Tracking Growth
These two technologies are gaining traction with fleet professionals.
I am watching two growing things, telematics and electric vehicle sales. The first is growing in the new territory of regulatory compliance, while the second is still growing despite the flood of news reports to the contrary.
I have changed my opinion of telematics, which has been around for a quarter century now. I listened to many pitches for a product that would give me instant reports of data I already had available, such as odometer readings and fuel consumption. As for tracking vehicle locations and travel, this was a concern for the operating managers, not the fleet manager, and if they were not interested in this then neither was I.
Benefits of telematics
I am currently working on improving driver compliance with commercial vehicle regulations, such as hours of service and daily vehicle checks. I have seen a remarkable ability in telematics to automate much of these procedures, making it easier and faster for drivers to make complete records that will pass inspection. The avoidance of fines and failing regulatory audits are strong incentives to put a telematics solution in place.
I recently spent a day at a leading telematics vendor’s head office with about sixty other fleet managers and their colleagues. These were a mix of private delivery fleets and municipalities.
For municipalities, completing assigned routes to meet minimum maintenance standards has been difficult to measure. This work includes snow clearing, leaf collection, waste collection, pothole remediation and grass trimming. The problem was using paper maps to guide the drivers, which is expensive and time-consuming.
Telematics can provide turn-by-turn navigation for drivers and proof that maintenance has been done. It can also provide evidence to respond to claims for damage. This has the attention of operating managers now. I am hearing them asking for telematics not just to be aware of where their drivers are, but for important data that helps them work efficiently.
The case of a propane delivery service provided an interesting case study. This is a service for mainly rural customers, including farms and vacation homes, often with long single-lane driveways that can be difficult for heavy trucks. Knowing where to dispatch a single axle truck, instead of a tandem, can make or break a day for a driver.
EV adoption
The situation with electric vehicle sales is unexpected. I thought the removal of government incentives in Canada and the United States would slow down sales of EVs in 2025 but the opposite is happening. Curiously, there is also a rising market for used EVs. Some sources write that the early-adopter phase has ended, and that the mass adoption phase that should happen next will fizzle. There is a lot of noise about the lack of public recharging, which is drowning out announcements of new locations opening. One of the most important is the Electric Circuit megawatt charging facility for transport trucks in Quebec, the first of its kind in eastern North America.
Chinese EVs
There is a debate about removing the 100% tariff on Chinese EVs imported to Canada. EV enthusiasts see this as critical to getting more affordable EVs and increasing market penetration. The auto industry, particularly the Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association, says this will severely harm existing auto businesses. I am impressed by the APMA’s level-headed, sensible leadership responding to American tariffs, and their support for a Canadian EV industry, and listen to their advice.
Electric vehicles are established in many fleets, despite the meagre choices that are suitable for many of them. The best way to see if they work as well as traditional gas-powered vehicles is to try them.
