Northgate has reported rapid growth in demand for telematics as fleets look to improve vehicle and driver efficiency.

Northgate now has more than 10,500 telematics units in use across its customers’ fleets and non-Northgate hire vehicles

The van and mobility solutions specialist now has more than 10,500 telematics units in use across its customers’ fleets and non-Northgate hire vehicles – and says demand is rising from smaller operators too.

Camera telematics is seeing the biggest rise in fleet popularity, giving fleets access to vehicle usage footage. This allows both driver behaviour monitoring capabilities and the ability to interrogate footage should a vehicle be involved in a road traffic incident.

Northgate said the rapid increase in demand comes from businesses looking to safeguard their drivers and reduce insurance premiums from building more accurate driver risk profiles.

Northgate’s telematics offering provides multiple levels of functionality, including live vehicle tracking, journey history, out-of-hours and vehicle use monitoring, which are featured as standard, with data-driven reports helping the effective utilisation of vehicles.

Additional features such as bespoke out-of-hours reporting, driver behaviour alerts, a full report suite as well as access to performance dashboards, real-time alerts via SMS and alert-driven front facing cameras are also available.

Northgate’s system records multiple data points from journey history and average speeds to vehicle idling times. The reporting software then arms fleet managers with the information needed to maximise the efficient use of fleets.

Telematics is also seeing rising demand due to its vital role in LCV electrification strategies. The technology measures vehicle usage as part of the process of identifying which vehicles and drivers are most suitable in trialling electric vehicles for the first time.

Telematics provision forms a crucial first step for fleets looking to transition to EVs as a key component in Northgate’s Drive to Zero fleet electrification programme.

The data captured by Northgate builds an accurate picture of vehicle usage, from which an EV suitability report is generated, before a robust transition programme is designed and implemented.

Joshua Hooper, head of product development at Northgate, commented: “The growth in demand for our telematics packages continues to accelerate from our customers and for vehicles forming part of a mixed fleet. Fleet managers increasingly want to know how their vehicles are being driven in the real-world, and this data-driven approach is paying off for safety, efficiency and building a databank in advance of electrification.

“Northgate’s telematics packages are not just helpful to large fleets; we are seeing a significant number of businesses with fewer than 10 vehicles signing up for the service as well. Whether a business is looking to manage its fleet more effectively and drive efficiency gains or wanting to build an accurate picture of fleet usage as an initial step towards electrification, telematics can help,” he added.

• Northgate has also newly launched its micromobility programme to offer rental customers a range of electric vehicle solutions. Debuted at last month’s Great British Fleet Event, the line-up includes electric utility vehicles and e-cargo bikes – enabling operators to cut costs and emissions while gaining major convenience and productivity benefits too.