Businesses seeking detailed information about their vehicles and driver behavior now have increased data visibility thanks to a connected vehicle program through Merchants Fleet. Data obtained through the program can help businesses identify vehicles in need of maintenance, monitor driver behavior to improve safety, detect and mitigate fraud, and track vehicle location for schedule & route optimization.
The connected vehicle option was announced to Merchants Fleet clients during the company’s first annual Fleet Summit at its new headquarters this fall. The program is currently undergoing proof of concept with select Merchants clients and the program is expected to be fully released in 2020.
Merchants anticipates that connected vehicle data will seamlessly allow businesses to unlock opportunities in productivity for another appointment or call for the day. It will also present opportunities to leverage driver gamification, which has the potential to reduce unwanted driver behaviors by over 70% and lower violations and loss rates.
The program involves a partnership with Motorq, a connected car data and analytics platform.
“Connected vehicles are going to transform how businesses make data-driven decisions,” said Kurt Taylor, IT Director of TotalView at Merchants Fleet. “Technology partners like Motorq are providing a critical piece of the connected technology puzzle by taking multiple vehicle data streams and creating one streamlined source so our clients can access data that is secure, normalized, and accurate. This is an important way for our clients to identify safety challenges and increase efficiencies.”
The model for the program is to take data transmitted from participating automotive original equipment manufacturers [OEMs] and aggregate and normalize it into a single stream. Currently four OEMs are participating, and the number is expected to grow. This stream can then be delivered to businesses in an easily-accessible format via Merchants Fleet’s technology platform TotalView, which businesses can log into to view their detailed fleet data.
“We are energized by Merchants Fleet’s vision to do the best for their clients, leveraging new data and technologies,” said Arun Rajagopalan, co-founder and CEO of Motorq. “Merchants has worked hard to execute on this vision – leveraging OEM partnerships and designing data-driven products – and Motorq is excited to collaborate with the Merchants team”.
About Merchants Fleet: Merchants Fleet is the fastest growing fleet management company nationally. Merchants provides clients with the most high-touch service and innovative experience across the industry, from individual vehicles to enterprise-level fleets, with flexible terms from three months to seven years. Our unique technology platforms coupled with specialized fleet teams provide the most comprehensive FleetTech solutions to drive proven results. Find out more at merchantsfleet.com.
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