Fleet Compliance Explained
Written by: Marion Hanson, Last updated:30th August 2024
Fleet compliance is all about ensuring your assets are safe. Our informative guide will teach you how to do just this.
When you’re a fleet manager fleet compliance is vital. You want vehicles to have healthy repair times and also be able to be driven safely to their destination and back – not only for safety reasons but also for the law.
What is Fleet Compliance?
Compliance is defined simply as meeting rules and standards, with fleet compliance meaning meeting rules and standards that apply to your fleet – be they cars, pickup trucks, semis, tractors and backhoes.
It involves everything from ensuring vehicles are properly maintained and meet emission standards to ensuring drivers hold the correct licenses and do not exceed working hour limits.
This has spread to the use of technology including GPS tracking and monitoring that practices are in line with privacy laws and regulations such as GDPR.
Why is Fleet Compliance Important?
Staying compliant doesn’t just mean avoiding fines or legal action, it also means running a responsible business that will reduce the risks of accidents and breakdowns taking place, leading to safer roads and lower costs when it comes to vehicle repairs and maintenance.
When it comes to employees, it allows for fair conditions which improves morale and reduces turnover. Allowing for a strong company reputation amongst customers and within the industry, positioning it as both reliable and ethical.
With environmental factors being increasingly important, compliance with emission standards demonstrates a clear commitment to sustainability, further boosting this positive public image.
Tracking technology allows us to streamline these compliance efforts, automate record-keeping and enhance data accuracy when it comes to reporting.
Key Regulations and Laws for Vehicle Tracking
Regulations that ensure safety, privacy and efficiency include the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) – which includes specific vehicle tracking laws and driver privacy statutes.
GDPR first came into effect in May 2018, it discusses how businesses can collect, store, and process data related to their employees, including the data from tracking systems.
Vehicle tracking laws involve the way tracking systems should respect the privacy rights of employees.
Compliance with GDPR and Employee Privacy
Fleet managers who use tracking systems must comply with GDPR as this protects both personal data and location data.
To comply, data collection must be justified and made transparent; obtaining explicit consent from employees to track their vehicle, ensuring data minimisation, and maintaining the integrity and confidentiality of personal data.
Fleet Compliance Best Practices
It is a necessity that you let your drivers know that their fleet vehicles will be fitted with trackers and obtain explicit consent from them regarding this.
Consent should be informed, which means employees must be aware of what data can be collected, how it will be used and who will have access to it. This should be written by the employer as part of their company vehicle policy – with the written copy of consent (signed contract) being kept as a record.
Implementation of Privacy-Friendly Tracking Policies
Tracking policies should respect privacy and reflect legal standards. Fleet managers should ensure policies are clear, accessible, and transparent.
They should include the reasons for data collection, type of data collected, retention period, and data protection measures.
Policies should regularly be reviewed and updated to adapt to legal and operational requirements.
If you allow for company vehicles to be used for both business and personal usage it is important you only track business trips, these include but aren’t limited to:
- Trips needed to complete work, e.g. deliveries.
- Trips between workplaces.
- Client trips and meetings.
- Trips to temporary workplaces such as a building site.
Some tracking devices have on and off switches to help with this and make the switch between business and personal usage easy (driver privacy switches).
Fleet Compliance and Technology
The growing popularity of technology such as telematics, GPS tracking, and privacy switches plays a crucial role in supporting fleet compliance efforts. These telematic systems provide vehicle usage data, driver behaviour, and maintenance needs, this enables fleet managers to ensure compliance with regulations regarding work hours, speed limits and vehicle safety standards.
Route Planning and Management Using Technology
These technologies contribute by optimising fleet operations and allow for efficient route planning. This helps to reduce unnecessary mileage and minimise fuel consumption – which in turn works to comply with environmental regulations.
Furthermore, fleet route optimisation ensures that vehicles adhere to pre-approved routes, allowing restriction-free navigation. This technology not only works to improve operational efficiency but also helps to meet regulatory standards related to emissions, driving times, and rest periods. Adaptions when it comes to real-time routes based on traffic conditions and emergencies further enhance compliance and operational effectiveness.
How to Overcome Compliance Challenges
Achieving and continuing to maintain fleet compliance presents challenges in itself: staying updated with changing regulations, managing data privacy, and ensuring driver adherence to compliance practices.
To ease these challenges, fleet managers should invest in continuous training programmes to educate their drivers and staff about compliance requirements and updates. Implementing comprehensive data management systems can also help to handle and protect sensitive data in line with GDPR and other privacy regulations.
Audits and checks ensure fleets remain compliant with legal and operational standards, allowing the business to avoid fines and penalties.
FAQs
Is it illegal to track a company vehicle in the UK?
If conditions are met, companies can legally track a company car in the UK. These conditions involve employee consent, ensuring tracking is done for legitimate purposes (fleet management, safety, monitoring deliveries), and staying compliant with relevant data protection regulations.
Do Employees Need to be Informed About GPS Tracking in Company Cars?
Transparency is key when it comes to GDPR and other privacy laws. Employees must be informed about GPS tracking, the purpose, data usage, and who has access. Their rights must also be communicated when it comes to their data.
Can a Company Car Tracking System be Used for Timesheet Purposes?
Yes, this can be used legally if it helps with recording the start and end times of employees’ work, especially for fleet drivers who travel significant distances per day. But as mentioned above employees must know about this tracking – with it aligning with privacy laws and employment agreements.
Under What Circumstances Can an Employee Refuse a Tracker in a Company Car?
An Employee can refuse if they believe it will infringe their privacy rights beyond what is necessary for business purposes. In these instances, the employer will need to balance the operational needs of the business with the privacy rights of the employees. If tracking is perceived as intrusive or extends beyond business usage without consent, the employee may have the right to refuse.
Staying Compliant With Fuel Card Services
For more tips and tricks when it comes to fleet management and vehicle tracking, get in touch with one of our helpful team members who will be happy to help you with any questions or concerns you may have.
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