Dashboard Detective: Installing Dash Cam Technology for the Fleet

In today’s highly competitive market, any edge a company can gain can end up paying dividends in the end. Thankfully, new technology offers haulage companies ways of enhancing their fleet and service without majorly, or expensively, overhauling the whole line.

One feature that is proving popular on the freight exchange’s list of shipping company attributes is vehicles equipped with on board dash cams. The benefits are numerous, as are the options, and the total cost is fairly low.

Is It Worth It?

If you have already made the decision to install dash cams in your fleet you are more than likely fully aware of all the benefits they will bring. On a financial level, insurance companies are now offering significant policy discounts (some as much as 20%) on vehicles that have this new technology. The dash cams’ main purpose is to take away the ‘he said, she said’ element that afflicts many accident insurance claims. A picture tells a thousand words in regards to the true circumstances surrounding accidents or theft, and can clear up any ambiguity around the issue of fault or negligence.

When bidding for jobs on the freight exchange, this small but significant additional security measure can give a haulage company that little edge over the competition. The value of brand reliability and reputation should not be underestimated and can sometimes be the make or break factor for companies selecting a haulage service.

Best Dash Cam Models

Prices for dash cams these days vary from £20 to £200, so there is a model on the market in every price bracket. Many insurance companies offer a list of preferred models and possibly a discount for those brands, so be sure to check with them before making your final purchase. Features to consider are resolution, viewing angle, Wi-Fi connectivity and battery life.

Here are the top 5 dash cams on the market:

Top of the line – NextBase 512G Ultra - £££

Offers a full 140 degree viewing angle and a F1.6 aperture lens, ensuring excellent viewing range as well as good image quality. Other features include GPS, Night vision and a Parking Mode.

Transcend Drivepro 220 - ££

Although some resolution quality is sacrificed in this more moderately priced dash cam, other features make up for it in this sturdy and reliable model. This sleek device provides Wi-Fi, GPS, night-time recording, as well as driver safety alerts such as Lane Departure and Forward Collision alarms. Transcend DrivePro also offers an almost unheard warranty of 2 years.

MAISI Dash Cam E730 - £

This attractively priced model can be an excellent compromise if your primary goal is to capture footage of accidents but you don’t feel the need for all the bells and whistles. MAISI provides Ultra-HD imagining with 1296p and a 150degree viewing angle. The premium lenses record video images with exceptional clarity, regardless of the time of day or weather conditions.

Nextbase 312W - £

The 312W could be considered the workhorse of the dash cam world. It offers the basics, as well as a few extras, at a standard and reliable quality. Good resolution with additional parking mode, GPS and Wi-Fi makes this one of the best ‘value-for-money’ models on the market.

The Transcend DrivePro 200 - £

This device is sleek and compact and offers a wider viewing angle than some of the other models in its price range. Although it lacks the parking mode and the GPS, its image quality and ease of installation has made it a favourite among hauliers.

Small Cost with Valuable Payback

After weighing up the pros and cons of installing your fleet with dash cams, most companies find the fairly small expense to be excellent value for money in the long run. Between recording accidents and theft, dash cams are also providing safer work environments for drivers, and greater accountability that vendors and hauliers on the freight exchange can rely on.