2. Driver behaviour
How can a company keep track of this and know how drivers are acting on the road?
Telematics systems should be seriously considered, and not only because they allow you to monitor driver behavior; there are other company car management benefits that you can reap by implementing a full vehicle telematics solution.
The systems come in several forms but those I suggest are the Black Box, a UDB Dongle or at least an iPhone type app.
In terms of safety, telematics systems allow company car managers to see how drivers are behaving – how fast they are travelling for example – and they an bring serious efficiency benefits too. Data capture, and more important how that data is analysed, are key components in introducing telematics systems.
Their use is often controversial since many drivers regard telematics systems as an invasion of privacy but they are gaining ground in vans (click here for more on this) and their introduction among company car users is bound to increase.
3. Performance overview
Giving your drivers a weekly or monthly overview of their driving performance could have a beneficial and cost saving effect on how they drive. The process would be all the more effective if combined with hard data from your telematics system.
4. Driver incentives
Reward drivers who are safe and cost effective. If your drivers are saving you a bundle of cash by driving more safely and economically, reward by telling them how you appreciate their efforts.
Schemes like best driver this month – put a notice up stating how many days without an accident – and rewards such as an additional day off, or a weekend in Paris can have a big impact.
5. Vehicle choice
Next time your vehicles come up for renewal/replacement, consider getting fuel efficient models with smaller engines. Less powerful cars are more economical, but they’re also slower. And generally that means safer.
Editor’s note: Paul Ripley is the managing director of Driver Risk Dynamics, an online training programme providing cost-effective company car driver road risk assessments and remedial training modules.
