Driver Scorecards – gaining driver acceptance
Driver scorecards can help make a significant difference to both fleet safety and your bottom-line.
Implementing driver scorecards is likely to meet with some resistance from drivers. Real-time monitoring of their every driving action may feel “big brother-like” to some. The key to gaining acceptance is to communicate clearly to drivers exactly what they will be measured and scored upon, how this data will be used, and that it will be universally implemented across all drivers and vehicles. This is in effect a cultural shift toward greater accountability.
Fleet managers who have implemented score carding and monitoring systems have advised the following key approaches to gaining driver buy-in:
- Consider an incentives program based on scorecard results to position scorecarding as a rewards mechanism (for bonuses or awards).
- Convey the expected overall company benefits – from safety to fuel efficiencies to reduced insurance premiums, make the case for “why”.
- Communicate clearly how the scorecard system will work to eliminate any misinformation or wrong assumptions.
- Schedule a Q&A to interface openly with drivers to discuss their concerns and address any issues pre-emptively and openly.
It’s worth noting that scoring drivers has moved beyond the realm of individual companies to encompass the industry as a whole. Consider that a new fleet safety rating system – know as Comprehensive Safety Analysis (CSA) 2010 – is now being implemented across North America to score fleets and drivers on their safety performance. This underscores the burgeoning move toward greater safety and driver accountability.
Let’s face it – with new technologies and increased pressures on safe driving, driver monitoring and scorecards are becoming a fact of life.