Fleet leaders in Wales tackle safety, digital change and AI at Fleetclear Roundtable

Key takeaway

One theme stood out throughout the session: technology only works when it's simple. Short, clear training and systems that talk to each other made the biggest difference to adoption. Linking camera footage with operational systems was highlighted as a practical example, helping teams resolve issues like missed collections quickly and with evidence.

AI moves from talk to trial

AI is no longer a speculative future topic. Attendees discussed systems that detect people in danger zones around vehicles, alert drivers when reversing and prevent rollaways. These systems also log every intervention, giving managers real data on risky habits so they can target training where it's needed most. Several can be retrofitted to older vehicles.

Culture as a barrier and the role of human behaviour

The biggest blocker wasn't technology. It was "we've always done it this way." Attendees agreed that winning director-level support means building a business case that goes beyond cost, and that suppliers can help by bringing data to the table.

The strong consensus amongst attendees was that most incidents come down to driver behaviour, not vehicle condition. Most drivers back safety measures but there remains a he challenge from the minority who don't. Several attendees described moving from reactive monitoring of their fleet to proactive conversations with staff, reviewing near misses and talking to drivers informally before anything becomes a formal matter.

Minor, preventable knocks were a recurring theme. Whilst reversing into posts and low-speed scrapes rarely make headlines, the cost adds up fast across a fleet.

Fleetclear’s new AI visual intelligence platform, StreetVision, helps fleets tackle all the above by making driver behaviour visible before it turns into an incident.

Paper is on the way out, electric vehicles are on the way in

Digital transformation and walkaround check tools such as Fleetclear Go dominated the middle of the day. Attendees discussed the process of moving frontline paperwork onto tablets, from vehicle checks and defect reports to daily driver records, with a focus on spending less time on admin and more time on the road.

The move to electric refuse vehicles is under way. Route analysis shows most collections can run on a single charge. The harder part is operational, infrastructure, charging routines and making sure vehicles are ready every morning.

Depots need charging infrastructure, and some councils are building it in from scratch, laying ducting in new parking areas so chargers can be added as the fleet grows. Then there’s the daily routine. If a vehicle isn’t plugged in overnight, it isn’t ready for the morning round. Charging must become as routine as the walk-around check.

What's next

Thanks to everyone who joined us at Celtic Manor. If you'd like to join us for a future Fleetclear Roundtable, please get in touch on info@fleetclear.com