Fleet Driver Management - How To Effectively Manage Drivers
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Drivers are one of the most crucial role players of a fleet business because almost every aspect of fleet management depends on their efficiency and productivity. As a fleet manager, you need to steer your drivers in the right direction so you can avoid profit loss.
A well-orchestrated driver management system is key to running a successful fleet, so let’s look into how this will transform your fleet.
In this article, you will:
Understand the meaning of driver management
See challenges faced by fleet managers without a driver management system
Read a case study on how we helped another business
What is driver management, and why should it be your top priority?
Driver management is about planning, arranging and keeping an eye on the activities done by fleet drivers to make sure that they do things safely, comply with the legal requirements, and enhance productivity. It’s ensuring that drivers successfully carry out their daily tasks, and the best way to do so is by having a driver management system in place, which we get into. Singapore’s road safety and driving culture appears to be relatively safe compared to most countries around the world but according to stats given in a recent article written by TodayOnline, the number of accidents resulting in fatalities has increased by 63% year-on-year from 2020 to 2023, while accidents resulting in injuries went up by 28.8%. For a fleet business, accidents mean potential staff loss, fewer vehicles available, possible lawsuits and more money spent on extensive repairs and replacements.
The importance of driver management
Driver management is about ensuring fleet efficiency, not only through avoiding accidents but also by choosing the correct routes, monitoring fuel levels and ensuring vehicles are driven in a way that will not deteriorate their health. Since drivers can affect every other aspect of your fleet, driver management essentially helps streamline fleet operations while ensuring safety and productivity.
Driver management challenges
Compliance and regulations adherence: With every business comes a set of legal rules and standards that business owners must comply with to ensure safety and avoid heavy penalties. When it comes to fleet management, compliance means meeting the set of rules and standards that apply to a fleet, such as pre-trip inspections and driver Hours of Service(HOS). Hours of Service(HOS) restrict the hours a driver can operate a vehicle without taking a break. This ensures drivers are well-rested and ready to take on the next shift. Fleet controllers need to prioritise monitoring HOS to meet the regulations and reduce accidents caused by driver fatigue.
Lack of skills: Often, fleet managers find that drivers need to advance their driving skills and need more knowledge of vehicle mechanics to better understand which driving habits are bad for vehicle health. Drivers are also the face of a fleet business. They need to be skilled not only in driving but in customer service, too, since they are the ones having direct contact with clients. They need to be trained in soft skills, such as making a good impression on clients, and organisational skills, such as managing customer expectations and gently offloading goods. Happy clients don’t always leave a review, but the ones who received bad service will make it a point that the public knows.
Fuel efficiency: It’s difficult to see where you can save on fuel without a fuel management system in place. The reasons for increased fuel expenses vary; for example, it could be that drivers are not using routes that are fuel-friendly, they are unaware of driving habits that burn more for fuel, such as long periods of idling, or it could be a case of fuel theft and fraud, where fuel is being drained out of the tank or company fuel cards are used on personal vehicles. The possibilities seem endless, and as a fleet manager, your goal should be finding the root cause of spending more than expected on fuel, which is easy using a fleet management platform.
Road Safety: Drivers need to practice safe driving and follow the road rules. Without the right technology, fleet managers can’t see everything drivers get up to, leading to bigger issues such as a pile of traffic fines, road accidents, heavy repair costs, unplanned replacements, fleet downtime and possible lawsuits.
Our top tips for successful fleet driver management
When drivers are managed well, they are most likely to perform at their highest level. Here are some tips on how to achieve that:
Install a telematics system
The first step towards fleet greatness is investing in a telematics system that will streamline everything for you. Cartrack’s fleet management software platform simplifies driver management. Our advanced GPS tracking system makes tracking the vehicle’s real-time location easier, so you always know where drivers are and which routes they’ve taken.
With telematics comes an IoT device that uses different kinds of technology to keep you connected to your vehicles. This also allows you to use our geofence feature to set virtual boundaries around areas of your choice so you can get alerts whenever the vehicle enters or leaves the area. These can be no-go areas, warehouses, or fuel-filling stations where you would want to know when the driver was there and left.
Attract skilled drivers It all starts with the hiring process, and fleet managers need to make sure they get skilled drivers from the get-go so that refresher training has to be done from there. Have a strong recruitment process and make use of online platforms to speed up the process and filter out all things that aren’t the required standards instead of doing everything manually. Your drivers should be skilled, and a background check should be done on each candidate so you know their past driving records.
Monitor working hours Drivers need to work carefully-monitored shifts to avoid fatigue. Our driver ID tags can be used to monitor the number of hours a driver has worked and they help you quickly identify who was driving which vehicle and when. Drivers also get two tags, one for business and the other for personal trips, so you can differentiate between the two and save on fuel.
Prioritise driver training Make training a culture of the company. Drivers need to be reminded and coached every now and then on safe and fuel-saving driving habits. Cartrack has a spectacular coaching platform that goes in-depth into driver coaching. With this, you can access reports for each driver and assess their needs. Our coaching platform shows you each incident, how many times it was repeated by the same person and how many times the driver was coached. Drivers can be divided according to their different departments, so you can notice a trend in each department.
Set safety standards Make safe driving a company standard. One good way to do so is to get technology that will reduce the risk of accidents, such as Cartrack’s Advanced Driver Assistance Systems(ADAS). This powerful technology uses advanced camera and specialised sensor technology, intelligent algorithms, and artificial intelligence to enhance driver awareness by detecting blind spots and giving forward collision warnings.
Monitor fuel consumption Every drop counts, so a fuel monitoring system is a must-have, and to save fuel, you need to establish where the “leak” comes from. Cartrack’s Mifleet platform is a cost management tool that alerts you whenever there is suspicion of fuel theft or fuel card fraud. This is done by validating fuel card transactions with telematics data such as litres, fill-up locations, dates and times, and tank capacity. You can also install fuel sensors to monitor real-time fuel levels in each vehiclés tank so you can notice a sudden drastic change in fuel levels, which could indicate theft.
Improve communication Communication between you and your driver should be clear, as should communication between drivers and clients. Cartrack’s delivery platform simplifies communication between drivers and customers by giving customers notifications and updates on the delivery process. We also use algorithms to give you the best order to complete your tasks so deliveries can be made faster and more efficiently. Drivers use better and more fuel-efficient routes and still make it on time.
Monitor vehicle health Vehicles need to be taken care of so they can perform better. Drivers are expected to drive safely and the vehicles they drive need to be in good shape as well. Cartrack’s preventative maintenance schedulingfeature uses engine diagnostics to give you alerts of when next each of your vehicles will need to go in for servicing, helping you avoid unexpected breakdowns and fleet downtime.
The importance of driver retention
Another key point of driver management is ensuring drivers are happy with the working conditions and willing to stay in the company and grow. It's no secret that a large number of older people are retiring in Singapore, and there are not enough young workers to fill in the gaps, which is why driver retention is essential when managing a fleet in Singapore.
Driver retention strategies
Here are three ways in which you can keep your drivers happy and willing to stay:
Offer incentives: More skilled drivers will be interested in working for your business, and drivers will be encouraged to improve their performance.
Work-life balance: Everyone needs to have a life outside of work to avoid being overwhelmed and stressed all the time. Drivers will be more satisfied with their jobs when they have enough time to rest and focus on other things.
Invest in driver health: Regular health inspections need to be done to assess the health risks drivers face daily, such as exposure to chemicals, long hours, and weather conditions. This way you can determine the kind of medical assistance they will need now and then, and provide them with adequate care. Equipment to protect themselves if need be.
Boost your driver management skills with Cartrack
Cartrack has solutions for every scenario. Here are some of the other ways we can help you monitor your fleet and drivers:
Geofencing Create virtual fences around areas of your choice so you can get alerts wherever your vehicles enter or leave the areas. These can be used to mark your preferred fuel stations or preferred routes. Geofencing is also another way you can keep track of driver working hours, this can be done through a working hour summary based on geofences that monitor when drivers enter or exit set locations, such as the warehouse, to see their working hours.
Driver scorecards Use our driver scorecards to help you incentivise driver performance. This feature gives drivers ratings based on daily events such as speeding, harsh braking and harsh cornering. You can access reports for each driver and give recognition to those with a high rating, showing rewards.
AI LiveVision
Get 24-hour access to your fleet with Cartrack’s AI LiveVision cameras. Drivers will receive real-time audible alerts whenever these cameras detect distractions such as yawning, cell phone use, and smoking, allowing them to correct their behaviour and prevent accidents quickly.
Case study: How Cartrack helped Starburst Engineering
Starburst Engineering designs, fabricates, installs and maintains anti-ricochet ballistic protection systems used for firearm shooting ranges and tactical training in law enforcement, military and security agencies in Southeast Asia and the Middle East.
Their main challenges were the misuse of fleet vehicles, low productivity levels and customers not being happy with their service. They needed a system that could help them pinpoint the root causes of all these issues so they could make corrections.
How Cartrack came to the rescue:
Drivers were issued with driver identification tags that prevent the vehicle from starting without the tag so that each driver can take accountability for the vehicle they’ve used.
We installed fuel sensors so the company could accurately compare fuel card transactions and receipts to their vehicle’s data which made it easier to pick up suspicious activities relating to fuel theft and fraud.
They also used the Cartrack App mapping feature to gain real-time fleet visibility, improving the overall management of fleet operations and enhancing driver performance.
Lastly, our driver reports and vehicle maintenance alerts helped them plan which task will be assigned to which drivers and vehicles, boosting productivity and leaving customers happy.
If you’re struggling with driver productivity and management, Cartrack’s customisable solutions are just what you need to optimise your driver management and performance.
Experience next-level driver management with Cartrack
Cartrack is your go-to all-in-one fleet management solution. We are the globally recognised industry leaders in promoting safe and efficient driving. Contact us today and have one less thing to worry about.
Some FAQs for you
How do you maximise your fleet? You can maximise your fleet by integrating IoT and GPS tracking technology to carefully monitor fuel cost, promote driver safety, optimise routes, and streamline your maintenance program.
How can I improve my fleet department? The best way to improve your fleet department is to invest in telematics, which will allow you to use data analytics to make informed decisions.
How can a fleet manager improve productivity? A fleet manager can improve productivity by getting fleet management software that will help them monitor driver behaviour, analyse fuel costs, ensure vehicle maintenance, and optimise routes.
Why is fleet management important for a business? It helps you keep track of all fleet operations to enhance safety, reduce cost, improve productivity and build a reputable brand.
