A major construction safety equipment has reported significant driver wellbeing benefits following the adoption of Geotab and SureCam technology in Europcar’s long-term rental vans.
Europcar’s partnership with telematics firm Geotab and dashcam specialist SureCam went live in December 2020 and means long-term van and truck rental customers can access a combined telematics and video solution to bring insights on driving behaviour and fleet usage.
The benefits of the tie-up have already been demonstrated at BCS Group, one of the UK’s leading suppliers of safety and construction products and services.
It’s had 50 Europcar commercial vehicles on long-term rental installed with the technology and has also set up reporting that monitors specific high-risk driving behaviours and generates Driver Safety Scorecards.
“The combination of having vehicles on long-term rental with the integrated technology has been very useful for BCS Group in a number of ways,” continued Nathan Phipps, fleet supervisor, BCS Group. “Europcar’s long-term rental service means we can have a fleet that is fit for purpose for our business needs without having to make the financial commitments typical of leasing. And, through the Geotab and SureCam partnership, we benefit from insight that usually would only be accessible in contract or owned vehicles.
“The introduction of this technology has delivered both driver safety and cost benefits for BCS Group. We have seen a marked improvement in driving styles. It has meant a reduction in light damage on vehicles, which otherwise would add to our business costs, as well as a reduction in fuel usage.
“From the point of view of driver education, the picture quality is very clear, so we have been able to use the videos to support training programmes within the business. Plus, at a strategic level, having the ability to ‘test’ the technology in partnership with Europcar has helped us understand how we might be able to use it in our owned vehicle fleet too.”
The other advantage for BCS Group is the ability to manage light damage costs and insurance claims more efficiently.
“The instant alerts, combined with video content from the scene of an incident, are invaluable,” concluded Phipps. “The high alerts are checked daily and we can download, save and use the video footage to defend against spurious insurance claims.”
