Intelligent vehicle telematics systems have improved dramatically in the recent past.

The black box fitted to vehicles is no longer just a means of tracking their location; it is becoming an important tool with which to determine exactly how they are being used and driven.You can make real cost savings through the effective use of relevant telemetry data. It can be used to drive down fuel usage, collision reduction and maintenance costs, not to mention the opportunity to reduce insurance premiums.

When they first appeared on the market, telematics drew some criticism. The mention of the word could send shivers down the spines of even the most seasoned transport professionals, dreading the monitoring of yet another system, trawling through yet more data and trying to persuade drivers that it was not a ‘big brother’ operation. It led many of them to completely dismiss the idea of vehicle telemetry.

Today the more intelligent systems provide data that is easy to understand and clearly defined. More meaningful data readily identifies high risk drivers – those who need to be advised and counselled about their driving behaviour.

Bringing about cultural change is often challenging and requires dedicated buy-in from everyone in the organisation. Once change is achieved there are many benefits and organisations that deploy telematics quickly realise their return on the initial investment.

Telemetry is the way forward in supporting fleet risk management. It shouldn’t be a case of “can I afford it?”, but more a case of “can I afford not to have it”?