Turning Fleet Data into Actionable Insights

February 20, 2026

Summary: Telematics tools stream a huge amount of data from commercial trucks every day. Knowing how to process it properly to make better business decisions can improve compliance, safety, efficiency, and fleet profit.

Modern commercial fleets typically have access to a wide range of data streaming from their trucks every day. While this insight is extremely valuable, the volume of data can be overwhelming. Fleets can ask these simple questions to go from raw, real-world fleet data to practical decisions that improve efficiency, safety, and compliance.

1. How many miles/hours are your drivers in the Driving Status?

By examining the correlation between hours in Driving Status and miles driven, you can identify drivers that need their routes optimized, or where coaching could help them get more out of their days. This is also a good way to see which drivers have hours left over to be able to help with a last-minute load. Finally, this data helps identify your top drivers and makes it easier to recognize and reward their dedication.

2. How many miles/hours are your drivers spending on Yard Moves?

Excessive time spent in yard moves can be costly, whether due to fuel costs, lost drive time, or wear and tear on trucks. Use this data to decide if you need to reconfigure your yard to be more efficient, or if any of your processes are wasting valuable time. Are there ways to make your delivery windows more accurate so drivers aren’t stuck waiting in the customers’ yard as often? Consider implementing an HOS tracker that allows drivers to easily switch to “yard move mode” to save their drive hours for actual on-road hours.

3. How many miles/hours are drivers using Personal Conveyance?

By viewing duty status by personal conveyance, you can see if any drivers are abusing this status, which can cost your fleet fuel and vehicle wear and tear. Drivers can either have their access to this status removed, or you can provide coaching on the company's policy regarding the use of the truck in this way.

4. Which drivers are using the Sleeper Berth status?

Not all your drivers will be eligible for Sleeper Berth status due to their daily loads and because most trucks do not have sleeper cabs. However, drivers could be coached to better use the Sleeper Birth Split, giving them greater flexibility and saving valuable drive hours. Using an HOS tracker that makes it easier to switch status and automatically can be especially helpful for these drivers.

5. How many hard braking events are your drivers experiencing?

A significant and sudden decrease in speed can indicate a close call or a hard braking event. If your telematics data indicates that certain drivers are experiencing a high number of these events, it may indicate they need additional training. Coaching that reduces hard braking can also reduce the likelihood of rear-end collisions while extending the life of brake system components such as brake pads and ABS components.

6. Are your drivers consistently speeding?

Speeding can increase your driver’s chances of several serious safety events, including rear-end collisions, jack-knifing, rollovers, and high-speed collisions. High speeds can also cause cargo to shift and damage the load, affect vehicle performance, and reduce fuel efficiency. By identifying which drivers struggle with this habit based on telematics data, you can increase proactive coaching or address repeat offenders.

7. Are your trucks sending haptic warnings regularly?

Haptic warnings are safety features designed to keep drivers safer on the road, such as lane-keeping assist and blind-spot detection. Some can track the amount of vibration on a driver’s seatbelt, if the truck is sitting idling on the side of the road, or even if there are objects in the road. Tracking haptic alert occurrences and correlating them with your drivers can help you identify who may need additional coaching to improve driving habits and fleet safety.

8. Are your vehicles inspected and road-ready?

Your telematics reports collect a detailed record of any equipment issues sent from your trucks via sensors, alerts, and haptics. Taking immediate action on these alerts and making any necessary repairs as soon as possible keeps your drivers safer, reduces roadside breakdowns and on-road accidents, and keeps your trucks in compliance.

Giving your drivers more efficient inspection tools, like eDVIRs that support photo attachments, makes it easier for your maintenance team to advise on necessary next steps and ensure they are prepared with the right parts to make repairs as soon as the truck is back at the shop. A powerful fleet software tool additionally makes it easier to create and share repair reports and records for internal use and for inspections.

9. Are your drivers meeting their HOS requirements consistently?

Fleet management tools allow you to easily review the real-time status of every driver, including any violations, unassigned drive time, diagnostics, rest times, and more. This can help you assist them in avoiding costly HOS violations. HOS tools that alert drivers when they are approaching required rest periods add an extra layer of prevention to help ensure compliance.

By reviewing your fleet’s trend of HOS violations, you can identify your need for more driver coaching, adjusted routes, or better internal education on HOS regulations and best practices. HOS metrics can also help you reward consistently safe and compliant drivers, build a driver-focused fleet, and improve retention.

‍Let Automated Reporting Do the Heavy Lifting for Analytics

The good news for fleets is that telematics and fleet management software providers like Platform Science recognize that managers want and need the practical insights without getting stuck in the “data deluge.” For example, an analytics platform like PS Analytics is easy to use yet still powerful enough to proactively identify trends, understand fleet performance, and provide automated reports, customization, and active alerts to keep you ahead of risks.

Learn more about PS Analytics now, or explore the full range of Platform Science products designed to help your fleet and drivers thrive.

‍Contact us today to schedule a demo and see how Platform Science can partner with you to take your fleet operations to the next level.

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