Caledonian Logistics gains control of driver behaviour with fleet telematics

Based in Aberdeen, Scotland, Caledonian Logistics has carved a niche in the logistics industry, specialising in the movement of palletised goods. To deliver the goods quickly and reliably, the company needs all systems functioning at peak condition, including telematics.

The Challenge: Finding a reliable telematics partner

Before Geotab, Caledonian Logistics had implemented a different telematics solution, but it was not performing as expected. Unfortunately, the legacy system was expensive, clunky to use, and hardwired into the vehicles by the supplier, which resulted in high installation and removal costs. As the lengthy five-year contract came to an end, Fleet Maintenance Manager Gary Hughes decided it was time for a change.

Caledonian Logistics needed a cost-effective and user-friendly telematics solution to keep track of where the company’s vehicles were throughout Great Britain, and allow route and load planners to communicate arrival times to customers.

Goals and challenges:

• Track and manage driver behaviour

Solution:

• Low cost of subscription and equipment
• Ease of use
• Ease of installation
• Short contract period

Results:

• Visibility into driver behaviour
• Increased accountability
• Stopped fuel theft

Products:

• Geotab GO device
• MyGeotab

The Solution: Convenient

Geotab fit the needs of Caledonian Logistics on several points. The first benefit was the more reasonable 12-month contract. Second, the easier installation process. Third, the ease of use.

“It was an easy install for us,” observes Hughes. The design of the device and simple installation process added reassurance as well. If there were ever an issue with a device, a new one could be plugged in quickly and easily, without great expense or needing to wait on a technician.

Caledonian Logistics currently uses MyGeotab to monitor driver behavior. He says he finds the driver dashboard to be a significant improvement over that of the previous system.

Hughes checks his MyGeotab fleet dashboard weekly. “If there are any alerts to say that we've got a group of drivers or a driver that there's an issue with their driving behaviour, then we'll look at them more closely,” he says. “I can give you a lead table of drivers at the touch of a button. And for me that's brilliant. And it also gives us a dashboard that shows you immediately if you've got any red drivers, which means somebody you need to have a word with sooner rather than later.”

The Results: Enhancing accountability

Back office staff and drivers alike embraced Geotab, which is not always the case when introducing a new system. “They thought it was brilliant from day one,” says Hughes. “There was zero resistance, which made my job a lot easier,” Hughes says.

With the focus on monitoring driver behavior, Caledonian Logistics has been able to make its drivers fully accountable for their actions. As an example, Hughes was able to use the Geotab solution to identify and catch an employee who was stealing fuel.

“Geotab helped me pinpoint when and how they were doing it. So it made any investigation a lot shorter,” he recounts. “We were looking at the diagnostics [and discovered] he wasn't taking fuel out of the vehicle. So that meant that the only place that he could be doing it is when he was filling up with fuel.

Next steps: Fleet system integration and compliance management

In the future, Mr. Hughes is planning on expanding monitoring to include the vehicles. “Our Geotab Reseller is working closely with our maintenance software and planning software providers to get an interface between the two,” he says. By integrating other business systems with telematics, Hughes will be able to get an alert through the Truckfile™ system when there is an issue with a vehicle. He can also schedule a repair with the next inspection.

Caledonian Logistics also plans to take part in a trial of Geotab’s tachograph remote download solution for managing compliance.

From the Fleet Manager

“I thought my biggest battle would be with the collections office and the routing office, because people don't like change and they're used to using the old system. But they just embraced it. They thought it was brilliant from day one.”

— Gary Hughes, Fleet Maintenance Manager, Caledonian Logistics Limited

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