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Measuring and managing your fleet

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Geotab’s Matthew Ballentine discusses fleet management, telematics, and how Geotab’s platform can help provide greater vehicle efficiency and increased driver safety. 

Geotab’s philosophy is that “you can’t manage what you don’t measure”, says Matthew Ballentine, Regional Manager – ANZ. By broadening the scope of what can be measured in fleet management, Geotab’s range of telematics solutions allows for decision makers to get the most out of their fleets.

Central to good measurement is telematics – a method of monitoring cars, trucks, equipment, and other assets by using GPS technology and on-board diagnostics to help plot an asset’s movements on a computerised map.

“By implementing a comprehensive telematics platform like MyGeotab, fleets can get the most out of their assets by turning their data into actionable insights to help improve their operations,” Matthew says. “These data insights can help improve heavy-truck operational factors, including safety, route planning and fuel usage, therefore maximising the asset’s full potential.”

While Geotab goes a long way in providing solutions to help fleet managers optimise their data collection and use, Matthew adds that Geotab’s fleet management solution provides  an “open platform” which  allows integration of third-party hardware accessories, software, and mobile apps, providing customers with unfiltered access to their data for a more customizable fleet management experience. 

It is essential, says Matthew, that customers have unlimited access to data generated by their vehicles. “With access to an open platform, Geotab customers have complete control over their data, enabling them to share and utilise data as they see fit,” he says. “Given the ever-changing and unique Australian landscape, customers will always have the flexibility to customise or scale their data to help meet the changing needs of their fleets.”

Matthew explains that through Geotab’s unique IOX connection – meaning integration into a variety of third-party sensors – the Geotab platform can retrieve data generated by vehicles including GPS position, tyre pressure monitoring, and temperature monitoring for refrigerated fleets.

To help optimise efficiencies, identify inefficiencies, and improve safety, Geotab facilitates the integration of third-party software and technologies. “Geotab provides customers with access to a robust platform of hardware add-ons and software add-ins through the Geotab Marketplace,” Matthew says. “This platform provides customers with a wide selection of solutions from our world-class partners to help fleet managers and drivers meet their fleet management goals.”

In the Australian context, one particular area of interest going forward, says Matthew, is the increasing sophistication of work diaries and the regulatory compliance around them. 

“Work diaries, commonly referred to as electronic logging devices (ELDs) in North America, are used by drivers of commercial motor vehicles to help automatically record driving time and Hours of Service records, as well as capture data on the vehicle’s engine, movement and miles driven,” Matthew says.

He says that the United States and Canada have mandated ELD regulations to help ensure the safety and compliance of drivers. “Currently, Australia is in the early stages of evolving compliance requirements for fleets by transitioning from paper logs to electronic ones,” Matthew says. “During this transition, Geotab has identified a need for clarity among Australian fleets in terms of when a driver needs a certified work diary, assistance opportunities for those who want to stay paper-based, as well as safety and compliance solutions for those who don’t currently need a certified diary system.”

As many electric vehicle manufacturers begin to expand their presence in the Australian Market, Geotab is ahead of the curve, says Matthew. He says that Geotab currently supports the largest set of EV makes and models in the world – including light, medium and heavy duty EVs and buses. This gives fleet managers and decision makers a leg up as electric vehicles become increasingly established in Australia. 

“With Geotab’s MyGeotab platform, electric fleets can feel confident that they have full access to their EV data, and Geotab can provide full telematics support to help fleets transition from zero to 100 per cent electric,” he says. “We offer a wide range of fleet electrification tools that can help measure KPIs to ensure the transition and maintenance of EV fleets is as simple as possible.” 

For more information on Geotab, click here. 

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