Managing the safety and security of fleets at all times
1. MANAGING THE SAFETY
AND SECURITY OF
FLEET AT ALL TIMES
1st Annual Fleet Management Conference
5 May 2016
2.
3. Presentation Outline
Principles of Fleet Management
Managing Fatigue
Use of Technology
To monitor behavior of drivers
Detection solutions
Mobile Surveillance and Vehicle Safety
Road Safety
Road- side assistance
Conclusion
4. Principles of Fleet
Management
The fleet is a means to an end – to be rich
Fleet Management is a subset of managing the company and cannot be
isolated from total quality management
We cannot isolate fleet management from human resource management –
this is a field of resource management
In order to make money and remain competitive, an operator needs his/her
fleet to be on the road
There must be unimpeded flow from point A to point B
The less time spent on the road, the more trips can be made and increased
income
Roadworthy fleet is key to safety and security
IT environment provides solutions that can be used to manage fleet and track
cargo remotely
6. Understanding Fatigue
No amount of work or money is more important than human
life
What is fatigue – really?
Physical or mental exhaustion manifests in reduced energy,
motivation and concentration
What causes fatigue?
Illness – excl. sleeping sickness
Medication
Intoxicating substances
Overwork
Lack of rest/sleep
7. Work demands and Fatigue
What is the nature of the work of a truck or passenger
transport driver?
Operating a slow moving heavy vehicle
Pressure from operator (owner) to reduce time spent on
the road and increase income
Long hours and distances
Loneliness
Transporting all kinds of people
Tolerance towards other people – passengers and other
road users
8. Managing Fatigue
Health checks
Annual medical surveillance – sugar levels, Blood
Pressure
Avoid fatigue-inducing factors
Stick to your work schedule
Value life more than money
Sober habits
Use of sex workers
9. Managing Fatigue – safe rest
facilities
Local Authorities or private sector must provide
adequate driver rest facilities
Heavy vehicle and safe park facilities are important for
overnight rest
Security for cargo is important to freight operators
Proper, humane sleep facilities with ablution
Clean healthy meals
Medical facilities – primary care
10. Technology and Behavioral
Management Perspectives
Let us look at different perspectives to understanding the use of technology to
manage employees:
11. Theory X
• Employees are lazy
• They dislike work
• They do not accept
responsibility
• They are unreliable
• They must be:
• Directed
• Strictly controlled
• Monitored
Cartoons.com
12. Theory Y
• Employees are
hardworking
• They enjoy work as if it
was play/rest
• They can exercise self-
direction
• They are creative and
responsible
• Employees require:
• Limited control
• Can be trusted Cartoons.com
13. Viewpoints on the use of
technology
The decision to use technology in managing fleet can be based on various
beliefs and viewpoints
14. Viewpoints on Technology
Optimistic View
Road users (drivers) are
good
They require information to
make good decisions and
improve behavior
Technology is used to assist
them to take decisions better
Pessimistic View
Road Users (drivers) are
poorly behaved
They require penalties to
improve behavior
Technology is required to
monitor them
15. Mobile Surveillance and
Vehicle Security
Depending on the culture of the company with regards
to theory X or Y, technology can be used to either
monitor employees or ensure their security
Mobile surveillance and vehicle security systems can
be used:
Vehicle location systems
Mobile video camera’s
Speed detection systems
18. Benefits of surveillance and
vehicle security systems
Reduce unauthorized use of vehicles
Surveillance camera’s enable the operator/owner to monitor
fleet throughout its journey
Eliminating unauthorized or extended journeys thus
controlling fuel costs and life span of the vehicle
Tracking devices to see where the vehicle is moving, speed,
engine switched off, etc.
Increase vehicle safety and security
Hijacking risk is reduced – criminals posing as hitch-
hikers
Quick response in case of hijacking
19. Vehicle Intelligence Transport
Systems
In 2010, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed the
period 2011 to 2020 as the Decade of Action for Road Safety
To stabilise and reduce road traffic fatalities around the world
Pillar 3 of this decade of action focuses on SAFER VEHICLES
Use of technology to reduce accidents
Safety belts
All round air bags
Crash avoidance technology
Vehicle Intelligence Transport Systems – enable vehicle to
vehicle or vehicle to infrastructure communications
Supports the optimistic view that vehicle operators are able to
make good decisions if they have information about their
immediate environment and other road users
20. Hijackings
There is a difference between hijacking, robbery and theft of a
vehicle
Hijacking – vehicle taken by force from the owner/driver, mostly
with the use of a weapon
Robbery – vehicle is taken with the use of a weapon but the
owner/driver was not necessarily in the car
Theft – a car is stolen in the absence of the owner/driver
SAPS published statistics:
Reported carjacking cases increased from 11 180 in 2013/2014 to
12 773 in 2014/2015
Reported truck hijacking cases increased from 991 in 2013/2014 to
1279 in 2014/2015
21. Minimising Hijacking
Technology – anti-hijack systems
More and more vehicles are designed to make hijacking difficult
No key systems
Vehicle tracking systems – increase chances of recovery
Street wise and vigilance at all times
Picking up strangers on the road increases risk
Be careful of criminals posing as law enforcement officers –
always ask for identification
Increase chances of detection by reporting to authorities –
immediately!
22. Road Safety
There are 3 inter-related factors that contribute to road
accidents
(RTMC 2014)
23. Roads and Environment
Design of the road and environment in which humans drive
Sharp bends
Potholes
Road side distractions
Stray animals
Advertisements
Poor road surface
Design to Accommodate Human Error!
26. Managing Driver Behavior
Good HR Practices
Hire legitimately qualified drivers
Conduct background checks
Provide driver training
Customer service
Defensive driving
Ethics/ personal hygiene/health
Provide competitive salary – limit corruption
Hold driver accountable for roadside offences
Monitor compliance
Analyse driver related offences
Use ghost/pseudo hitch-hikers or passengers
Monitor behavior through technology
27. Road side assistance
Both the operator and the Government play a role in road
side assistance
The operators must have their own system to support drivers
on the road in case of emergency
Operator must ensure that fleet is serviced and roadworthy at
all times
Operators can create an association to assist upcoming
operators who cannot afford own support
Pillar 5 of the UN Decade of Action:
Post-crash response to minimise physical and psychological
trauma
Improve emergency incident response
Reward systems for employers to retain people with disabilities
as a result of crashes
28. Conclusion
A chain is as
strong as its
weakest link
Roadworthy
fleet
Well maintained
infrastructure
Committed
employees
Technology
Professional
Management