Safeguard assets and drivers with effective driver management

Every month, the Ctrack Transport and Freight Index notes the ongoing decline of South Africa’s rail network, with the road freight sector being forced to pick up the slack. While this growth in the road freight sector is welcome, it naturally results in more trucks on the road, more strain on the road network, and ultimately more dangerous roads.

The recent Easter holiday accident rate once again highlighted just how dangerous South African roads have become. Add the alarming growth rate of criminal activity surrounding our road network and there’s no denying that transporting goods by road is becoming a much riskier undertaking. Hence, businesses need to put extra measures in place to protect their goods and assets.

A vehicle’s safe and efficient use is directly related to how it is used by the driver. This makes a bespoke fleet and driver management app critical for the running of fleets in today’s environment. Ctrack’s fleet management systems comprise well-developed hardware and software solutions that have been refined over 35 years of continuous research and development.

“Effective driver management is no longer a ‘nice to have’, it is now a critical factor in the running of any business that utilises vehicles. Systems that prioritise the safety of vehicle occupants and cargo are imperative in running a transport operation profitably on South African roads,” says Hein Jordt, chief executive officer of Ctrack Africa.

Ctrack allows for real-time tracking of vehicles from any device with an internet connection through “Crystal” – the all-encompassing fleet management platform. A powerful user experience with real-time visibility of all movable assets via a digital dashboard is the most effective way for fleet managers to manage the daily movement of vehicles. Cloud-based functionality, meanwhile, makes reviewing footage as simple as entering a date and time.

Keeping an eye on drivers and vehicles in real-time allows fleet managers to react as soon as they notice something out of the ordinary and immediately put preventative or reactive measures in place.

Ctrack offers a variety of camera systems that can monitor all areas of a vehicle, including the road ahead, the driver, the cabin, and the load area. Overlaid with data harvested from the vehicle CAN bus system, as well as accurate tracking data, this ensures a clear picture of how the vehicle is being used every second of the day. Data can be accessed from the single management platform, Crystal.

Advanced analytics allow operators to clearly understand exactly how and where their vehicles are being utilised. Results garnered from these accurate data streams can be used to streamline operations and put measures in place to increase safety and efficiency.

The driver app gives both managers and drivers enhanced control of their daily activities, via a single application that offers a wealth of functionality and allows for safe navigation and effective time management.

Fleet managers can now assign jobs to drivers and provide them with pickup or delivery details via the driver app. This is particularly useful for reacting to changing requirements, such as new orders or calls for collections to a driver located in that particular geographical area. This in turn ensures more efficient use of resources.

Scheduling allows for differentiation between planned and actual delivery and turnaround time, allowing fleet managers to continuously refine schedules to react to unforeseen delays or traffic.

“The ability to manage drivers in a way that considers traffic, changing load requirements and customer demand is a massive advantage. Being able to do so from one platform, Crystal, is the optimal way of ensuring safe and efficient use of assets and resources,” says Jordt.

Driver scoring assists drivers in making their own driving improvements, while usage and behaviour reports can be used for periodic coaching and to address common shortcomings.

“Ctrack takes the guesswork out of driver and fleet management and ensures that you can take decisions that impact the safety and security of assets and drivers efficiently,” concludes Jordt.