The days of vehicle tracking systems being used only for recovering stolen vehicles are long past. Of course, this feature is still vital for companies with small, medium and large fleets, as having vehicles stolen can drastically affect your business, but something that is often overlooked is the efficiency of your drivers.
In the past, you could only see what your drivers were doing while they were on the property and once they left your gates – the rest was a mystery. Luckily, the fleet management systems and services from Orchid Telematics have changed this scenario. The technologically advanced products offered have changed businesses for the better by allowing in-depth monitoring of driver habits – allowing for better training and increased savings.
A good example of this is Unitrans Fuel and Chemical’s decision to choose Orchid Telematics. This blue-chip company which expertly transports hazardous materials by truck is constantly at risk not only because of the “dangerous goods” which are transported, but also the strict codes of conduct which are regulated by both the industry and the government.
Logistic managers at Unitrans need accurate data on the performance of their vehicle as well as the habits of the driver in real-time, so that there is no room for error. Orchid Telematics makes this possible.
Technical Services Director at Global Telematics SA ,Richard van Rooyen, pointed out that their systems use GPRS as its primary carrier, which in turn allows your tracking solution to be cost effective and efficient. When the vehicle is out of GPRS coverage, only the critical data is transmitted via SMS to minimise costs, and data that is not sent by SMS is logged on-board the unit and is sent the minute GPRS connectivity is available.
The Orchid DX250, which is used by Unitrans, will reveal poor driving habits employed by drivers, including behaviour that could lead to excessive fuel consumption. All of this comes with user-friendly reporting functionality, which allows managers to target weaknesses in terms of driving ability and properly train the drivers on these points.
The Orchid Driver Scorecard evaluates each driver in a simple manner, using colour coding of red, orange and green, based on their statistics. Drivers that find themselves in the red will need to improve in a number of areas to make sure they get to the green, at which point they will be operating at a safe and efficient level.
This advanced tracking system can report the likes of vehicle speed, harsh braking, excessive idling, over-revving, entry into no-go zones, driving hours, kilometres travelled per vehicle per day, out-of-hours driving, panic alarms, power cuts and more. And with the emphasis on safety, an impact sensor is installed which, when activated, will store vital information that can be used to find out exactly what happened in the build-up to the accident, similar to the “black box” which is commonly used in aircrafts.
Take your company to the next level by equipping yourself with top vehicle tracking systems for enhanced fleet management that will save you time and money.
