Prevention is better than cure

For any business in the transport industry, safeguarding drivers and cargo remains a top priority. The key differentiator in the safe, efficient, and proficient utilisation of vehicles is directly attributable to the drivers. The management of these drivers and the assets they transport is best done by a bespoke fleet management system, such as those offered by Ctrack.

Ctrack has a 35-year track record of fleet monitoring and management, and the use of its technology is well proven in terms of incident reduction and cost saving. Risk, cost control, fleet utilisation, operations control, and asset control are integral to this ongoing research and development culture. Ctrack believes in complete lifecycle asset management by harvesting data that can provide hindsight, insight, and foresight.

Ctrack’s bespoke fleet management systems feature well-developed functionality that is easy to implement and manage, both for fleet managers and operators.

“Prevention is better than cure, and Ctrack has the tools to ensure tragedy avoidance thanks to innovative technology. Ctrack’s well-developed fleet management systems have the ability to control the how, when, and where, as well as the functionality to answer the why,” says Hein Jordt, chief executive officer of Ctrack Africa.

There are certain locations where specific types of vehicles carrying particular goods should not go. With geo-fencing and route guidance, fleet managers can prevent vehicles from going into certain areas or, even more specifically, from using specific categories of roads. Vehicles can, for example, be limited to highways only. Enforcement of these geo zones is done via warning buzzers, speed limiters, or cutting engine power completely. Load protection is possible thanks to precise location monitoring of where vehicles load and offload their cargo.

Customisable alerts of varying importance levels can be configured, while real-time tracking ensures that fleet managers are immediately notified of critical alerts and can act accordingly to assist drivers should they find themselves in a situation that falls outside defined parameters.

Geo zones also allow for easy management of speed, stop street violations, and vehicles stopped in unauthorised locations. The information gained is passed on to drivers as part of their regular training regime.

Driver training is key to ensuring the safe operation of vehicles and goods, and Ctrack has a wide variety of hardware and camera solutions to monitor how vehicles are used. This ensures accurate driver coaching and allows common driver shortcomings to be addressed. In the event of an incident, it is easy to determine exactly what happened and how to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Ctrack’s proprietary driver app offers pre-programmed route guidance that adapts to changing conditions and allows drivers to track their driving behaviour, improve where necessary, and compare against benchmarks to measure performance.

RF IDs or access cards ensure that the driver behind the wheel is correctly trained and has a valid licence for the specific class of the vehicle in question. This system ensures that fleet managers know exactly who is driving which vehicle and when, and compiles a digital record of all operations. Most importantly, it ensures that only licensed drivers are operating the class of vehicles for which they are licensed.

One of Ctrack’s big advantages is its flexibility, and its proprietary SMILE technology makes many of these bespoke solutions possible, with endless opportunities.

For example, when it comes to cash-in-transit vehicles, SMILE can accept 32 digital inputs, giving operators eyes on the entire vault, door, and hatch usage, while allowing drivers and fleet managers to swiftly activate mitigation actions. In instances of gunfire, SMILE can automatically lock safes, providing an additional layer of protection without the need for any actions from the operator.

Ctrack’s Bureau Service – which allows customers to pair Ctrack’s tracking technology with an expert fleet manager at a minimal cost – comprises the complete outsourcing of fleet control room activities, backed by highly proficient hindsight, insight, and foresight data analytics and reporting.

“The use of Ctrack’s fleet management systems has been proven to ensure control of all vehicle costs and productivity. Our systems also improve how vehicles are used. This ensures compliance, increases productivity, and reduces accidents. All of this is critical to running a successful fleet, especially when it comes to transporting high-value or hazardous goods,” concludes Jordt.