Recent U.S. census data shows that around 3.5 million people operate a commercial motor vehicle, making a substantial portion of the population subject to a wide variety of federal and state laws and regulations, along with company-based safety initiatives. For fleet managers, remaining in compliance is essential to keeping vehicles on the road, and customers happy.
Telematics has fundamentally altered the way that fleets approach compliance, as rich-data provides deeper insights into regulatory concerns in real-time. At the end of the day, compliance is all about safety, and as our federal, state, and local governments work diligently to make the roadways safer for all motorists, the likelihood of additional regulatory compliance is inevitable.
Compliance With Telematics
When talking about compliance most fleet managers immediately look at federal, state, and local mandates that have recently been enacted in an effort to improve on-road safety. The truth is that compliance isn’t only limited to regulatory components, but also fleet-based safety initiatives.
Driver Vehicle Inspection Reports(DVIR)
Vehicle inspections are a required compliance item under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. While reports can be taken on paper, transitioning to a digital process helps fleets quickly identify and address potential safety concerns, and streamline the reporting process in the event of a violation.
Electronic Logging Mandate
The required use of electronic logging devices(ELDs) as part of the MAP-21 mandate from Congress went into effect in 2017. More recently, Canada followed suit with their own ELD mandate, both of which require drivers to log their hours of service(HOS) electronically. Drivers that are required to maintain a record of duty status must comply with these mandates.
FMVSS 111
Rearview cameras are a relatively new technology in the scope of transportation, yet they are a required component for any vehicles that have a GVRW of 10,000 pounds or less. Telematics can help identify issues with rearview cameras through OBD2 fault codes that can prevent vehicles from being put out of service for faulty cameras.
Cell Phone Usage
The ban on hand-held devices while driving shows no signs of slowing down. With roughly half of the states in the U.S. have prohibited cell phone usage in all vehicles, not just those driven in commercial applications. For fleets struggling to curb cell phone usage, video telematics could be the key component missing. Many solutions provide driver-facing technology that can detect distracted driving and send real-time alerts to both the fleet manager and the driver.
Speeding
Speeding is perhaps the oldest compliance concern for fleet managers, and until the creation of telematics, it was one of the most difficult challenges to tackle. Today, vehicle data constantly monitors driving speed, and alerts can be set should a driver surpass a specific MPH in relation to the posted maximum speed.
Aggressive driving
Similar to speeding, aggressive driving has consistently plagued fleets. Modern telematics devices use technology like accelerometers to monitor and report aggressive driving behaviors such as hard braking, rapid acceleration, harsh cornering, and more. Trends can be compiled on a driver-by-driver level, or across the entire fleet.
Deviation from routes
Telematics has its roots in GPS, and one of the biggest compliance benefits available to fleet managers today is the ability to create approved or preferred routes. This is particularly common in service fleets that are on a tight schedule. Route-based geofences can be created on the backend for each fleet vehicle, with any deviation being tracked and reported, saving fleets time and money.
Vehicle usage outside of permitted areas or zones
Geofencing doesn’t stop at routes, as it has been a staple for vehicle management on construction sites and for fleets that operate within a smaller geographic footprint. Companies that have compliance initiatives such as regulations on where vehicles can be taken can turn to telematics for a solution that provides peace of mind and ROI.
Telematics and Compliance With Morey
Compliance is a way of life for modern fleets. As more regulations are enacted to improve on-road safety, technology will continue to play a pivotal role. Whether your fleet is looking to address concerns around a federal mandate, or a company safety initiative, Morey has your back. Learn more about our telematics options and connect for a demo today.