3 Ways To Help Your Drivers Get On Board with GPS Tracking

Introducing GPS tracking to your fleet of dump trucks has very clear benefits to the business overall. However, your fleet drivers may be wary of GPS tracking devices, especially if they have never used one before and don’t understand why you are introducing it to your fleet. Initially, your drivers will likely be thinking, “Do they think I’m doing something wrong?” By and large, the answer to that question is, “No”. It is important to tackle the topic head-on when you are planning to introduce a GPS tracking system to your fleet of dump trucks. 

This article takes a look at 3 ways you can help your drivers understand why you are implementing tracking and ensure they get on board.

1. Involve Your Team, Before You Go Live

The biggest piece of advice we can provide is not to start a rollout without first including your drivers in the process. The overall transition will go more smoothly if you ensure they are aware it is coming, provide them with realistic expectations of how the process will go, and assure them that the decision was not made because you don’t trust them. That is likely the first thought that will go through your drivers’ heads. By talking things through and including them in the process you are also reassuring them that the decision to leverage GPS technology is a tool that will help the business grow. This leads us to the second way you can ensure your GPS tracking rollout goes smoothly, help your team understand the benefits to the business overall.

2. Help Key Team Members Understand The Overall Benefits To The Business

This step is critical to overcoming the sense your drivers may have that you are simply using GPS as a tool to keep an eye on them. Depending on what type of GPS tracker you bring on, the benefits to your business will vary. If you are bringing on an installed piece of equipment that is going into each truck, your conversation will be different than if you decide to bring on an overall logistics management solution with GPS as one component of the overall software. 

GPS tracking devices installed in a piece of equipment as a stand-alone offering are often referred to as a “telematics solution” and they can help businesses ensure a higher standard of safety and compliance. There are many perks for fleet owners with safer fleets, including better pricing on insurance, fuel savings, and reduced maintenance costs. When these benefits are explained to your drivers as the primary reasons for introducing GPS tracking, it becomes easier to understand why you would want to introduce the new tool to your fleet. 

If you are looking at bringing on an overall logistics management solution, there are additional benefits the entire team will appreciate.

Key Benefits for The End Customer 

Real-time and historical GPS data can help fleet owners provide a higher quality of service to their end customers. With the ability to see driver location, fleet owners know where each driver is and can provide updates in real-time. Having confidence and transparency makes it more likely that customers will do business with you in the future.

Key Benefits for Dispatchers

With GPS as one component part of a logistics management solution, dispatchers can make more informed dispatching decisions. GPS data coupled with a digital method of dispatching means that dispatchers can assign and reassign jobs throughout the day to different drivers. As changes occur throughout the day, dispatchers can even send communication directly through the platform to anyone on a given job.

Key Benefits for Drivers

When fleet owners and dispatchers are able to organize work more efficiently and have better communication tools, drivers benefit. Transparency with end customers about location means there is less friction when drivers arrive at the job site - something every dump truck driver appreciates. Drivers also benefit from enhanced messaging, when they are kept in the loop about changes they are able to more confidently perform their job. When better relationships are fostered with dispatchers and the end customer the entire business grows, creating more job security for every driver in the fleet. 

3. Assure Your Team They Are Valued

At the end of the day, everyone wants to feel appreciated and that they are a valuable part of the team. When you introduce new tools and technology, the change can make employees question whether they are still valuable to the organization. If you want to ensure your efforts to improve your business are well received, it is critical to make sure your team knows they are appreciated and understands why changes are being made. 

Adding new technology to manage your business is becoming more and more critical; however, you don’t want to risk losing your best drivers. If you take the steps outlined above, your team will be better prepared for upcoming changes. Ultimately, making the decision to introduce GPS tracking or a complete logistics solution is only going to strengthen your business and make your drivers that much more important to the business’s overall success.

Utilizing a Full Logistics Solution Crystallizes The Importance of your Team

There are more and more technology options available to fleet owners today than ever before. If you are considering GPS tracking for your fleet, we recommend comparing that to a full logistics management solution. Companies like TRUX have developed software that leverages mobile technology and cloud data to provide complete solutions to manage your business. Only 25% of construction projects are completed on time but forward-thinking fleet owners that adopt technology to manage their fleet are beginning to outpace their competitors. In addition to GPS tracking, logistics software improves jobsite communication, promotes improved asset utilization, provides access to digital load slips/tickets, and improves your ability to provide top-tier service to your customers. If you are interested in logistics solutions, talk to the team at TRUX to learn how other fleet owners are leveraging technology to improve their businesses.