fleet tracking, though, is not a method for employers to micromanage their employees. Rather, GPS plays a far greater role in every modern fleet, and it should be implemented in any fleet whose manager is looking to survive in the industry long-term. Assessing when a driver has made a mistake is only one small part of what a GPS vehicle tracking system will accomplish. It also allows you to assess when drivers are performing exceptionally; address miscommunications, cancellations, or other faultless events more quickly and easily; and, perhaps most importantly, collect data on your driving routes to optimize efficiency.

Ways to Use Fleet Tracking in Your Business

There are a number of ways you can implement fleet tracking in your business. The first and most obvious way is to use GPS trackers. These transmit GPS data directly from the vehicle to a platform located either at your headquarters or remotely through another device. There are many different trackers to choose from, allowing you to maintain locational awareness on vehicles in both rural and urban settings, as well as internationally.

Another device you can use is a car camera. Certain specialized devices let you record video so you can see what is happening inside or outside (or both) of your fleet vehicles while also tracking location via GPS. It is important to assure employees of your intentions for use of this footage, letting them know that it is for their own safety and security – in the event of an accident or other issue, such as theft, the car camera will immediately establish fault and/or identify a criminal.

Talking to Your Employees About the Use of Tracking Data

Hopefully you are now, or already were, aware of the benefits of establishing observation or GPS data on your fleets. You may still need, however, to convince your employees that it is to their benefit as well. Not only will the above points regarding their safety and security help with this process, but highlighting the potential for efficiency improvements will also save the company money, which in turn benefits them as employees. Making them aware of these pertinent facts will aid in making the installation of GPS trackers in your fleet a smooth one.

Once the trackers are installed, be sure to implement your intended platforms and use the tracking data to its utmost potential. Keep open communication between yourself and your employees to ensure that they can ask questions, request to view footage, and be made aware of any critiques you have of their driving based on the data you’ve collected. An open door policy and clear communication will assure them them that the purpose of the trackers really is to benefit the fleet as a whole, not just to more readily punish them for any mistakes they may make while on the road.

Whether you are the manager of a fleet of hundreds or thousands of drivers, or only a small group, the same tips and techniques are important for ensuring trust. If you have questions about talking with your employees about GPS tracking or dash cams, we invite you to explore our learning articles or contact our team of experts directly. At BrickHouse Security, we’ve been doing this for a long time and we’re always happy to share our expertise with you!