Companies are discovering the benefits of adding telematics to their company vehicles. Telematics is a technology that when installed captures data about how the vehicles are driven.

The types of data that the telematic devices can capture includes information like GPS location, vehicle speed, hard braking, quick acceleration, sharp steering, length and time of trip, seat belt use, fuel consumption, idling time, oil change time, vehicle faults, maintenance, driver distractions, and much more.

The information that is monitored is wide reaching and the company determines what data points would be helpful to their organization.

The data collected is uploaded to a fleet management software. From there a manager can see how a driver is managing risk, safety, and their productivity. Fleet managers have the option to have notifications sent to the drivers when they exceed the pre-set limits. In some situations, it may mean a meeting between the manager and the driver to discuss the occurrence. Fleet administrators can view the operation of the vehicle and monitor engine diagnostics to schedule maintenance.

Telematic technology has proven its ability to help decrease fuel costs, vehicle wear and tear, improve driver behaviour, plan efficient routes, lower insurance costs, reduce the number of vehicle collisions and lower injuries / deaths due to motor vehicle incidents.

This technology, when properly managed, can help to improve safety for all road users.