:cfo
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Tracking Device
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cybergrinder
- Posts: 45
- Joined: 03 May 2007, 20:51
- Location: Northern Ireland
Tracking Device
I just got a gps tracking device fitted to my van. According to the rumours every van in our office is getting them fitted. They "cobblers" at the top just dont trust us anymore and it is going to drive us further apart.
:cfo
:cfo-
phantomshare
- Posts: 252
- Joined: 29 Jan 2007, 19:10
To: Branches with POSTAL Members
Dear Colleague
Vehicle Telemetry
Further to LTB 766/07 CWU Headquarters has received further enquiries as regards to vehicle telemetry and requests for an update from the meeting of the 3rd September. The Business has continued to install the hardware which will be required for a general roll out, which has caused understandable concern as to unilateral action. However, we have received assurances that the software will not be connected until our discussions are concluded. The latest exchange of correspondence is attached.
Background
Royal Mail’s proposal is to fit telemetry equipment to every RM vehicle operating from a Mail Centre and the vehicles working out of the 3 largest delivery offices in each AGM area. This equates to around 7000 to 8000 vehicles or between 20% - 25% of the national fleet. Vehicle telemetry equipment is already fitted by CWU agreement in the Network fleet under the RM name of DMS. While all new technology has potential risks it also provides potential opportunities and it is the objective of the Union to get an agreement with the Business that minimises the risks and develops those opportunities for the benefit of our members. The trial at Bradford showed that telemetry coupled with improved training and driver skills identified through a Driver Risk Assessment (DRA) process has the potential to produce substantial savings.
Telemetry - Share in the Savings
Potential savings will be initially generated through better utilisation of vehicles leading to a reduction in the overall fleet numbers, plus, those associated with better targeted driver training and coaching leading to reduced fuel costs, accident costs and maintenance costs. We see sharing these potential savings giving us the opportunity to create a bonus scheme, but at the moment this is something that is currently tied into the national pay talks. We did state at the meeting on the 3rd September that we see making progress in this area as key to us concluding an enabling agreement for telemetry.
Telemetry – Global Positioning System (GPS)
Most enquiries from Branches around telemetry express concerns around the real-time recording and monitoring of drivers doing their job using the GPS tracker facility which can produce a log of where, when, and how long each vehicle was in a location. While the Assets Director, Phil O’Gorman, was at pains to reassure us that the system was not being brought in for staff monitoring purposes; we made it known that we would require within any agreement a robust statement about guarding against it becoming a surveillance tool that would be used as a big stick to beat our members. This will also need to be covered off in an enabling agreement.
Telemetry – Driver information
When installed the system needs to be ‘switched on’ with a special key and the telemetry system transmits data across a satellite link from the vehicles own inbuilt management system, (the very same as F1 cars) this measures key indicators regarding the way a vehicle is being driven, for instance speed, harsh braking events, MPG, engine over revving etc. This data is captured and produces a printout which RM say will be available to all drivers. This will give each driver details of their own driving styles/issues.
Driver Risk Assessment & Driver Coaches
Driver Risk Assessment (DRA) will set a risk profile for each driver, low, medium or high risk. Under the businesses duty of care RM are legally bound to risk assess all hazardous activities, driving a vehicle being right up there with the most hazardous. It must take account of the ‘vehicle’, ‘the driver’ and ‘the journey’. The driver risk assessment process will include an online driver risk assessment and additionally take account of medical factors, licences held, training etc. This information will be used to decide on the best type adjustment to duty or driver training intervention, if required to improve safety. Our view is that the DRA process would be best administered by the creation of a CWU graded Driver Coach and we have proposed this to the business. We feel peer to peer training would deliver the best results. Although the business tried to separate telemetry and driving skill/risk assessments, at this time we feel they are intrinsically linked and as such should be covered by one agreement. We have not concluded an agreement on DRA and drivers should not get involved in this aspect.
Electronic Licence Checks
As part of streamlining the licence check system the business has proposed we move to electronic licence checks via the DVLA. To comply with the Data Protection Act this requires an individual mandate from each driver. Branches should not become involved in this aspect until there is national agreement.
Where Now
Like most technology the Business will get the best performance from their investment if they have the cooperation of the CWU and we will be submitting a draft agreement covering off the areas outlined earlier in this document. In the meantime, however, any attempt by local management to go live with the system without a National Agreement being in place should be notified to CWU Headquarters immediately, utilising the I.R. Framework, where necessary.
Further information will be circulated in due course.
Any enquiries to Bob Gibson’s Office, quoting reference 300.
Email address: hnutley@cwu.org
Yours sincerely
Bob Gibson
Assistant Secretary
Dear Colleague
Vehicle Telemetry
Further to LTB 766/07 CWU Headquarters has received further enquiries as regards to vehicle telemetry and requests for an update from the meeting of the 3rd September. The Business has continued to install the hardware which will be required for a general roll out, which has caused understandable concern as to unilateral action. However, we have received assurances that the software will not be connected until our discussions are concluded. The latest exchange of correspondence is attached.
Background
Royal Mail’s proposal is to fit telemetry equipment to every RM vehicle operating from a Mail Centre and the vehicles working out of the 3 largest delivery offices in each AGM area. This equates to around 7000 to 8000 vehicles or between 20% - 25% of the national fleet. Vehicle telemetry equipment is already fitted by CWU agreement in the Network fleet under the RM name of DMS. While all new technology has potential risks it also provides potential opportunities and it is the objective of the Union to get an agreement with the Business that minimises the risks and develops those opportunities for the benefit of our members. The trial at Bradford showed that telemetry coupled with improved training and driver skills identified through a Driver Risk Assessment (DRA) process has the potential to produce substantial savings.
Telemetry - Share in the Savings
Potential savings will be initially generated through better utilisation of vehicles leading to a reduction in the overall fleet numbers, plus, those associated with better targeted driver training and coaching leading to reduced fuel costs, accident costs and maintenance costs. We see sharing these potential savings giving us the opportunity to create a bonus scheme, but at the moment this is something that is currently tied into the national pay talks. We did state at the meeting on the 3rd September that we see making progress in this area as key to us concluding an enabling agreement for telemetry.
Telemetry – Global Positioning System (GPS)
Most enquiries from Branches around telemetry express concerns around the real-time recording and monitoring of drivers doing their job using the GPS tracker facility which can produce a log of where, when, and how long each vehicle was in a location. While the Assets Director, Phil O’Gorman, was at pains to reassure us that the system was not being brought in for staff monitoring purposes; we made it known that we would require within any agreement a robust statement about guarding against it becoming a surveillance tool that would be used as a big stick to beat our members. This will also need to be covered off in an enabling agreement.
Telemetry – Driver information
When installed the system needs to be ‘switched on’ with a special key and the telemetry system transmits data across a satellite link from the vehicles own inbuilt management system, (the very same as F1 cars) this measures key indicators regarding the way a vehicle is being driven, for instance speed, harsh braking events, MPG, engine over revving etc. This data is captured and produces a printout which RM say will be available to all drivers. This will give each driver details of their own driving styles/issues.
Driver Risk Assessment & Driver Coaches
Driver Risk Assessment (DRA) will set a risk profile for each driver, low, medium or high risk. Under the businesses duty of care RM are legally bound to risk assess all hazardous activities, driving a vehicle being right up there with the most hazardous. It must take account of the ‘vehicle’, ‘the driver’ and ‘the journey’. The driver risk assessment process will include an online driver risk assessment and additionally take account of medical factors, licences held, training etc. This information will be used to decide on the best type adjustment to duty or driver training intervention, if required to improve safety. Our view is that the DRA process would be best administered by the creation of a CWU graded Driver Coach and we have proposed this to the business. We feel peer to peer training would deliver the best results. Although the business tried to separate telemetry and driving skill/risk assessments, at this time we feel they are intrinsically linked and as such should be covered by one agreement. We have not concluded an agreement on DRA and drivers should not get involved in this aspect.
Electronic Licence Checks
As part of streamlining the licence check system the business has proposed we move to electronic licence checks via the DVLA. To comply with the Data Protection Act this requires an individual mandate from each driver. Branches should not become involved in this aspect until there is national agreement.
Where Now
Like most technology the Business will get the best performance from their investment if they have the cooperation of the CWU and we will be submitting a draft agreement covering off the areas outlined earlier in this document. In the meantime, however, any attempt by local management to go live with the system without a National Agreement being in place should be notified to CWU Headquarters immediately, utilising the I.R. Framework, where necessary.
Further information will be circulated in due course.
Any enquiries to Bob Gibson’s Office, quoting reference 300.
Email address: hnutley@cwu.org
Yours sincerely
Bob Gibson
Assistant Secretary
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Delivery Donkey
- Posts: 80
- Joined: 21 Feb 2007, 15:41
Who recieves the information from the tracking device???
Will it go to your line manager, who will use it against you!!!
OR will it go to an outside body who will use the information with comon sense???
I'm sure IF/WHEN they come to our office they will slow some SPEED kings/queens down and YET
again show duties up for what they were BADLY TIMED and unworkable.
Will it go to your line manager, who will use it against you!!!
OR will it go to an outside body who will use the information with comon sense???
I'm sure IF/WHEN they come to our office they will slow some SPEED kings/queens down and YET
again show duties up for what they were BADLY TIMED and unworkable.
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TrueBlueTerrier
- FORUM ADMINISTRATOR
- Posts: 72618
- Joined: 30 Dec 2006, 10:29
- Gender: Male
- Location: On my couch
I would not deliver round Brandshatch or Silverstone before a Grand Prix weekend then just incase the data gets mixed up. Excuse me smudge why were you doing 200 mph in the van at 2.14pm.When installed the system needs to be ‘switched on’ with a special key and the telemetry system transmits data across a satellite link from the vehicles own inbuilt management system, (the very same as F1 cars) this measures key indicators regarding the way a vehicle is being driven, for instance speed, harsh braking events, MPG, engine over revving etc. This data is captured and produces a printout which RM say will be available to all drivers. This will give each driver details of their own driving styles/issues.
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wakkono
- Posts: 392
- Joined: 21 May 2007, 17:14
- Location: south wales valleys
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Homo Harry
- Posts: 46
- Joined: 24 Jul 2007, 22:47
- Location: North Yorkshire
I've been out this week in a company van (I'm ex-RM for those who don't know) working as an agency driver.
The vehicle I was using had a tracker device fitted and is linked back to the office. It tells the gaffer there exactly where you are, what speed you are doing and loads of other info. It even sends an automatic email if you go over a designated speed.
As we were working away from home, the gaffer could monitor exactly what time we arrived at a job, and when we left it. When we parked up at the hotel we were staying at, they could tell if the van was used during the evening, which is strictly forbidden as it's then abuse of company property. So you end up stuck in the middle of nowhere unable to use the transport you have, even to go and find something decent to eat or go to the cashpoint because you forgot to earlier.
These trackers are nothing but a tool to spy on what people are doing. I can see some benefits, especially if the Union are sensible about it, using H&S to stop speeding etc.
But it's only going to be a matter of hours before some snooping gaffer is suspending someone who goes "off-route" and what's the betting that person just happens to be someone that gaffer doesn't like and wants out of the job....
The vehicle I was using had a tracker device fitted and is linked back to the office. It tells the gaffer there exactly where you are, what speed you are doing and loads of other info. It even sends an automatic email if you go over a designated speed.
As we were working away from home, the gaffer could monitor exactly what time we arrived at a job, and when we left it. When we parked up at the hotel we were staying at, they could tell if the van was used during the evening, which is strictly forbidden as it's then abuse of company property. So you end up stuck in the middle of nowhere unable to use the transport you have, even to go and find something decent to eat or go to the cashpoint because you forgot to earlier.
These trackers are nothing but a tool to spy on what people are doing. I can see some benefits, especially if the Union are sensible about it, using H&S to stop speeding etc.
But it's only going to be a matter of hours before some snooping gaffer is suspending someone who goes "off-route" and what's the betting that person just happens to be someone that gaffer doesn't like and wants out of the job....
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sammysammy
- Posts: 37
- Joined: 29 Jan 2007, 09:16
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madelin4
- Posts: 1220
- Joined: 04 Jun 2007, 16:56
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phantomshare
- Posts: 252
- Joined: 29 Jan 2007, 19:10
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p379
- Posts: 39
- Joined: 28 Sep 2007, 18:15
Hear Hear i think its a magic idea no more rushing aroundmadelin4 wrote:Do the job by the book mate and you will be fine, no more flying around like a mad man..
I think the majority of delivery staff should have them fitted aswell i can see the print out already
Joe Bloggs started 2 hours earley just to get walk thrown off,then made 10 satchels up all over 28 kg,didnt take meal releif,carried 4 satchels on bike upto point of delivery,left mail unattended throughout delivery and stopped off for a piss in mrs smiths garden
Keep Up The Fight
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p379
- Posts: 39
- Joined: 28 Sep 2007, 18:15
However i love to throw a spanner in the works by the way this is just to piss RM offsammysammy wrote:Sorry boys to tell you all this but I DO understand this type of thing!
A GPS is always on!!!
And the data it sends will log onto the uplink and the uplink will hold this data 24-7, so you only need to link to the server to find out info!!!
This anti gps tracking system disrupter will knock out gps or gps tracking system which may be operating in your direct area, using this system will make it very hard for any one to keep tabs on you or your vehicle, most spy devices can be quickly installed to a vehicle and allow the users to track you every move by mapping software or a gps recording system, this unit will disable the gps link and render the spy device useless.
operation is very easy, it plugs into the cigarette lighter and its on ! obviously your cigarette lighter must work to power the device but this is the only requirement for operation, any one can use this effective gps blocker.
The GPS disrupter will cover the area of most vehicles from a large car to a van or small truck, it must have a 12v output for power please be sure if installing into a small lorry or truck. transformers can be purchased from most good auto shops to allow 24v to be stepped down to 12v.
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simply_the_best
- Posts: 594
- Joined: 24 Sep 2007, 10:29
p379 wrote:Hear Hear i think its a magic idea no more rushing aroundmadelin4 wrote:Do the job by the book mate and you will be fine, no more flying around like a mad man..
I think the majority of delivery staff should have them fitted aswell i can see the print out already
Joe Bloggs started 2 hours earley just to get walk thrown off,then made 10 satchels up all over 28 kg,didnt take meal releif,carried 4 satchels on bike upto point of delivery,left mail unattended throughout delivery and stopped off for a piss in mrs smiths garden
Keep Up The Fight
brilliant summary mate