COVID-19: How fleet managers can take this pandemic seriously without compromising on projects

The virus that spread across the globe in a month’s time and has multiple nations on emergency mode has been officially classified as a pandemic, pushing people to stay indoors and industries all across the world on an unexpected downward drain. As world leaders are urging the public to take precautions, leaders in the region requested all events to be postponed until further notice as well as school attendance and public gatherings.

On-demand food delivery fleets have already been taking effective action globally and especially in highly infected countries like Italy, where a few startups have already been appropriating a ‘contactless’ food delivery system – in which, payment is made online, and food packages are left on the doorstep of the buyer limiting the need for contact or exposing oneself to the driver and vice versa. 

Airlines around the world have been severely affected due to the fact that passengers are avoiding boarding airplanes for fear of contamination and contacting the virus. In reaction, certain airlines declared unpaid leave for many employees as well as canceled flights to most cities in China, Bahrain, Iran, and other cities in highly infected countries. 

With changes as rapid and as major as these, the fleet industry is also expected to take precautions to limit the spread of the terrible virus as well as keep the working force away from possible health threats. With possibilities like vehicles in the FMCG sector traveling up to 4,500km with unlimited stops per week and bus drivers carrying 40+ passengers at a time, the responsibility to take genuine precautions grows heavy. 

At times like this, the utilization of telematics is as essential as ever especially in fleet management. With vehicles along their operators are moving across countries and meeting with countless individuals delivering goods or transporting passengers, and while sanitizing and keeping social distance are essential, there remains a need for supervision and monitoring especially with certain areas with the virus being so contained. 

Here’s how fleet managers can make use of certain features that may already be installed in the fleet system to help fight against the virus: 

Geo-fences 
While geofencing has many uses in delivering goods or preventing fuel theft and other operations, it can also be beneficial today by using it to eliminate contaminated areas from the usual routes taken. That way limits exposure of operators and goods to the virus. 

RFID 
Through using Radio Frequency Identification, fleet managers can enable cleaners with cards and assure they stay in each vehicle long enough to sanitize it. Encouraging a virus-free bus or machine with an in-hand device that is already available. 

Live View of Vehicles 

If a manager is not available to be physically near a construction site or a pickup location, he or she can simply look at the habits of working hours and limit them accordingly. That way, with working hours shortened, all operators will be at a reduced risk of catching the virus, and the project will not be compromised as the time at work is efficiently distributed and reduced. 

With these, and many other ways, your responsibility towards your operators as well as your society remains thoughtful yet responsible toward your business. 

The Location Solutions team is taking every possible precaution to limit the chances of contacting at all and remains serious about following through with operations. We hope you would, too!