Telematics data is one of the most powerful tools available to fleet managers, yet many still fail to maximise its potential. Joy Bailer, CEO of Telematics 411, has built her career helping fleets make the most of the Geotab ecosystem, ensuring they get a return on their investment and streamline operations. As the number one contributor to the Geotab Community Forum, Joy has seen firsthand how fleets worldwide struggle with the same challenges—and how those challenges can be overcome with the right approach.
During Geotab Connect 2025, we sat down with Joy to discuss the biggest opportunities fleets have when they unlock telematics data, the most common mistakes fleet managers make, and her top recommendations for turning data into actionable insights.
The Global Challenges of Fleet Management
One of Joy’s key takeaways from working with fleets across different countries and industries is that the challenges are universal. Whether a fleet is in Australia, the U.S., Europe, or elsewhere, fleet managers consistently face the same issues:
- High fuel costs due to excessive idling
- Safety concerns, including speeding and harsh braking
- Lack of visibility into vehicle maintenance
- Inefficient utilisation of fleet assets
The problem, she explains, is not the availability of data—modern telematics systems like Geotab provide enormous amounts of information. Instead, it’s knowing how to interpret, prioritise, and act on that data that makes the difference.
“A lot of fleets think that just plugging in a telematics device will solve all their problems, but the reality is that if you don’t set it up properly, you’ll just be overwhelmed with data that isn’t actually valuable,” she explains. “The key is to start with your biggest challenges and take a phased approach.”
Top Three Recommendations for Fleets Using Telematics Data
With her deep expertise, Joy has developed a structured approach that helps fleets maximise telematics technology. Here are the top three areas she focuses on when helping a new client get the most from their Geotab system.
1. Reducing Idling to Save on Fuel Costs
Idling is one of the most common and costly inefficiencies in fleet management. Joy describes it as low-hanging fruit that can deliver immediate savings.
“If you have 100 vehicles idling unnecessarily, you’re wasting thousands of dollars in fuel. Some fleets save millions per year just by addressing idling,” she says.
Her approach is data-driven and targeted:
- Identify the worst offenders: Rather than overwhelming managers with fleet-wide data, she pinpoints the top 20% of vehicles responsible for 80% of excessive idling.
- Geofence known idling zones: For vehicles that must idle due to operational needs (such as those with power take-off systems), geofencing ensures that these areas are excluded from reports.
- Set realistic targets: Managers receive weekly updates on idling reduction progress, making it easier to track improvements.
2. Improving Safety with Targeted Driver Coaching
Fleet safety is another high-priority concern, and telematics data can help fleet managers proactively address risky behaviours. However, Joy warns that blanket policies don’t work—safety improvements should be incremental and focused.
“Instead of overwhelming your team with reports on every driver, focus on your top five worst-performing drivers and work with them first. Once they improve, move on to the next group,” she advises.
Common safety metrics include:
- Speeding violations
- Harsh braking and acceleration
- Cornering incidents
- Seatbelt compliance
By implementing automated alerts and driver scorecards, fleets can encourage safer driving habits without the need for constant manual intervention.
3. Ensuring Proper Vehicle Maintenance
Poor maintenance management leads to higher downtime, increased costs, and vehicle failures. Joy helps fleets optimise their maintenance schedules by using telematics data to:
- Track real-time odometer readings to prevent overdue servicing
- Set up automated alerts for upcoming oil changes, brake inspections, and other key maintenance tasks.
- Measure downtime in workshops by using geo-fencing to track how long vehicles spend at service centres.
“Many fleets don’t realise they already have vehicles sitting unused or spending too much time in workshops,” Joy explains. “By measuring downtime, they can make better purchasing decisions instead of adding more vehicles unnecessarily.”
Avoiding Common Mistakes
Joy highlights some key mistakes that prevent fleets from getting the most out of their telematics investment:
1. Treating Telematics as a Simple GPS Tracker
One of the most common pitfalls is using telematics only for vehicle location tracking. While live GPS mapping is useful, it’s only a fraction of what telematics can do.
“If you’re only using telematics to see where your vehicles are, you’re missing 90% of its value,” she says.
2. Ignoring Driver Training
Many fleets implement safety monitoring but fail to close the loop with training. Simply identifying poor driving behaviour isn’t enough—managers need to proactively coach drivers to improve performance.
3. Overloading Managers with Too Much Data
A major mistake is sending every possible alert and report to managers, leading to data fatigue.
“Set up dashboards that align with your goals. If fuel savings are the priority, focus on idling and fuel reports. If safety is key, prioritise driver behaviour alerts,” Joy advises.
The Power of Customisation
Joy’s biggest piece of advice for fleets using telematics is customisation.
“A generic out-of-the-box system won’t necessarily align with your fleet’s needs. The key is to customise reports, alerts, and dashboards to match your operational goals,” she says.
Fleet managers who take the time to understand their data, set up targeted reports, and focus on actionable insightswill see the greatest return on investment.
To connect with Joy and learn more about Telematics411, visit her on Geotab’s Community Forum—where she continues to be the top contributor, helping fleets unlock the full potential of telematics technology.
