Prepare. Monitor. Alert. Avoid.

Winter disrupts transport operations: Snow clogs roads. Rain washes out bridges. Ice causes accidents. To minimise disruption, here is a savvy 4-step strategy to facilitate your fleet operations during the winter months.

Prepare: keep tabs on vehicle maintenance

As winter weather conditions can be particularly challenging, it's all the more important to keep a watchful eye on vehicle maintenance at this time of year. Snow, frost and ice all put extra strain on vehicles, so it's easy for problems to develop.

GPS vehicle tracking can keep fleet operators informed about the condition of individual vehicles, allowing managers to spot mechanical issues earlier and resolve them quicker. It can provide real-time updates on a wide range of mechanical factors, ranging from fuel levels to battery health. It can also inform fleet managers via email or mobile notification when a vehicle has been stationary for a long time, which could be an indication of a breakdown.

Monitor: keep things moving with GPS fleet tracking

Vehicle tracking technology provides fleet managers and drivers with ongoing weather updates - so there's no excuse for being unaware of changes in conditions, even unexpected ones. Route mapping and planning systems are on hand to help you keep your fleet moving throughout the winter. Vehicles heading towards snow-affected areas, for example, can be provided with up-to-the-minute forecast information as well as being advised on road closures and what alternative routes might be available.

As GPS vehicle tracking keeps fleet managers up to speed, it's possible to make last-minute changes of plan which help to avoid the worst weather-related disruption. This might involve taking a more indirect route that runs more kilometres up on the clock, but it can save valuable time.

Alert: the importance of safe driving

Because roads can be treacherous in winter, it's essential that fleet operators remind their drivers just how important it is to drive to road conditions. GPS vehicle tracking gathers a wide range of data to provide fleet managers with in-depth insight into how their drivers conduct themselves when they're behind the wheel. If drivers repeatedly breach the speed limit, brake sharply or take corners dangerously, their fleet manager can find out about it through telematic alerts and address any issues.

Avoid: accidents are not welcome

In addition, fleet managers can use the Sites or geofencing capabilities to set speed limits through particular areas - so if drivers are set to travel along a route that's likely to be particularly risky during the winter months, their manager can impose a speed limit for that particular stretch. They will be notified via email or mobile when that speed limit is breached in time to avoid any accidents.

Vehicle tracking technology can help promote an internal culture of safer driving and greater awareness of the dangers drivers face on the road during the colder seasons. Stay safe. Prepare, monitor, alert and avoid.

For more tips on making the most of your vehicle tracking all year round download our Fleet Maintenance and Safety eBook.