If you consult with successful and experienced fleet managers, they will all tell you the same thing. The hardest part about fleet management is keeping an eye on your drivers while they are out on the road. This is literally impossible to do.

There are, however, many options you have as a manager that will make you able to ensure that your drivers are behaving responsibly and that your fleet is not being bogged down by unnecessary costs. A new technology known as telematics was introduced before the current economic downfall and was very popular with fleet managers for a time. Things went wrong for telematics fleet management software when the recession came and most fleet managers cut down their costs.

There were two main problems with telematics fleet management software from the fleet manager's perspective. On the one hand, most systems were only available through long-term leases. In an unstable economy, this is a huge mistake. The long-term lease can make a lot of managers feel uneasy, especially when they don't know when it will be time for another budget cut. On the other hand, many managers underestimated the usefulness of the software. When it was time to start cutting out expenses, many marked telematics software at the top of the list. In the long run, this was a bad mistake.

Things have changed in the world of telematics fleet management software. The owners of this technology have realized that the long-term lease was no longer appealing to fleet managers, so they introduced short-term leases. This sparked a new interest in the technology. Suddenly, fleet managers are using this software again and saving more money and keeping a team of safer drivers. The effectiveness of this software, as it turns out, cannot be overestimated.

The key to telematics fleet management software is that it tells the drivers that they are always being watched. This puts a stop to several bad behaviours. First of all, this software encourages drivers to take the quickest and most efficient routes to their destinations. Second, this software promotes safe driving like no other method can. Managers can keep an eye on drivers' speeds, how hard they accelerate, and how often they are stopping and refilling their fuel. This is the closest a fleet manager has ever gotten to being in the car with his or her drivers.

Now that this software is available on a short-term lease, there is no reason not to incorporate this method into your fleet's regular practices.