Winter Driving

by | Mar 2, 2020 | Fleet Management

Winter Driving Best Practices

Driving during dangerous conditions can impact us personally and professionally. People die every year in private and commercial vehicles due to hazardous winter driving conditions. Is this mother natures fault or the drivers fault? In most cases accidents are avoidable. First of all, simply not to drive when the conditions are too bad. Similarly, we can choose to wait out a storm at a rest stop, and when we do drive, drive much slower to allow for more stopping distance. 99% of the time we have the power to determine the outcome by taking precautionary steps to avoid an accident. In some rare cases we are simply victims of someone else’s poor judgement.

Avoiding Dangerous Driving Conditions

Ideally, we can simply avoid dangerous driving conditions by not going out or driving around the hazardous areas. Fleetistics offers a Pro weather service which can predict areas of snowfall, black ice and high winds with a high degree of probability. Waiting 1-2 hours at a rest stop or taking an alternate route after the worst weather has passed could mean avoiding a massive pile up. In situations where you simply feel compelled to drive in bad conditions following winter driving best practices can reduce your chances of being involved in a significant accident.

 

Two Rules To Live By

There are two very simple things you can avoid doing to reduce your chances of becoming involved in an accident. If you remember nothing but these two things they could be what brings you home safe at night to your family.

 

Driving Too Fast

By driving too fast you reduce your reaction time. The decision making process is condensed and your ability to weight your options is also limited. Secondly, the severity of the accident is going to be compounded. In a big truck this means a higher potential to kill people around you and to damage your load.

 

Following Too Close

With more stopping distance you can reduce your speed and make better decisions. If you cannot stop in your lane you have more time to consider options such as changing lanes or going off the road. Sometimes hitting an object at a slight angle is safer than swerving off the road altogether.

Current & Future Weather

Fleetistics Weather Pro

Guide to Winter Driving

Click to Download

Winter Driving Techniques and Training Guide

Infrastructure Health and Safety Association, 2014
Visit ihsa.ca

Winter Driving Safety Guide – Canada

The Infrastructure Health & Safety Association (IHSA) created a guide to help remind drivers of the basic and important steps to driving safe during winter conditions. Canadians are some of the most qualified drivers in winter conditions. The below outline shows the major topics of the guide. Consider printing and distributing the guide on an annual basis and look into classroom training. It is a nice break from the routine and helps drivers focus on being safe. When everyone drives accident free, everyone and the company wins.

 

Prepare For Winter

The Six Primary Hazards of Winter Driving

Techniques for Skillful Winter Driving

Emergency Vehicles

National Safety Council – USA

 

Fleetistics is a certified National Safety Council training partner located in sunny Tampa Florida. The Defensive Driving Course (DDC) is taught monthly and is available to companies for onsite training. Students successfully completing the course receive a certificate recognized nationally by almost all organizations, including the Courts.

Learn More about NSC DDC Training
GO9 GPS Vehicle Tracking with Telematics

GPS Vehicle Tracking and Telematics

 

To keep vehicles safe Fleetistics provides GPS fleet tracking solutions which provide vehicle use data. Winter driving can be studied, rules created and exceptions generated that enable fleet managers to spot drivers who have not adjusted their driving behaviors for winter driving conditions. By correcting the behavior or routing around hazardous winter driving conditions, fleet can be safe and arrive on-time.

 

Learn More About GPS Tracking & Telematics

What’s New In MyFleetistics Analytics

by | Feb 27, 2020 | Business Intelligence, Data Integration, Fleet Management

Have you clicked on MyFleetistics Analytics lately?

New Safety Dashboard

Fleetistics is always working hard to improve the toolset we provide our clients in the MyFleetistics portal. Going beyond GPS tracking for fleet vehicles, MyFleetistics Analytics brings a variety of tools and views to the data our GPS tracking devices collect. One of our most recent additions is the Safety Dashboard under MyFleetistics Analytics. Driver Safety data is crucial to Fleet Managers. Accessing it quickly in an easy to use format saves you time and money. The Fleetistics Safety Dashboard provides users the most important information without the normal steps required in the GPS system.

Initially, managers can motivate drivers to improve safety by posting this information where drivers congregate in the workplace. Ultimately they can set goals and track the improvement together. We like to say, “Manage by exception and recognize by performance”.
There are several design elements used to make this dashboard pop with “at a glance” information. First, the top row displays the total number of safety exceptions in very large print. Next, there is a breakdown of the 5 performance indicators that are included in that total. Below are charts. First, we display the 5 assets with the fewest safety exceptions (5 safest drivers). Next, a chart shows the 5 assets with the most safety exceptions (5 most at-risk drivers). Finally, there is a graph of total exceptions by week. As a result, you can easily see if both positive and negative trends. One quick look at the dashboard answers three very important questions.

  1. Who gets a pat on the back?
  2. Who needs to have that safety chat?
  3. What driving behaviors should be discussed in reviews and driver meetings?

MyFleetistics Analytics Safety Dashboard

Odometer, Exceptions, Device Status With One Click

MyFleetistics Analytics reports are designed to filter through the data and display what you need to know in a clean and simple visual format. Additionally, reports are searchable and sortable to help you easily identify the issues you need to look into. Your GPS tracking system then provides the reports and tracking details needed to support the conclusions you come to and the decisions you make.

Odometer Analytics

Simple odometer analytics help Fleet Managers to ensure vehicles are not underused or overused. Odometer readings are part of the data you will find in many fleet GPS tracking system reports, but it becomes more usable when isolated in a more meaningful format. The odometer graph makes it easy to see which vehicles are accumulating miles much faster than others. As a result, it is easy to identify where transferring the workload to other vehicles would be beneficial. Who wants to run out a new vehicle warranty faster than necessary? Likewise, it can expose vehicles that may be making unauthorized trips.

Exceptions

Above we looked at total exceptions on the safety dashboard. The exceptions dashboard drills deeper into the details that show which driver or vehicle is generating what exceptions. Managing individual driver behavior with training and incentives for improvement pays off. Even more, identifying and discussing weak areas increases safety awareness and lowers risk.

If you would like assistance accessing the many features in MyFleetistics, visit our training resources page or call us at 855.300.0527.

Preparing Fleet Operations For The Coronavirus

by | Feb 27, 2020 | Fleet Management

Coroanvirus Preparation for Fleet Operations

Coronavirus Preparation

 

Experts are saying the Coronavirus is coming to America and there is little we can do to stop the spread. The good news is that it has proven to date to be less deadly than the flu by numbers but higher by percentage. The US has seen the impact on the Chinese, Italian and other economies and the impact is real; the stock market verified this. As the world’s largest economy, the United States will suffer directly as people and business slows due to infection and precautions taken and as a result of our trading partners taking measures to protect their countries.

Now is the time to get your business and fleet ready to battle the Coronavirus. There will eventually be a rush on basic supplies leaving some without. By stockpiling anti-viral supplies now, your business can remain operational longer due to healthier employees. Gloves and hand sanitizer are already in short supply.

 

Proactive Measures

 

The team at Fleetistics developed the list below of things you should be considering now.

  • Meet to create an action plan
  • Brief the organization and get feedback for more good ideas
  • If a Coronavirus case is confirmed at your business, have an emergency plan to avoid taking it at home
  • Make online sales calls vs in person
  • Issue hand sanitizer to all employees and carry it in all vehicles
  • Bring meals from home instead of eating out
  • Avoid shaking hands or hugging
  • In the field wear 1 set of gloves per customer and train people how to properly take them on and off and dispose of them
  • Make bleach wipes readily available
  • Take temperature each morning
  • Do more teleconferencing and conference calls instead of meetings
  • Be more understanding if someone wants to go to the doctor to be tested if they do not feel well
  • Cancel social events
  • Protect your mail room personnel from the Coronavirus on packages
  • Increase cleaning in common areas
  • In a worst-case scenario, implement a work from home plan using tools like Office 365
  • Encourage employees to join a public safety network such as PubSafe to be prepared in the event public infrastructure is affected
  • Establish a hand washing policy before entering the break room.
  • Encourage people to eat outside in warm weather where the virus is less likely to survive

 

Confirmed COVID-19 Cases Globally _ CDC

 

 

Coronavirus Facts

 

  • If you have a runny nose and sputum, you have a common cold
  • Coronavirus pneumonia is a dry cough with no runny nose.
  • This new virus is not heat-resistant and will be killed by a temperature of just 26/27 degrees. It hates the Sun.
  • If someone sneezes with it, it takes about 10 feet before it drops to the ground and is no longer airborne.
  • If it drops on a metal surface it will live for at least 12 hours – so if you come into contact with any metal surface – wash your hands as soon as you can with a bacterial soap.
  • On fabric it can survive for 6-12 hours. normal laundry detergent will kill it.
  • Drinking warm water is effective for all viruses. Try not to drink liquids with ice.
  • Wash your hands frequently as the virus can only live on your hands for 5-10 minutes, but – a lot can happen during that time – you can rub your eyes, pick your nose unwittingly and so on.
  • You should also gargle as prevention. A simple solution of salt in warm water will suffice.
  • Can’t emphasize enough – drink plenty of water!

 

Corona Virus Symptoms

 

  • It will first infect the throat, so you’ll have a sore throat lasting 3/4 days.
  • The virus then blends into a nasal fluid that enters the trachea and then the lungs, causing pneumonia. This takes about 5/6 days further.
  • With the pneumonia comes high fever and difficulty in breathing.
  • The nasal congestion is not like the normal kind. You feel like you’re drowning. It’s imperative you then seek immediate attention.
GPS Tracking for Fleets

The Alert Notification Conundrum

by | Feb 13, 2020 | Fleet Management, GPS Tracking

Alert Notifications… 3 enough? 6 too many?

One of the things users of GPS tracking systems struggle with is alert notifications. That is what you asked for when you deployed your system because alerts were going to solve a lot of problems. The plan was to be on top of everything going on. Soon after you deployed, your cell phone was filled with text messages and your email inbox was overloaded. You knew everything that was going on, but could not get anything done, so out of frustration you just turned those alerts off.

Some of you may not be old enough to remember the old Fletcher’s Castoria commercial from the 1960‘s. It made the phrase “three enough, six too many?” famous. The product was a mild laxative for children, said to be better than prunes because there was no guesswork regarding the dosage. Giving a child too many prunes was something mothers wanted to avoid for obvious reasons. But the right amount was a very good thing.
Similarly, alert notifications from your GPS tracking platform are a great solution to some of the big challenges fleet managers face. At the same time, too many alerts create disaster. With our cell phones constantly alerting us to every little thing we have become numb to the notification sounds and can easily learn to ignore them, or even worse, allow them to distract us unnecessarily. It can even lead to distracted driving!
Multitasking manager

Managing by Exception

In contrast, if we create rules to uncover the things we want to know, but we don’t get alerts and we don’t schedule reports, we are not getting the full benefit of the system. Your GPS tracking system was designed to save you time and money, not keep you at a desk reviewing everything everyone did. Managing by exception is key. Filter what should not occur to the top of the pile and use the system to find the details that paint the full picture of those events/

The answer is achieving balance using alert notifications and scheduled reports in tandem. Consider what the things are that you really need to know as soon as they occur. If a sewage pump stops pumping, you probably want to be on top of that in a hurry. When a collision occurs and your driver is perhaps unable to call you, that is critical information as well. But, if Billy drives 5 mph over the posted speed limit, we can probably deal with that later.

Keeping it Super Simple

The common denominator is simply deciding which events require immediate action when they occur. If you will stop what you are doing to attend to the situation as soon as you know about it, an alert notification is appropriate. Conversely, if it is just more information that isn’t necessary right now, there is no need to send a notification message. You can digest that kind of information when it is more convenient by using scheduled reports. Scheduled reports will get the same information to you. Moreover, it is condensed with all events for all drivers for a day, a week, or a month, allowing you to separate isolated events from trends and bad habits.

What About Critical Alert Notifications?

When critical alerts are necessary, even 24/7, consider subscribing to Fleetistics Priority Notification Service. PNS uses a round-robin notification process to alert key individuals of critical issues. This occurs outside the noise of the standard GPS service information. Notifications are sent via SMS and then a digital voice call. First, they are sent to the primary person responsible for critical issues. Then, if that person is unavailable due to travel, vacation, cellular coverage, or whatever, the next contact on your list is notified. By including multiple people in the notification process, others are automatically notified when the primary is unavailable. Sign up for a 30-day trial if PNS sounds right for you.

Try Priority Notification Service, or any MyFleetistics service free for 30 days. No contracts! It’s easy, just log into MyFleetistics and go to:

MyFleetistics > Account > Administer Services

Priority Notification Service Free Trial

 

Click the button to turn on the service you want. Most services come with a 30-day free trial. Once the service is enabled the free trial automatically begins. The setup fee (if applicable) and monthly service will automatically begin billing after the trial ends, unless you switch the service off using the same button you used to turn it on. Once services are activated your panel will look like this:

 

Administer Services after Activation

Displaying Your Company Logo in MyFleetistics

by | Jan 29, 2020 | Announcements-News, Products and Services

Displaying Your Company Logo to Make It Your Own

Displaying your company logo to your internal apps adds a touch of professionalism. When you want to send a screen shot of the UI to show some critical detail to a customer or vendor, your logo displayed on the screen adds credibility. For that reason, Fleetistics has made it easy for our clients to add their logo to their MyFleetistics portal.

Easy as 1-2-3

First, log in to MyFleetistics and go to Account > Profile.

Next, click “Select Logo” and browse for your company logo in a jpeg or png format.

Upload your logo

Finally, open the file and click “Save” on the lower right. Your logo will now appear at the top left of the screen. Thanks to Woody at the University of Rochester for agreeing to be our example.

Upload your logo

All Done

Your company logo now shows where the Fleetistics logo was formerly displayed.

Displaying your logo in MyFleetistics

Before you go, take a minute to update or verify your profile.

The company profile section of MyFleetistics has areas for you to update your company information, contacts, addresses, and even add branch locations. This improves the accuracy of billing and the efficiency of support.In the future it will enable custom views on dashboards and other data.

Please take a moment to verify this information is current after uploading your logo. My Fleetistics continues to add features and services, and this information can be connected to pre-fill request forms with the needed contact details to save you time.

Please update: Account and Contacts at a minimum.