Making the conversation clear from the start
Vehicle tracking guide by Sam Butler, Business Development Manager at Fleetloc8, the Fleetmaxx Tracking Solution.
Vehicle tracking may make complete sense to the manager introducing it, but drivers can see it differently.
If the first they hear about the system is when a tracker appears in the vehicle, concerns are understandable. They may wonder what happens outside working hours or whether one harsh-braking event could be used against them.
When speaking to businesses about Fleetloc8, I encourage them to make the driver conversation part of the setup. Explain why tracking is being introduced, what it will record and how the information will be used before the system goes live.
That conversation can prevent misunderstandings and help drivers see how the system may support them too.
Key takeaways
- Tell drivers about vehicle tracking before it begins.
- Explain the business reasons for introducing it and what information will be collected.
- Be clear about access, retention and any tracking outside working hours.
- Use the data consistently and consider the context behind individual events.
Start with why the business is introducing tracking
Begin with the practical reasons for introducing the system.
You may want to improve job allocation, provide more accurate arrival times, respond to customer queries, protect vehicles or identify unnecessary mileage. Safety may also be part of the decision, with driving information providing a starting point for constructive conversations.
Be specific. Saying tracking will “improve efficiency” leaves plenty of room for interpretation. Explain what the business wants to improve and how the information will contribute.
The Information Commissioner’s Office says employers must be clear about the purpose of monitoring and should select the least intrusive way of achieving it. Tracking should have a defined business reason rather than being introduced just in case.
Explain what the tracking system records
Drivers should not have to guess what information is available.
Depending on the device and setup, vehicle tracking software may record:
- Live and historic vehicle locations
- Journey start and finish times
- Routes, stops and mileage
- Vehicle speed and idling
- Events such as harsh braking or acceleration
- The assigned driver where driver identification is used
If possible, show drivers the platform. Seeing the map and journey history is clearer than describing the system in general terms.
Also explain what the data does not show. A vehicle location does not confirm what the driver was doing away from it, while an individual event does not explain all the surrounding circumstances.
Say how the information will be used
Drivers should understand the decisions the data may support.
Live locations may help assign a nearby job, journey history may confirm when a vehicle reached a customer, and driver behaviour information may highlight an area for coaching.
If data could form part of a performance or disciplinary process, make that clear. Do not promise it will never be used in a way your policies permit.
Managers using the platform should follow the same agreed approach. Inconsistent use can quickly undermine the explanation drivers received at the beginning.
Address private and out-of-hours use
This is likely to be one of the first questions from anyone who takes a company vehicle home or is allowed to use it privately.
Explain whether tracking continues outside normal working hours and how private journeys are handled. The answer should reflect the vehicle policy and system setup.
The ICO says monitoring must be necessary, proportionate and fair. Its guidance for small businesses gives the example of a company vehicle used for both work and personal journeys, where tracking can be switched off outside working hours to avoid recording private use.
Fleetloc8 has a separate guide to vehicle tracking law in the UK, including company vehicles, private use and the responsibilities of employers.
Explain who can see the data
Access should be limited to people who need the information for their role.
Tell drivers which teams or managers can use the platform and why. Someone allocating work may need live locations, while a safety manager may require driver behaviour reports.
The business should also decide:
- How long tracking information will be retained
- How exported reports will be stored
- When a user’s access will be removed
- Who drivers can contact with a question about their information
The ICO’s guidance on monitoring workers explains that workers must be told what personal information is collected and how it is used. It also says access should be restricted to those who need it.
Give drivers the opportunity to ask questions
Introducing tracking through an email or policy alone may leave obvious concerns unanswered.
Give drivers a chance to discuss the system before it goes live. This may reveal practical issues involving private use, shared vehicles or working patterns outside standard hours.
Record any questions that come up repeatedly. If several people are unclear about the same point, the original explanation or policy may need improving.
Use driver data fairly
The way a business uses the information after launch will determine whether the original explanation feels credible.
Avoid judging a driver from one event without checking the journey and context. A harsh-braking alert may indicate risk, but it could also reflect an appropriate response to something unexpected.
Patterns over time usually provide a better basis for discussion. Fleetloc8 gives drivers a score from 1 to 100, bringing several recorded behaviours together. Our guide to driving scores and how they are calculated explains why the score should begin a conversation rather than replace one.
Apply consistent standards while considering different vehicles, routes and working conditions.
Put the agreed approach in writing
A vehicle tracking or employee privacy policy should explain:
- Why tracking is used
- What information is collected
- When tracking takes place
- How the information may be used
- Who can access it
- How long it is retained
- How drivers can raise a concern or exercise their data rights
The policy must match what happens in practice and be reviewed when the system, purpose or vehicle-use arrangements change.
Businesses should identify an appropriate lawful basis for processing tracking information rather than relying automatically on employee consent. Depending on the nature and scale of the monitoring, a data protection impact assessment may also be appropriate.
A short checklist for the driver briefing
Before tracking begins, make sure drivers have been told:
- Why the business is introducing vehicle tracking
- Which vehicles will be fitted with trackers
- What information the system records
- When tracking will be active
- How private and out-of-hours use will be handled
- Who can access the information
- How the data may be used
- How long it will be retained
- Who to contact with questions or concerns
Give drivers the relevant policy or privacy information to keep.
Building trust around vehicle tracking
Introducing vehicle tracking shouldn’t begin and end with installing the device.
Drivers need a clear explanation of why it is being introduced, what it records and how the information will be used. The approach described at the start must then be followed consistently.
Being open from the beginning will not remove every concern, but it gives the business and its drivers a much better foundation for using vehicle tracking fairly and effectively.
To learn more about introducing Fleetloc8 across your vehicles, contact our team to discuss the software, hardware and support available.
