A fleet is as good as its drivers allow it to be. Here's why driver scorecards matter.
This simple truth is often overlooked in the whole fleet management process, as is the fact that the vehicle operator is really the main driver of the cost of running that fleet, which makes the meticulous keeping of driver scorecards a vital tool for fleet bosses.
The driver scorecard presents key information specific to driver behaviour in a clear and understandable way and factors monitored and reported by the driver scorecard can include mileage, after hours mileage, hard braking, hard acceleration, excessive speeding and seat belt utilisation. Statistics automatically calculated based on these factors include violations per 100 kilometres and an overall score that ranks drivers throughout the organisation.
Murray Price, managing director of EQSTRA Fleet Management, says: “The way a vehicle is driven impacts not only fuel costs, but also maintenance, tyre and insurance costs. In addition, the driver also impacts operational costs such as the cost of administration of traffic fines and lost registration license discs.”
He continues: “in EFM’s experience, the most significant savings on fleets our customers have experienced is when driver gamification and driver management has been implemented. Driver scorecards are compiled taking into account tracking data, fuel spend, maintenance and accident repair costs and traffic fines to determine the top drivers in their fleets. Rewards and recognition programs for drivers are developed and this has proven to uplift driving habits and lowering fleet operational costs."
Using the scorecards for incentive schemes as well as a way of identifying bad habits that need rectifying is a great preventative measure: the first time a driver gets in an accident or gets a traffic ticket is likely not the first time they have exhibited that unsafe behaviour. Identifying and curbing that behaviour now will ensure safety and reduce the likelihood of incidents happening in the future.
Most people do take pride in their work and studies have shown when drivers are presented with their scorecard data and taught how to change them for the better, they respond immediately and positively.
Scorecards should be used to reward the best drivers as well as correcting problems. While posting scorecard information publicly within the company can motivate competitive drivers, it also can create negative feelings when the scores are not so good – and fleet managers need to make sure it does not become a morale buster by keeping the focus on the positive and discussing problems with the relevant drivers privately.
One of the best ways to get driver buy-in to the use of scorecards is to ask them what they would like in the form of incentives.
Fleet managers that have limited or no visibility into their drivers’ behaviour, cannot address or mitigate the issues and cannot deal effectively with at-risk drivers. This lack of visibility directly impacts their risk factors, safety records and operating costs.
To understand and influence driver behaviour, you need to be able to measure it. This is what creates expert fleet drivers.
