Safety

Safety is an imperative part of the fleet industry as it directly affects a company’s ability to operate. Fleets that are well managed and prioritising safety precautions ultimately save costs due to paying lower operational costs, lower insurance and have less legal issues that stem from incidents.

VUE's Driver Distraction AI (DDAI) is an innovative technology designed to enhance safety by identifying and addressing risky behaviours through an in-cab camera. DDAI tracks mobile phone usage, drowsiness, and smoking actions, triggering immediate alerts. The collected data can be utilised for driver training programs to prevent the recurrence of such behaviours. These proactive safety measures help to prevent incidents, fostering a safer environment for both drivers and other road users.

Cutting Costs

Saving money on unnecessary costs is an integral part of managing any fleet. Fleet managers strategically put preventative measures into place to ensure costs are cut where possible. Installing smart technology into their vehicles acts as one of the preventative measures.

The Low Bridge Alert System (LBAS) is designed to prevent collisions with low bridges. Strikes against these bridges can lead to significant expenses related to repairs, downtime, and damage to a company's reputation. LBAS operates by generating real-time alerts sixty seconds before reaching a low bridge, effectively averting potential collisions. Implementing such preventive measures not only reduces the risk of bridge strikes but also positively impacts insurance premiums by lowering costs. Additionally, it helps avoid fines and legal expenses, as these incidents often result in infrastructure damage, leading to penalties from local authorities.

We have entered 2025 with three incidents of lorries colliding with a low bridge in Birmingham, two of which occurred on the same day. These strikes led to considerable disruptions on the roads and affected local residents. The National Rail is urging lorry drivers to be mindful of their vehicle heights and to plan their routes accordingly. In the 2023-24 period, there were 1,532 bridge strikes reported across the UK. Each incident resulted in unnecessary delays and disruptions in the surrounding areas. With systems like LBAS in place, these collisions could have been avoided, preventing costs associated with easily preventable accidents.

An additional tool to help cut costs is VUE’s Driver Behaviour Dashboard, which can help identify and reduce aggressive driving habits. Actions such as harsh acceleration, abrupt braking, and speeding not only waste a significant amount of fuel but also increase costs. By analysing these driving tendencies through gathered data, effective action plans can be developed to prevent these behaviours from recurring. This enables fleet managers to implement preventative measures that lead to reduced fuel consumption and cost savings.

Enhancing Efficiency

Technology allows fleet managers to enhance efficiency of their operations. It provides tools that make the process easier and more strategic decision-making for optimal outcomes.

VUEhub is an innovative fleet management platform that uses software to allow Fleet Managers to look at all footage and telematics data from every system in every vehicle in a single place. It features tools such as Live Track and Footage Library, both smart software that combine telematics and video recordings. VUEhub’s main purpose is to ease fleet management and operations, as well as enhancing the performance and safety of fleets.

Real-time data is an important tool for fleet managers. GPS tracking provided by VUE's Live Track shows the exact live location of each vehicle in your fleet. This powerful feature facilitates quick decision-making by pinpointing the nearest vehicles for urgent, last-minute trips. Furthermore, Live Track allows for a focused examination of individual vehicles, enabling faults to be reported directly from the fault page. These tools enhance operational efficiency and help save valuable time.

VUE’s Footage Library provides footage of fleet drivers' journeys, delivering clear insights. This footage serves as crucial evidence for insurance claims, facilitating detailed event analysis in the event of an incident. By supporting claims with solid visual proof, fleet managers can speed up the claims process, saving time and reducing hassle for both them and insurers.

With that all being said, it's safe to say technology is an imperative part of fleet management. It provides tools that allow managers to manage their fleet in a strategic way, allowing faster and more efficient decisions to be made which ultimately optimises operations.

Why don’t you start 2025 by making strategic decisions, setting you and your fleet up for the year?