The Way It Goes Wrong
An owner fits tracking devices, says nothing about it, then surprises a driver with a printout of his driving record. From that day on, the system feels like the enemy, and all the trust in the yard is spent defending it.
There is a better way to do this, and it costs nothing extra.
The Sequence That Works
- Tell the team before the devices are fitted, and explain plainly what is being measured and why.
- Measure for four weeks with no punishments attached.
- Put the results up where everyone can see them. Use names, not codes.
- Reward the top three drivers every month. Small, regular rewards work better than large, rare ones.
- Coach the bottom three privately, with the data shown to them openly rather than used against them.
Keep it to four things
Speeding, hard braking, hard acceleration and seatbelt use. Add anything more and the score stops being something a driver can actually act on.
Drivers do not mind being measured. They mind being measured in secret and judged behind closed doors.
What You Get Back
Fewer crashes, so fewer claims on your record. Lower fuel use, because smooth driving and fuel-efficient driving are the same thing. Less wear on brakes and tyres. And solid proof to defend yourself the day someone claims your driver was at fault.
The Part Owners Forget
Show a driver their own results on screen. A driver who can watch his score improve takes ownership of it. A driver who only ever hears about it in a meeting does not.
Sources
- · MGFleet driver coaching method, 2026
- · Fleet safety programme design literature
- · Operator interviews across Caribbean fleets, 2025-2026
