Technology is moving forward in the fleet industry, and gathering data for analytics is just one way that fleets benefit. Analytics can help every aspect of fleet management and productivity, from maintenance to safety to streamlining everyday operations. Knowing how to use this data is vital to taking advantage of all of the technology at the modern fleet’s disposal. Fleet management software such as Azuga’s can generate advanced analytics reports that make digesting information straightforward and easy. How can businesses harness these reports to grow? We will break down the different types of analytics and explain how to use them.
Descriptive Analytics
Descriptive analytics uses historical data to create a picture of the past. These types of reports help you find patterns from the past and learn from them. Understanding historical data is crucial in making decisions about the future. Examples of descriptive analytics for fleets include data regarding how much fuel vehicles use over time or how much time drivers spend idling during a specific period. Fuel costs are one of the most significant expenses that fleets face. Managers can use this data to choose a different route or create new policies on idling to save money on fuel. Decisions like these based on descriptive analytics can be a massive benefit to fleet companies.
Predictive Analytics
Predictive analytics uses machine learning, models, and statistics to create a picture of the future. This kind of report is helpful for many different aspects across the fleet. One of these aspects is fleet maintenance. Predictive analytics can estimate when a part or vehicle will need care and alert fleet managers before mechanical failure occurs. Correcting the problem before it leads to a breakdown saves time and money.
Predictive analytics can also promote driver safety by tracking driver behavior and estimating when they may be distracted or drowsy. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, distracted driving killed 3,142 people in 2019, and drowsy driving killed 1,550. These are both serious issues that must be avoided at all costs, and predictive analytics allows fleet managers to correct the behavior in real-time. This technology is vital not only for the productivity of the fleet but the driver’s safety and the safety of everyone on the road.
Prescriptive Analytics
Prescriptive analytics is similar to predictive analytics in that it deals with the future, but prescriptive analytics proposes a course of action in response to a given situation instead of simply providing data. Fleet managers use this every day in the form of route optimization software. This software takes data from traffic, weather, jobs, GPS, and more to create the most cost-effective route for drivers to take. It is instrumental in streamlining the workflow process, so fleet managers don’t have to constantly contact drivers with updates while they are trying to work.
This type of analytics is also used for safety, just like predictive analytics. It lends itself to accident prevention by assigning risk levels to specific events and making decisions based on these risk levels. This modern method of accident prevention combines telematics data, location information, and historical information and prescribes training or alternate routes to encourage safety for drivers. It is the way of the future for keeping fleets safe.
Diagnostic Analytics
Diagnostic analytics is similar to descriptive analytics. The goal is to understand something that has already happened. When a fleet manager wants to find the source of a problem in their fleet, they will turn to diagnostic analytics. If descriptive analytics tells the manager fuel use has been high, diagnostic analytics can determine that it was from excessive idling over the past month. It is handy for getting to the root of any fleet problem. Fleet managers can use these reports to make decisions for the betterment of their fleet based on solid, sound data.
Conclusion
Analytics is a necessity for any fleet. At first, it seems daunting to understand, but fleet management software like Azuga creates clear and concise reports that outline the data you need and nothing more. It’s incredible what you can learn from analytics and what it can do for you. You can make decisions knowing that you have reliable data to back you up. To get started tracking data and seeing reports, reach out to the experts at Azuga today. We are the leaders in fleet technology and can help you guide your fleet to maximum efficiency.
