According to GreenRoad Technologies, a provider of fleet performance management solutions, demand for mobile applications for driver behaviour based technology, services and expertise is increasing with many workforces already equipped with mobile devices.
However, they believe that by 2020 the rate at which fleet managers will sign up for mobile devices (estimated at 300% growth) is set to outpace and replace hardwired technology.
The increase in demand for mobile applications has been attributed to the accessibility of the apps, the low costs associated with them and ease of use.
David Rodriguez, SVP Marketing of GreenRoad Technologies, said:
“What we are seeing is that much of the mobile device and solution expanse is due to the traditional concerns such as fuel costs, improved safety and better operations, but the main forcing function that we see pushing the growth in mobile solutions continues to be that they are easy to access, they are low cost and easy to deploy both geographically and within organisation.
“So for many mobile solutions it’s as easy as going to the app store or to Google Play and downloading the app directly to your mobile device.
“Another reason that mobile is continuing to rise is that simply tracking vehicles with telematics and black boxes is no longer a key focus because tracking is so commoditised in today’s market.
“More advanced fleet and workforce managers are looking for more comprehensive solutions that can increase the overall efficiency of a fleet, doing so through more powerful and insightful tools outside of the basic tracking.”
GreenRoad’s next generation mobile solution addresses real-time driver behaviour and coaching, vehicle tracking, vehicle maintenance and fuel usage optimisation.
But their latest technology also allows management to have total visibility into the performance of both drivers and their fleets, as well as identifying driver hot spots and idling times – allowing them to set stricter policies to eliminate any issues.
The GreenRoad mobile app can be accessed in four easy steps. The application is first downloaded, installed, launched and then finally logged into by using GreenRoad credentials.
Once the award-winning app is up-and-running, the device should be placed in the middle of the cockpit of the vehicle, so that it doesn’t pose a distraction.
The app allows customers to access core driver behaviour analytics and operates on a three-colour function, with green signifying safe driving, followed by yellow and finally red depending on the severity and type of risk posed by the driver.
By switching to the safety hotspot tab, fleet operators are able to identify where the highest number of incidents have occurred among their drivers and identify the cause of the events, for example drivers might be having cornering difficulties. This allows management to identify the drivers making the errors and look at how to rectify the problem.
The idling tab shows how many hours are being wasted by their drivers, equating to a loss in fuel and time. This allows management to impose stricter policies to stop the offenders.
A tracking application also means that fleet operators are able to see where and when their drivers were moving or stationary and route replay can help to eliminate any disputes over delays or non-arrivals.
There are also tabs to allow drivers to search for nearby resources and ones which allow you to search for drivers or technicians based on their expertise to better suit a specific call out.
Mr Rodriguez added: “Mobile devices and solutions are going to continue to replace the traditional telematics and as more and more vehicles are renewed or replaced, the mobile workforce and their devices will become more commonplace.
“If you look at the trends globally, the mobile workforce market is large and it will continue to grow over the next three to five years and as fleet and technology modernises, mobile technology will quickly outpace and replace hardwired technology.
“The key point is that unlike traditional fleet management where driver safety has been a focus or a side focus, new data tell us that new mobile workforce managers will continue to add and focus on safety and overall fleet performance as a part of their progressive business monitoring.”