Security, Tracking Push Private Fleets to Increase Tech Spending

rivate fleets, in the past often the overlooked stepchild of large parent corporations when they considered their technology spending, have increased their funding of new technologies and tech roll-outs in recent years.

The need to deal with threats of terrorist attacks has driven the adoption of some of the new technology, especially in hazardous materials. But there’s also the need to retain drivers, stay competitive and conserve fuel.

If private fleets were once gun-shy about embracing costly technologies, “that’s changed since 9/11,” said Gary Petty, president of the National Private Truck Council in Alexandria, Va. “Along with new security controls, there’s the need for continuous oversight of the driver,” he said, “and this [need] has led to a fairly dramatic increase in technology acquisition for the private fleets.”