Many companies with large fleets of vehicles have introduced systems such as fuel cards to improve efficiency and costs, but equally as important are vehicle tracking systems, also known as vehicle telematics. Such a system has numerous benefits not only for you, but for your employees also, and explaining these benefits will help to quell any fears or worries they may have.
Yes, a vehicle tracking system will tell you where your employees are at any day or time, but when company cars are used for personal use also, your employees may feel like this is an invasion of their privacy. It is up to you to explain to them how you will manage any data received, and that the primary reason for introducing such a system is to lower costs and increase productivity. One idea might be to share the profits saved from the telematics system through a bonus structure.
The use of vehicle telematics is more than just a Big Brother-style way of tracking where employees are and have been. It allows you to prove that people have been where they say they have been and to prevent faux complaints, such as that deliveries have arrived late. There is also an important security element to tracking systems, as cars are harder to steal and are more easily traceable.
Employees benefit from an easier system with which they can separate their business and personal mileage, thus saving time in calculating and inputting business expenses. Additionally, they can learn more about their driving style, with information relating to their speed and CO2 emissions which will increase their awareness on how to be a better driver. As employers, you can use this information too to encourage your fleet to reduce their speed, leading to lower fuel costs, less risk of accidents, and, of course, less risk of your drivers losing their licence through speeding points!