Better Fleet: A practical playbook for improving driver performance

1. Start by stress-testing your current score

Before changing tools, check what your existing score actually measures.

If it’s mainly based on speeding, braking and acceleration, it’s a behaviour score, not a full performance view. That’s fine, but it means you’ll need to build around it rather than rely on it.

2. Use platforms that let you weight what matters

In Article 2, we highlighted the importance of aligning performance with cost.

That means using systems where you can adjust:

  • fuel efficiency metrics
  • safety weightings
  • vehicle wear indicators

Tools to explore:

  • Samsara – configurable driver behaviour metrics with fuel and efficiency reporting
  • Quartix – clear scoring and benchmarking across key driving behaviours

These allow fleets to move away from one-size scoring and focus on what actually drives cost.

3. Introduce real-time feedback and coaching

Waiting for monthly reports limits impact. Look for systems that provide:

  • in-cab alerts
  • real-time event notifications
  • post-trip summaries

Tools to explore:

  • Samsara – real-time driver feedback and safety insights
  • RAM Tracking – live tracking and driver behaviour alerts
  • Tranzaura – targeted driver training and real-time communication tools


This is what turns performance data into behaviour change.

4. Give drivers direct access to their performance

Driver visibility is a key theme. The most effective setups allow drivers to:

  • review their own scores
  • see where they lost points
  • track improvement over time

Tools to explore:

  • Quartix – driver apps and daily performance summaries
  • Geotab – scorecards, rankings and gamified performance

This shifts performance from something managed centrally to something drivers engage with directly.

5. Bring data into one system where possible

Fragmentation is one of the biggest barriers. Fleets should look for platforms that combine:

  • telematics
  • vehicle data
  • operational insight

Tools to explore:

  • Samsara – connects driver, vehicle and operational data
  • Optimize – adds planning and scheduling into the same workflow

This creates a single, consistent view of performance.

6. Connect performance to routing and scheduling

As highlighted in Article 2, performance data should start influencing operations.

This means using tools that link:

  • driver behaviour
  • route efficiency
  • scheduling decisions

Tools to explore:

  • Optimize – uses operational data to improve routing and utilisation
  • Microlise – combines driver performance with journey and route management to improve utilisation and efficiency

     

This is where fleets move from reporting performance to actively shaping it.

7. Close gaps where visibility is weakest

If grey fleet is part of the operation, look at ways to introduce:

  • consistent policies
  • partial tracking
  • aligned expectations

Even limited visibility improves control.

  • ABAX – adds mileage tracking and journey visibility where full telematics isn’t in place
  • Jaama – brings grey fleet drivers into a single system with licence, insurance and risk profiling
  • FleetCheck – tracks driver checks, safety declarations and roadworthiness across all drivers

Read more guidance in this series:

Why driver scores aren't the full picture of performance

What effective driver performance management actually looks like

Join Better Fleet for best-practice planning that's proven through real-world case studies: Better Fleet Campaign

Similar Stories

Back to blog