Prioritize your winter fleet operations: GPS fleet tracking & safety for Public Works

For public works departments, operations don’t stop when snow begins to fall. These services are needed across most of the United States. In fact, according to the U.S. Federal Highway Administration, more than 70% of U.S. roads are located in regions that receive more than five inches of snowfall annually, and more than 70% of the nation’s population lives in those regions. 

As public works fleets prepare for the winter season, they face operational risks that are not applicable during the warmer months. 

Winter weather brings additional fleet concerns

Fleets need to keep a close eye on where vehicles and equipment are throughout the year, but this becomes even more important as the fall and winter months bring treacherous weather conditions. 

During the winter season, vehicle and driver productivity, safety and maintenance are all key concerns.

• Vehicle productivity: According to the U.S. Federal Highway Administration, snow and ice can reduce freeway speeds by 3-13% in light snow and up to 40% in heavy snow. The winter months can also see more frequent stops, additional miles covered and increased idle time. 
• Safe winter operations: Twenty-four percent of weather-related crashes occur in snow or icy conditions, and 15% happen due to snowfall or sleet, per the U.S. Federal Highway Administration. Safety is paramount given the increase in hazardous road conditions on snow-covered highways where drivers may be on the road for long night shifts and into the early morning hours.
• Additional maintenance concerns: During the harsh winter months and the busy holiday season, keeping vehicles up and running is essential. Access to engine diagnostics data is critical to help identify issues before they result in major breakdowns and repairs.

GPS fleet tracking tools can help government fleets gain visibility and accountability into each job. Regardless of season, public works departments can also use technology to help control fuel and other costs while using analytics to improve response time and customer service.

Peace of mind: How GPS tracking can provide proof of service

For public works fleets that provide snow removal services in the winter months, transparency and communication with their community is key. Departments can use GPS fleet tracking data to prove that snow removal service was provided while also addressing general work-management challenges. 

Dashboards enable departments to view and store important historical data about their snowplow fleets, which allows them to amass a permanent record of work completed, work orders requested and proof-of-service information (like photos and accurate timestamps). This can go a long way toward supporting an account of how, when and where work was done.

One public works fleet, the Mason County Road Commission, has over 230 miles of county roads and 716 miles of local roads to maintain in Western Michigan. By adding a fleet management solution that integrated with a snow removal operations app, they can track and manage their fleet, enhancing transparency for residents who can now check the status of road plowing operations online.

“I can find anybody at any given time and if there's trouble, we can know about it right away, " said Mary Samuels, Director and Manager, Mason County Road Commission. “And that definitely helps answer some of our phone calls. I just love being able to track the trucks and just know that everything's good.”

How to choose the right technology

Choosing the right GPS tracking software and telematics solution is important. It needs to provide enough detail and flexibility to manage multiple types of vehicles and assets, across all seasons. In general, it’s important to look for a solution that provides:

• Access from virtually anywhere: The ability to view data and maps on a mobile device at any time
• Detailed maps: Letting you view near real-time activity and current status of all vehicles, workers and equipment
• Easy-to-use dashboards: Showing you up-to-the-minute fleet analytics

To find out more about how your fleet can prioritize efficiency, safety and maintenance benefits in the winter months and all year round, download our eBook, Verizon Connect Reveal for Public Works.