Pest Management Professional, March 2014
S P O N S O R E D B Y Steer Clear of Accidents Fleet tracking technology coupled with old fashioned reminders can yield significant returns The problem with common sense such as fleet management safety is its not so common For example pest management business owners who think their employees on the road are following the rules and driving safely because it makes sense Dave McLaughlin could be in for a rude awakening There are three good reasons to care about your employees driving habits safety cost and environmental impact But too often business owners use the say and pray method says David McLaughlin director of marketing with Clarke an environmental products and services company Fleet management is more important than just tuning up vehicles Five basic steps to a safer driving workforce are 1 Background check Anyone with a history of driving problems isnt likely to drive for Clarke 2 Policies That could mean no cell phones and having drivers pay for traffic tickets or red light camera violations 3 Comprehensive training This includes setting expectations reminding employees about certain laws such as distracted driver laws and school zones reviewing the vehicles before driving such as checking mirrors walking around the vehicle and making sure the spill containment kit is in place You should do this every day McLaughlin says Its important to make sure everyone knows accident protocol who to call if something happens 4 Maintained vehicles While McLaughlin says most companies do a thorough job of this keeping vehicles in top shape ensures theyre achieving the best fuel mileage 5 Monitor Clarke uses a company called GeoTab which monitors every vehicle The device tracks speed idling time quick acceleration sudden braking and fuel efficiency It also provides location tracking The device can even report how much driving is done after business hours Its all done in real time The information can be downloaded into reports and drivers can be scored if a company chooses McLaughlin admits Clarke initially was worried drivers might take exception to being monitored but instead the drivers see it as a competition who earns the best score or has the fewest infractions It depends on how its presented he says The initial cost is between 120 and 150 per vehicle depending on the number of vehicles receiving the devices Monthly monitoring is 35 a month per vehicle during peak season and 7 per month per vehicle in the off season PMP Dan Jacobs Contributor www mypmp net Pest Management Professional March 2014 MM13
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