In many companies, vehicles in the fleet can be driven by different drivers, according to driver and vehicle availability. If that’s the case, you need a way of knowing immediately when drivers change, so that you can coordinate communications and register the trips executed by each driver.
Let's consider this situation:
- You get a speed camera ticket in the mail.
- The vehicle’s license plate is clearly identified and you use Frotcom’s records to confirm that the vehicle was indeed speeding at the place and time reported by the police.
- You need to speak to the driver.
- The vehicle was used by various drivers and you cannot determine who was driving the vehicle at that particular time.
Situations like the one above can occur without automatic driver identification, especially with companies where optimization of fleet and personnel require frequent driver reassignment.
The automatic driver identification is used to keep track of which driver was assigned to any given trip.
The following methods are used by Frotcom for automatic driver identification:
● iButton -This is a key-ring emitter that transmits a unique ID code associated with each driver.
The identification module is composed of an iButton reader and a buzzer to be installed on the dashboard of the vehicle and connected to the Frotcom GPS tracker.
Each driver is given a personal iButton emitter in the form of a small key-ring. The driver simply touches the iButton reader with the iButton emitter to be identified as the driver prior to starting a new trip.
A beep sounds and the driver’s identification is sent to the Frotcom Data Centre.
If the driver does not identify himself/herself prior to starting a new trip, the buzzer will sound loudly. If the trip proceeds and no identification is received, an alarm is triggered in Frotcom, which can, for instance, generate a notification to the fleet manager or another person in the company. These reactions can be easily configured according to the needs of your company.
For this feature to work, you have to fill in the RFID field of each driver in Administration > Drivers > General.
● RFID card - This is an alternative ID code emitter in the form of a credit card.
In this alternative, the driver identification module is composed of an RFID reader and a buzzer to be installed on the dashboard of the vehicle and connected to the Frotcom GPS tracker.
Each driver is given an RFID card, an emitter in the form and size of a credit card and customizable with your company logo.
The driver holds the card close to the RFID receiver to be identified, prior to starting a new trip.
A beep sounds and the driver’s identification is sent to the Frotcom Data Centre.
If the driver does not identify himself/herself prior to starting a new trip, the buzzer will sound loudly. If the trip proceeds and no identification is received, an alarm is triggered in Frotcom, which can, for instance, generate a notification to the fleet manager or another person in the company. These reactions can be easily configured according to the needs of your company.
For this feature to work properly, you have to fill in the RFID field of each driver in Administration > Drivers > General.
● Identification using tachograph driver cards - In Europe, heavy commercial vehicles are equipped with digital tachographs. Frotcom can identify the drivers automatically when they insert their cards in the tachographs.
In this case, Frotcom obtains the driver’s identification as soon as the driver’s identification card is inserted in the vehicle’s tachograph.
This feature has to be activated in the tracking device, which has to be connected to truck’s CANBus. You have to fill in the driver card number of each driver.
When a different driver card is detected in the tachograph, its number is sent to Frotcom Data Center. The corresponding driver is then automatically associated to the vehicle, which in turn is reflected on following trips, until a different driver identification is received.
For this feature to work, you have to fill in the tachograph driver number in Administration > Drivers > General.
● Workforce management login - If drivers use Frotcom’s Workforce management onboard terminals, they can be identified when they login into the Workforce management app.
For this feature to work, you have to use the Workforce management module.
● Driver app - Drivers using the Driver app can Select and Change their Vehicles and Assets. They can also identify their Vehicles and Assets using QR Codes:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For all methods above, the automatic driver identification has also the following particularities:
- Validity of an identification
The driver has 2 minutes, after identifying himself/herself, to start ignition. If the ignition is only started after that period of time, a new identification is needed.
- Alerts
Drivers should be aware that the lack of identification before a trip is started may trigger an alert in the office (configurable by the company).
NOTE: If you want to have the immobilizer controlled by the Driver ID, click here.
If you need further clarification, please contact your Frotcom Certified Partner. You can find the contacts of the Frotcom Certified Partners here.
Comments