Hiring top-tier drivers is a critical challenge for any fleet manager. To be sure, finding reliable, efficient, and safe drivers feels like rolling the dice. Resumes tell one story; real performance is a whole different game. You need to see them in action to know if they truly fit your team and recognize the risky or wasteful driving habits you don’t want in your business.

Meanwhile, driver shortage is putting the squeeze on fleet managers everywhere. It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking, “Anyone who fills the seat is good enough.” But here’s the truth—certain driving behaviors can drain your profits and, worse, put lives at risk. However, these behaviors aren’t necessarily dealbreakers. Instead, they demand coaching, training, and incentives to steer your fleet toward success.

So, what should you watch out for? Let’s break down the 4 most important ones:

Risky Driving Habits

1. Speeding

Speeding is a reckless gamble with safety that silently kills profits. Every lead-footed acceleration, every burst of speed, burns through fuel budgets like a blowtorch. There is also the liability risk. A single speeding violation can become an insurance premium nightmare, not to mention a blow to your brand reputation. In today’s hyper-connected world, a reputation for unsafe driving spreads fast, impacting customer trust and your bottom line.

Beyond the financial drain, speeding escalates the potential for catastrophic accidents. For example, in 2022, speeding was a factor in 29% of all traffic fatalities, resulting in 12,151 deaths. This means that nearly a third of all lives lost on our roads involved excessive speed. Furthermore, the severity of injuries intensifies with increased speed. At higher velocities, the force of impact multiplies, making crashes far more likely to result in severe or fatal outcomes.

(Embedded Video – Crash)

How to Catch It:

• Precision GPS Tracking: Forget vague estimates. Real-time, granular speed monitoring pinpoints when and where a driver pushes the limits. This provides you with the data you need for targeted coaching and preventative action.
• AI-Powered Dash Cams: AI dash cams record and analyze what they see constantly. They flag aggressive acceleration, sudden braking, and, of course, speeding. This provides evidence for coaching sessions and, more importantly, helps you identify and mitigate risky behaviors before they lead to accidents.

2. Distracted Driving

We’ve all seen the glance at a phone, the hurried bite of a sandwich, the fumble with the navigation. While appearing harmless, this type of action creates a pervasive problem: distracted driving. A lapse in focus—a mere second of diverted attention—can transform into a collision. The consequences are stark: destruction, injuries, and a cascade of costly legal battles that can cripple a business. In today’s litigious society, even a single distracted driving incident can lead to lawsuits that threaten your company’s stability and reputation.

How to Catch It:

• Driver-Facing AI Dash Cams: Modern cameras for driver behavior monitoring are sophisticated detection devices for risky driving habits. AI algorithms analyze driver behavior instantly, identifying telltale signs of distraction. They can pinpoint phone use, detect drowsiness through facial cues, and recognize other forms of inattention. This provides concrete, actionable data that can be used for targeted driver coaching and intervention.

Wasteful Driving Habits

3. Excessive Idling

Every minute of your fleet’s engines running while parked is a drain on your operational budget, escalating costs and diminishing your bottom line. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, heavy-duty trucks can consume approximately 0.8 to 1.0 gallons of diesel fuel per hour while idling. Multiply that across your entire fleet, and you’re looking at thousands of dollars in annual losses—money that could be productively reinvested.

Beyond the direct fuel costs, excessive idling leads to increased engine wear, shorter maintenance intervals, and a larger carbon footprint, which can affect finances and show a lack of environmental responsibility.

How to Catch It:

• Idle Time Reports: These reports rely on GPS tracking and engine diagnostics to pinpoint when, where, and for how long each vehicle idles, revealing patterns and identifying areas. Thus, you get actionable intelligence that empowers you to make informed decisions to optimize fuel consumption and curb wasteful driving habits.

4. Moonlighting

Whether it’s a driver picking up ride-shares in your company truck or hauling personal loads after hours, moonlighting leads to accelerated vehicle wear and tear, spiking fuel consumption, and a premature need for costly maintenance. Beyond the financial costs, consider the human factor: fatigued drivers behind the wheel. After a long shift and an extra side gig, they’re operating your vehicles with diminishing alertness, increasing the risk of accidents. This fatigue also creates compliance problems, as drivers might violate hours-of-service regulations.

• GPS Tracking: By monitoring routes and usage patterns, you can detect deviations from established work schedules and identify suspicious activity to protect your investments and ensure responsible vehicle use.
• Odometer and Fuel Reports: These tools provide a critical oversight layer. Unexpected mileage spikes that don’t align with scheduled routes or work hours are a red flag. You can identify discrepancies and investigate potential moonlighting activities by analyzing these reports.

How To Take Action

With AI-powered dash cams and GPS tracking, you can move beyond gut feelings and monitor actual driver performance.

What You Get with The Right Tools

• Real-time alerts for immediate course correction.
• Data-backed coaching to improve driver habits.
• Performance reports to track improvement over time.

The Bottom Line: Smart Fleets Monitor and Improve

Your fleet is only as good as your drivers. Instead of rolling the dice on their driving habits, take control. The right technology detects dangerous or wasteful behaviors and helps correct them before they become costly problems.

Want to see how GPS Trackit can transform your bottom line? Let’s talk.