Top Features to Look for in a Dash Cam for Your Oil and Gas Fleet

A dash camera is a great asset and investment for improving your overall fleet management system. The National Transportation Safety Board has strongly advised commercial fleet companies to install dash cams as a safety measure for their vehicles and to improve the overall road safety of citizens.

As a manager or owner of a commercial fleet that manages oil and gas fleets daily, choosing the right fleet dash cam can be challenging. Certain features and integrations are more important for an oil and gas fleet than any other commercial vehicle as these fleet systems are more prone to additional hazards and threats of an oil spill and leakage. Ensuring the utmost safety and installing fleet cams that provide maximum risk mitigation must be a priority. Here are a few features that are most important for your oil and gas fleet and will allow you to protect your bottom line:

Real-Time HD Video Streaming

A dashcam is effective when it captures videos in real-time HD, and lets you see what your drivers see during their journey or route of delivery of oil or gas. A dual-facing camera with exterior and in-cab view and a 360-degree capture will record both the road and the insides of the vehicles. This is particularly useful when monitoring the drivers’ reactions to incidents on the street and problematic driving patterns. Oil and gas fleets are particularly very large in size and sensitive in nature and cannot be handled by every driver. The majority of accidents can be prevented by providing additional driving training which is specific to handling large sized fleets when required. This capture also encourages good driving behavior among drivers as they know that they are regularly being monitored, improves their driving skills and further improves safety of the citizens and driver from an oil or gas spill.

Real-time video capabilities of fleet dash cam will also send you an alert through phone or email if any of your vehicles go through an incident. It will enable you to immediately inform higher state authorities so that they may block the road before a citizen car gets in contact with any resulting fire or spill. In addition, it allows you to log on to your account on the online portal and access the footage as soon as an accident occurs. This footage is beneficial when trying to protect the driver in a legal case, saving you time and the cost of legal processes. It can further be used to analyze any road problems so you can choose a better route for routine purposes.

GPS Tracking

Fleet dash cams with included GPS tracking enable you to get the live location of your vehicles combined with real-time HD video. This feature is beneficial for protecting your oil and gas fleet by keeping an eye on potential inefficiencies and frauds of drivers like using the commercial fleet for their personal use or stealing the oil or gas. Moreover, It also improves safety and you can locate your driver and ask them to change their route if any accident had occurred mid-way. You will also have the history of their trip through GPS tracking, and it can be a great resource to assess any claims about late shipments from clients.

The fleet industry usually ties up with eateries and motels through the large highways so that drivers and fleet can get some rest during long journeys and eat well. Routes need to be planned effectively beforehand, as uneven and bad roads are the major causes of accidents. Having access to the precise location of your vehicles can also immensely improve your overall management and reduce chances of accidents as you can predetermine the routes of transport vehicles and boost efficiency and productivity by cutting down on transit times and providing quick delivery to oil and gas stations.

24/7 Security

The safety and security of the oil and gas fleet are among the top most concerns of operations managers of these industries. If the oil or gas fleet vehicles go unmonitored for even a few minutes, it can be a massive risk as these fleets are vulnerable to attack by a criminal mob. Unmonitored fleet vehicles even carry potential risk of oil and gas leakages which will not only harm the fleet company but also the neighboring areas. Fleet camera systems with anti-theft and damage alerts will provide 24/7 security to your fleet and ensure your fleet never goes unmonitored. Even when a disturbing activity like glass breaking or door opening occurs when the fleet is not on the road and is resting, the installed system will turn on LED lights, and the exterior camera will start recording.

Endnote

Technology and automation are the future of every industry, including commercial fleets and oil and gas companies. However, technology is also evolving, and to maximize the benefits of integrating dashcams into your fleet, it is essential to invest in dashcams with maximum features. You are advised to do extensive market research and invest in dashcams that provide 360-degree coverage recording, GPS tracking, and 24/7 security of your fleet.