Vehicle Cameras for Fleet Management

by Lynn Rios | Aug 26, 2019 | DashCams, Fleet Management, GPS Tracking, Risk - Safety

Vehicle cameras are becoming more and more popular as a fleet management tool.

As with any new tool, it takes time to understand the best ways to leverage camera use on your fleet vehicles. When selecting and setting up your vehicle camera system, managing consumption to avoid data overage needs to be considered. Ask yourself some questions when you begin.

What information will be most beneficial to you in video format?

How do you plan to use it?

Who will be responsible for reviewing it?

There are several different types of camera systems, designed for different purposes, and it is important to select the system that will record and deliver the specific type of video record you need. No longer are dashcams just a risk management measure to have a record in case of an accident. Forward-facing dashcams monitor the road and potential hazards in front of the vehicle. They can stand alone or be used with peripheral cameras.

Some systems also have an interior view of the cab to record what the driver is doing. Adding side, rear, and cargo area cameras can provide valuable information as well as security. Our camera systems integrate with the Geotab tracking platform for fuller functionality.

Automatic Event Recording

Vehicle cameras designed to record events are primarily used to document the conditions an event occurs. Events may be predefined by the camera system or you can define them yourself when integrated with your vehicle tracking system. Being selective about how many of your rules generate email notifications helps to limit unnecessary email overload. In the same way, be selective about the rules you choose to trigger video downloads to avoid data overage.

Speeding is a common rule that you may want to trigger a video download, but if you have several speed rules, choose carefully the one that triggers the video. A rule like 5 mph over the posted speed limit can trigger often and use up your data plan in a hurry.

Cameras with AI

Other vehicle camera systems use artificial intelligence to identify events. They can identify speeding, lane drift, following too closely, even road obstructions. Combined with a smartphone app, these systems give feedback to the driver to avoid potential hazards. With an in-cab view, cameras with AI can also identify and record cell phone use and smoking events.

Live Feed

Some business models such as the Security industry may benefit from live feed capability from vehicle cameras. Supervisors can view live video to consult with and advise the field employee. Managers can view job site progress and several jobs without leaving the office. Live feeds need to be used responsibly. If you forget to turn off the feed and leave for lunch, extreme data overage is the likely result.

You can see examples of video from a variety of cameras as well as installation tips on our YouTube channel.

Monitor your Data Consumption

If your system offers a feature to monitor how much data you have used, check weekly to see that you are within your data plan limits. Becoming familiar with how much data you are using will allow you to get the most out of your vehicle camera system without incurring costly overages.

What’s New in MyGeotab Version 1903

by Lynn Rios | Aug 22, 2019 | Fleet Management, Geotab, GPS Tracking

MyGeotab Version 1903 Coming Soon to your MyGeotab UI

Let’s take a look at some of the newest features and revisions.

UI Enhancements

In MyGeotab version 1903 the changes are subtle but very effective. The “View” button has been more appropriately named “Reports” and you can download reports without first viewing them in the browser. Surely that will save lots of time and help new users to get around more easily. A “My Location” button has been added to the menu. This will help users visualize where vehicles are in relation to where the user is and can be used much like the “Nearest” selection available from zones. Now I am here. Who is closest to me? The Trips History report in browser view has been revised to separate driving and stopped time in separate rows for clarity. You will find that this improves readability because critical data is now set apart. Other report revisions you will welcome are on the Vehicles report. Additional columns can be added or hidden and rearranged in the order you prefer, Your newly created view will automatically save for future use. The group name is now shown under the vehicle name, and a red icon identifies vehicles that have not reported. No way to miss that!

More Cool Stuff in MyGeotab Version 1903

When editing zones or geofences, the zone editor window now has 2 tabs, one for properties and one to view the zone on the map. This will make zone edits faster and easier. There are also some new reports coming to the Marketplace. If you have “feature preview” turned on in your user settings, you will find the Purge feature is now accessible as well. You can set the system to automatically purge data older than a specified time frame. So watch for the changes and be sure to call us if you have any questions. Follow this link if you want to see the full list of updates included in MyGeotab Version 1903, including updates to the SDK.

Required in Cab ELD Info – How to Stay Compliant

by Lynn Rios | Aug 19, 2019 | Fleet Management, FMCSA-ELD-DVIR, Geotab, Industry Info

ELD Info – What is required?

Beginning on December 18, 2017, a driver using an ELD must have an ELD information packet onboard the commercial motor vehicle (CMV) containing the following items:

A user’s manual for the driver describing how to operate the ELD;
An instruction sheet describing the data transfer mechanisms supported by the ELD and step-by-step instructions to produce and transfer the driver’s hours-of-service records to an authorized safety official;
An instruction sheet for the driver describing ELD malfunction reporting requirements and recordkeeping procedures during ELD malfunctions; and
A supply of blank driver’s records of duty status (RODS) graph-grids sufficient to record the driver’s duty status and other related information for a minimum of 8 days.

The problem with a paper manual is keeping it up to date as the rules and technology changes. FMCSA has acknowledged in their FAQ that electronic documents meet their requirements.

What’s the Solution? The ELD Info add in!

Never worry about having the required in vehicle documents, updates, and training again. Just install the free ELD info add-in from the Geotab Marketplace. Your drivers can access it from their dashboard in Geotab Drive. The add-in includes direct links to the latest versions of the required documents listed above (except for the paper logs required in the event of ELD malfunction). It also has training videos, important contacts, announcements about updates to the app and workflow documents. The add-in is absolutely free, but you must access the Marketplace from your MyGeotab account to install it.