Helping Cornish Businesses Stay on the Move: Navigating Local Challenges

In Cornwall, businesses often find themselves working in slightly different conditions than their counterparts in big towns or cities.

Our narrow roads, the impact and pressure of tourism on our roads for a significant proportion of the year and the distance to travel to get from one place to another all play into how a business can effectively operate. That said, when your business is transportation (of any kind), agriculture, construction, or local deliveries… to navigate such local aspects, you need to plan a fleet that can help you to do so.

It doesn’t take much for the cost to spiral if a route isn’t planned well or a vehicle spends too long idling. For many organisations that depend on a fleet of vehicles, fuel is one of the biggest overheads, and if a vehicle is even slightly inefficient, that will add up over time. If a van has to wait for a long time at a branch to be reloaded, or a sub-contractor isn’t where they should be because they’re stuck in traffic, customer service can suffer, especially during the summer when demand can be high in Cornwall.

One of the best ways to improve productivity is to have clear visibility into active operations. Knowing where your vehicles are at any point in time allows managers to respond quickly to changing situations, re-plan driver routes and update customers on delivery timings more accurately.

This is where the role of modern telematics and fleet tracking systems comes into play. GPS fleet tracking systems provide businesses with the ability to monitor where their vehicles are, identify areas where time and fuel are being lost throughout the day and also real-time monitoring of vehicle locations. In addition, telematics fleet tracking solutions also provide driving behaviour insights to encourage safer and consistent driving practices.

The benefits of these systems are particularly important in areas such as Cornwall. More effective route planning means drivers can be kept away from busy tourist hot spots, especially during the summer, and more effective scheduling means that jobs are done on time. This can mean that over a longer time frame, there is a lower cost in repairs since the vehicles are operated more efficiently and monitored more closely.

For businesses that need to adapt to a new way of working, ensuring that they can operate safely and efficiently is of the utmost importance. Only by having the right skills and tools at their disposal will companies across Cornwall be able to continue to deliver the services that their customers expect from them.

RoSPA (The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents) is able to offer guidance and other resources to businesses that are looking for a wide perspective on driving efficiency and safety, as well as other helpful aids for Cornish companies.