Why Smarter Cities Start with Smarter Fleets

According to a study of 17,000 people in a number of U.S. states, speed, simplicity, and efficiency make the biggest difference when it comes to effective city services. So how can government leaders deliver services more efficiently while staying within budget?

It all starts by getting data on all of your existing operations. Being able to connect data across multiple departments—such as waste management, road safety, public transportation, and more—is critical so you can operate safely and efficiently. 

How fleets connect cities

For most cities, fleets act as a city’s central nervous system by connecting citizens with high-touch city services such as public transit, public works, and more. Most of a city’s critical service operations have fleets, which means that connecting fleet operations will yield the greatest opportunity for city-wide improvements and results.

Getting insight from connected fleet technologies

From public works to your city’s fire department, fleet technology can give you the visibility and data you need to improve service quality, safety, and efficiency across every department. For example, telematics devices track vehicle locations in real time, helping you verify where and when services are performed. GPS and engine diagnostic data provide visibility into driver behavior, such as speeding, giving you insights to improve safety and reduce unsafe driving behaviors. Internet-connected dash cams capture footage that can be used to exonerate drivers from claims and capture proof of service.

With Samsara fleet management platform, for example, cities can evaluate on-time performance of transit routes, track response times to citizen calls, and identify inefficiencies with insight into asset utilization and maintenance needs.  

Fleet-level investments, city-level results

Research from McKinsey & Company shows that cities that leverage new technology to get operational visibility can improve public safety and reduce road traffic fatalities by 10%, improve emergency response times by 35%, improve air quality and cut emissions by 15%, and reduce the volume of solid waste per capita by 20%.

With so many fleet technology options out there, it can be challenging to figure out where to start.  For leading fleets like the City of Sacramento, one thing is certain -- in order to see the big picture, you need technology that can connect every aspect of your fleet operations.