Telematics technology has become commonplace in fleet operations, but according to industry leaders speaking at the AfMA Fleet Conference, the real challenge is no longer collecting data — it’s getting organisations to do something with it.
During a panel discussion moderated by Chris Martin, Senior Manager, Solutions Engineering APAC at Geotab, fleet leaders explored how telematics is evolving from a vehicle tracking tool into a strategic business asset. Yet despite the technology becoming more sophisticated, many organisations still struggle with the human side of implementation.
Michael Mills, who spent eight years managing fleet operations for a major utility before joining FleetGuru.ai as General Manager – Heavy Vehicle Innovation and Advocacy, said resistance to telematics often comes from an unexpected place.
“There was definitely some pushback,” Mills explained. “The resistance came more from a middle management level, because it was more around maybe we don’t want to see. If we see something that’s not favourable, we have to do something about it.”
That reluctance stems from a simple reality.
“If I see it, I can’t unsee it,” Mills said.
Once telematics data highlights speeding incidents, poor driving behaviour, low utilisation or compliance issues, managers are expected to respond. For some organisations, that can be confronting.
Data Doesn’t Create Change
The panel agreed that collecting telematics data is relatively easy compared to creating behavioural change.
“Data alone doesn’t solve the problem,” Martin observed during the discussion.
Mills agreed, saying that technology is only one part of the equation.
“The data will tell you one thing. It’s what you do with it which makes the change,” he said. “As good as the system is, it has to be complemented by exceptional leadership, exceptional culture, being okay to see those things that aren’t too favourable and do something with it.”
For Fleet Managers, this often means shifting the conversation from technology to outcomes.
Rather than focusing on vehicle movements or exceptions, Mills found success by connecting telematics data to broader safety outcomes.
“It was quite easy to move the conversation head to heart around, ‘Hey, the data’s telling us one thing, but what this actually means is that this vehicle was doing something, whether it be illegal or dangerous, in and around members of the community where someone that I know and love may be driving’.”
“That heart conversation was the cut through.”
Winning Over Drivers
While telematics is often associated with driver resistance, the panel suggested those concerns can be overcome through communication and transparency.
Tamara Anderson, Fleet Manager at the South Australian Department for Environment and Water, recalled that many drivers initially viewed telematics as a form of surveillance.
“When we first started it, we had resistance from drivers. It was the ‘Big Brother is watching you’,” Anderson said. “But no one has the time to watch them.”
The department invested heavily in engagement, particularly because employees operate across remote and regional South Australia.
“We engaged, engaged, engaged,” she said. “We made the effort to have informal meetings, presented information to them and really focused on our biggest distractors.”
The approach paid off.
Those who were initially most resistant eventually became advocates for the technology, particularly after experiencing its safety benefits while working in remote areas.
“What happened was we put some additional telematics into vehicles that we knew we had to take out later,” Anderson explained.
“When we took them out, those same distractors were then crying, ‘Put it back in’. They wanted it back in.”
Transparency Builds Trust
One lesson highlighted by Mills was the importance of transparency when introducing telematics. At Essential Energy, the organisation deliberately chose not to implement driver identification during its rollout.
Instead, the focus was placed on the vehicle as a workplace rather than on monitoring individual employees.
“What it allowed us to do was, when you were having a conversation around driver behaviour, you were looking at the same data,” Mills said. “I’m going to let you see everything I can see, so we can have the same conversation. Nothing’s hidden.”
That transparency helped remove suspicion and enabled constructive discussions around safety and performance.
The Value Comes After Installation
For many fleet organisations, the temptation is to justify telematics through immediate financial returns. However, Mills believes that approach misses the point.
“The reality is it’s a safety system and it’s designed to keep our people safe,” he said. “We can’t walk past that.”
While organisations may eventually realise benefits through reduced vehicle usage, improved utilisation, lower maintenance costs, fuel savings, fuel tax credits and Fringe Benefits Tax compliance, those outcomes should be viewed as additional benefits rather than the primary objective.
“A safe vehicle is a cheaper vehicle,” Mills said. “It’s not rocket science.”
Turning Information Into Action
The discussion highlighted a growing reality for modern fleet management.
Most fleets already have access to vast amounts of data. The challenge is no longer visibility. It is creating a culture where people are willing to confront what the data reveals and take action.
As telematics platforms become more connected with maintenance systems, compliance tools, finance platforms and business intelligence software, the value of fleet data will continue to grow.
But the technology itself is only part of the solution.
The organisations achieving the greatest results are not necessarily those with the most sophisticated systems. They are the ones prepared to act on what the data tells them.
And that remains the hardest part of the telematics journey.
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