It’s Breathtaking — Fasten Your Seatbelts!
GreenRoad just released an updated Connected Fleet research report. We are monitoring fleet smartphone adoption and practices. We are also paying attention to fleet leader attitudes about smartphone and other fleet technology. The report debuted in March 2012 and this new report is a update on what’s changed in the last six months.
I am literally blown away at the pace of fleet smartphone adoption. It is breathtaking how quickly smartphones are becoming a “must have” tool for fleet managers and drivers alike. I have conducted a lot of marketing research in my career, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a rapid pace of adoption.
In March, 2012, GreenRoad research showed that 19% of US fleet managers were using smartphone apps to help manage fleets. Fast forward to today, and that number is now at 59%. That’s a 3x increase in less than a year. That is unbelievable growth.
It is not surprising that drivers are slightly behind managers in terms of smartphones being put to work on the job. Today, about one-third of drivers are using smartphone apps for work-related purposes. That is about half of the manager usage rate. The apps drivers use today are mostly related to navigation, and of course, GreenRoad Central mobile app is very popular.
The fleet leaders who responded to the recent survey are on the lookout for new ways to make smartphones more productive for their drivers. One respondent said, “We have only issued smartphones in the past month. I expect the use of business / driving apps will start once they have come to grips with the new phones.”
The research also shows fleet leaders expect app usage to increase. More than half think manager app usage is likely to increase and nearly 20% think driver app usage will increase in the coming year.
When there is this kind of growth and anticipation in any market, you generally see an explosion in innovation and new offerings. It looks like that will be the case for the fleet industry. Fasten your seat belts. The fleet industry smartphone market is kicking into high gear.
