Talking tacho tech
Beverley Wise, director UK & Ireland for Webfleet Solutions, explains how the company’s technology can help drive up tachograph compliance
The transport and logistics industry has faced turbulent times of late.
A shortage of lorry drivers has put increasing strain on supply chains across the world, with HGV operators facing mounting pressure to overcome resourcing challenges and to continue serving customers.
In a bid to help ease these pressures, the government temporarily relaxed the enforcement of drivers’ hours rules. The monitoring and management of driver hours, however, has remained an operational priority throughout.
The need to minimise driver fatigue is an ever-present duty of care obligation, while convictions for drivers’ hours violations and tachograph offences can lead to fines and, in some cases, prison sentences.
Despite compliance with tachograph usage often proving a complex and time-consuming undertaking – particularly the process of downloading and analysing tachograph data – robust reporting procedures are essential to ensure compliance.
Consequently, tachograph integrations with advance management software systems have become a cornerstone of industry efforts to minimise this potentially laborious administration, and its impact on business resources.
Webfleet TachoShare from Webfleet Solutions, for example, offers a remote download and archiving module that downloads tachograph data from vehicles and allows third party analysis specialists to access and analyse data in a secure environment.
With traditional, manual downloads, trucks needed to be in a specific location where downloading equipment was available, negatively impacting time on the road. TachoShare removes this requirement, helping fleets to maintain productivity and avoid administrative hassle, while giving the user the compliance tools they need.
Furthermore, TachoShare can be integrated with the tachograph data analysis software of the user’s choice, which means it can be integrated with the existing IT environment with greater simplicity and less disruption.
Strata Logistics, for example, chose to integrate Webfleet with TDi Software’s disc-check solution.
TachoShare takes responsibility away from company drivers by automating the remote download of driver card and vehicle unit data, saving them time through reduced administration. Back-office analysis and reporting are then simplified with disc-check, helping monitor and reduce the likelihood of future infringements.
Strata management also achieved greater control over working hours and shift patterns, with fewer cases of drivers staying out overnight, thanks to access to real time reports for remaining driving time.
Other concerns for driver include navigating rest period protocols. There are times when drivers are required by law to take breaks, but suitable rest stop are not available. This puts them under pressure to find appropriate parking spots or risk DVSA fines for pulling over where it is considered unsafe to do so.
Apps on truck navigation devices, such as Webfleet Solutions’ Pro 8475 tablet, can help alleviate this problem, sending rest break alerts to drivers and pinpointing appropriate truck stop locations.
