GPS Fleet Management to Improve Driver Productivity
By Donald Arson
Maximizing driver productivity is the most important factor for fleet managers to fully realize the lowest costs while getting the most of their fleet revenue.
A GPS fleet management solution can produce improved driver productivity.
The following are a couple examples of how GPS can help put an end to the wasted time that drains drivers of their valuable production:
GPS Replaces Time Clock:
An Orlando, Florida-based plumbing company used a standard punch clock to keep track of its technicians' work day. In theory, at the start of every eight hour business day, technicians were expected to punch in at 7 a.m., go on their calls during the day, and return to base to punch out at 4 p.m. Put into practice, however, the owner would frequently see drivers hanging about the home office during the morning, well after they had punched in. What's more, at the end of the day, he would see his drivers hanging out at home base well before the four o'clock clock out time. These drivers would punch the clock early, leaving some service calls unfinished or not done at all. These calls would have to be rolled over and charged to the company as overtime, resulting in a double loss of time and money.
To increase productivity and save overtime costs, the owner replaced his punch clock with GPS location reports that showed the drivers' arrivals and departures.
After he removed the time clock, the owner considered the time that his drivers really left the headquarters as the beginning of their day and the time departed from the office as the official end of their day. He expected them to be on the road by 8:00 AM and back at the office by 4:00 PM. This new schedule gave drivers eight hours—1/2 hour to check in every morning and one 1/2 to turn in receipts in the evening. Drivers were allowed one hour for lunch. Drivers understood that they would only get paid for the actual time they spent on calls completed between their arrival at home base in the morning and when they left at the end of the day. As a result, the company experienced a positive change in behaviors, a noteworthy reduction in overtime costs, and was able to eliminate loitering at the home office.
A Morning Idle Issue:
Each work day morning, the four vehicle fleet of a New Jersey-based business gathered at the company office. Company drivers would leave their vehicles idling for 15 minutes or longer while hanging around the office. Only four weeks after having their GPS solution installed, this company exposed that their fleet had logged over 35 hours in excessive vehicle idling. This fuel and time wasting idle cost the business over $60 per week which equals $3,000 annually in idle-related fuel losses.
Decrease Actions That Hurt Productivity:
A GPS fleet management system can provide numerous examples of innocent or irresponsible productivity-killing behaviors that can come to light once Fleet Managers can determine fleet performance using their GPS solutions.
• Increased Liability/Bad Publicity: The Company owner explained that one of his drivers had been arrested for Driving Under the Influence (DUI) in the company truck. Using his GPS solution, the owner discovered that his driver had been at a local bar for over 5 hours prior to being taken into custody. The owner then reviewed the drivers GPS history to that location for the previous 3 months. He was stunned by what he discovered.
Not only had his driver been frequenting this same bar at least 3 times a week but four of his other drivers had also been using their company vehicles to meet at this bar regularly, during business hours and on their way home from work. Apart from lost efficiency and potentially severe corporate liability, the bad publicity resulting from official vehicle parked outside a bar during the day was a blow to the company's customer and public relations.
• Morning Breakfasts/Friday Lunch Breaks: Fleet Managers have shared stories about their employees meeting for breakfast after morning clock-in or for lunch during the week. While comradery between employees is encouraged, employers who use GPS often discover that plenty of their drivers travel over 30 minutes off their assigned routes to meet with other workers. Because of this, breaks end up lasting longer than their scheduled time, and companies end up paying higher costs due to overspending on gas and lost of productivity.
As the preceding examples demonstrate, the right GPS fleet management system can be a wonderful device to maximize the productivity of any fleet.
About the author
Pool Guard supplies superior pool fences for child protection with a lifetime warranty. from http://www.FreeArticlesAndContent.com
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