The post-Covid increase in e-commerce activities has fuelled an even greater reliance on the country’s road transportation network. While roads facilitate fast and efficient delivery of goods, having larger volumes of medium and heavy-duty vehicles on roads and national highways, off the back of significant deterioration of South Africa’s railway infrastructure, comes with its fair share of risks.
Many of the country’s major roads are in a poor state and have deteriorated significantly over the past few years due to inadequate maintenance. Not only does the decline of our roads cause delays and disruption but also leads to more vehicular wear-and-tear and ultimately, more breakdowns and potential for accidents.
Fortunately, companies now have a range of technological tools at their disposal that can assist in safeguarding fleets and drivers. There are several telematic solutions on the market that can monitor driver behaviour by tracking driver speed, routes taken and other key metrics.
Road accidents are an unfortunate reality and while various factors may contribute, in most instances human error is involved. The Road Traffic Management Corporation determined that over 80% of road accidents could be caused by driving behaviour related to speeding, using mobile devices while driving, poor road safety adherence and reckless driving practices.
Tracker uses aggregated data analytics and insights to develop technology that delivers services focused on proactively optimising fleet logistics and driver safety.
Using the latest in edge computing technology, which involves proximity between business applications and data sources for faster insights and improved response times, Tracker AI Dashcam is an integrated, artificially intelligent, dual-camera device that faces both the road and the driver and can recognise event triggers such as speeding and accidents, as well as driver fatigue and distraction. These dash cameras empower fleet managers with a live look-in service, as well as exception notifications, facilitating proactive guardianship of both drivers and the road ahead.
Information is uploaded to a secure online cloud-based portal, giving fleet managers and drivers real-time alerts, supported by video footage. This selective notification system ensures that fleet managers can prioritise and address the most significant events promptly. The footage captured by these dash cameras significantly enhances the business’ ability to protect its drivers, fleet, cargo and logistics operations against risks on the road.
In the event of an accident, the context provided by the captured footage would enable fleet managers to determine the circumstances leading up to, during and after an accident. The benefit of AI-enabled dashcams is incident minimisation or avoidance, paired with resulting cost containment.
Proactive alerts, combined with driver coaching, can significantly reduce incident risks. Responsible fleet management includes monitoring and addressing driver behaviour. Real-time alerts provide fleet managers with insights into driver behaviour, allowing immediate intervention, as well as opportunities for driver coaching with a view to reducing the number of driving incidents and improving driving behaviour over time.
App-based, rapid armed response services – Tracker CareGuard
With the boom in online shopping and the growing numbers of logistics trucks, courier vans, and delivery scooters on the road, hijackings and resulting cargo theft has a ripple effect across supply chains.
In addition to endangering drivers, criminals targeting couriers can adversely affect businesses operating in the logistics and e-commerce spaces, financially and reputationally. The onward effects of these hijackings and thefts include escalating insurance costs and even consideration to armed escort services to protect high-value freight. Ultimately, many of these cost escalations will be borne by the consumer, making online transacting more costly for consumers and service delivery and customer satisfaction more difficult to provide on the part of businesses.
With crime an ever-present issue, South Africans require prompt assistance in the easiest and fastest way possible.
Tracker’s Care Guard App provides rapid emergency and medical response via the tap of a button. With a nationwide network of 1 500 armed responders and medical personnel, 24/7/365 help is on hand when needed.
In an emergency, drivers may simply tap the panic button in the app, and the nearest responder will be automatically dispatched to their exact location. They can also expect an immediate call from a controller to confirm the details of the emergency. Once a responder has been dispatched, drivers will be able to view the responder’s details and movement updates to track progress.
Geo-Fencing
- Geofencing facilitates exception management around driver, fleet and cargo safety through instant notifications. Fleet managers may be alerted to deviations from planned destinations, as well as possible safety and security compromises involving theft and hijacking.
- Geo-fencing, powered by telematics technology, has emerged as a critical tool in safeguarding fleet vehicles and cargo from theft, and drivers from harm. In the current transportation landscape, where security concerns loom large, the implementation of geo-fencing capabilities has become increasingly important for fleet managers and logistics operators.
- Geo-fencing employs GPS (Global Positioning System) and cellular technology to create virtual boundaries around specific geographical areas. These boundaries are defined by coordinates and can be customised to the operational needs of a fleet. When a vehicle equipped with telematics enters or exits a predefined zone, alerts and notifications are triggered, providing real-time visibility and control over fleet movements.
- One of the primary benefits of geo-fencing is its role in theft prevention. By setting up geo-fences around designated areas, routes or facilities, fleet managers can closely monitor vehicle movements and detect unauthorised use or deviations from planned routes. In the event of a vehicle being stolen, geo-fencing enables swift identification of the vehicle's location, facilitating prompt recovery efforts and minimising potential losses.
- The use of geo-fencing features can enhance driver safety by proactively and rapidly dealing with unauthorised vehicle access and hijacking situations. In high-risk areas or during vulnerable transit phases, geo-fencing can be instrumental in triggering immediate alerts to dispatch centres or authorities in the event of any suspicious activity or deviation from planned routes. This capability enables timely intervention to improve the safety and well-being of drivers.
In essence, the integration of telematics geo-fencing capabilities can strengthen the security of fleet operations and foster a culture of safety and vigilance within businesses. Tracker offers geo-fencing technology through the Zones Management feature across its full range of Business tracking services, from vehicles and motorcycles to trucks and trailers. By leveraging real-time monitoring and alerts, fleet managers can mitigate risks, safeguard valuable assets, and uphold the welfare of their drivers, thereby reinforcing resilience and efficiency of operations in challenging and uncertain landscapes.
“A fleet incident not only results in a likely financial loss to a business, but more importantly, and more often, threatens the safety and wellbeing of the driver,” says Duma Ngcobo, Chief Operating Officer at
Tracker. “Through advancements in artificial intelligence and telematics, fleet managers have oversight and empowerment to better mitigate risk and improve incident outcomes.”
