07-07-2025
- Automotive
- Business Journals
The future of fleet management: Inside Verizon Connect's safety transformation
Peter Mitchell, general manager of Verizon Connect, still remembers one of the company's first customers: a small business run by a husband-and-wife team, with a fleet of just 10 vehicles. The business had signed up for Verizon Connect's fleet management system, a brand new offering at the time.
Within days, the business saw a 10% improvement in efficiency — the equivalent, the owners said, of getting a new truck and driver for free. And that was just the beginning: Over time, the company went on to improve its efficiency by 45%.
For Mitchell, that early customer experience speaks to the impact Verizon Connect has in helping businesses implement and streamline their fleet operations to boost efficiency and deliver measurable results.
'Small and medium-sized businesses, like that first customer, are creating jobs and serving their communities, and we help them be even better,' Mitchell said.
Technologies that meet a 'defined need'
The use of fleet management technology has increased exponentially since then. According to the 2025 Verizon Connect Fleet Trends Report, more than 80% of fleet professionals now use at least one form of fleet tech. With rising operational costs remaining a top concern (cited by 77% of respondents for the fifth year in a row), technology is proving to be a viable solution.
Among the available technologies, GPS tracking is the most widely used, with 69% of fleets across industries having implemented it into their daily operations. Of those, nearly half have achieved a positive ROI in less than a year, and 57% cited improved driver safety as a key benefit. In addition, over a quarter reported that GPS fleet tracking helps identify opportunities for electric vehicle (EV) integration.
St. Johns County Public Works in northeast Florida is one example of the power of GPS tracking in action. The department manages a fleet of over 1,000 vehicles and was using a tedious, manual process to track them — an approach that wasted resources and prevented timely response.
Recognizing these limitations, the department went in search of an innovative solution and opted to implement GPS fleet tracking software through Verizon Connect. The results of this upgrade include improved resource allocation, accountability and transparency, as well as strengthened relationships between departments, said Rocky Agbunag, information systems officer for St. Johns County Public Works.
'Resource allocation is a huge advantage of using this system. The fleet maintenance team is providing information about the various departments' vehicles and their operation of their fleet," Agbunag said.
The technology has also proven valuable in communicating with communities during severe weather events. "We're able to say, 'Hey, this crew is moving along your neighborhood,' or 'This crew is going to be in your subdivision next,'" Agbundag said.
Leading through continuous innovation
Verizon Connect has introduced new tools aimed at improving fleet safety and compliance, including Extended View Cameras to enhance driver visibility and performance, and Driver Vehicle Inspection Report (DVIR) to streamline compliance and maintenance needs.
Extended View Cameras provide near-360-degree visibility through four additional cameras and an in-cab monitor, giving fleet managers and drivers a clearer view of their surroundings. This enhanced visibility not only improves situational awareness but also encourages safer driving behaviors. In fact, vehicles using Extended View Cameras with artificial intelligence and in-cab alerts experienced significant improvements compared to vehicles with AI cameras but no alerts, including reductions in tailgating, calling while driving, distraction and fatigue.
The DVIR tool consolidates inspection and compliance tracking into a single platform. Drivers can upload photos to document vehicle issues, while fleet managers receive real-time alerts for incomplete inspections or reported defects, helping prevent costly repairs or compliance penalties.
Improving safety and insights through artificial intelligence
Unsurprisingly, AI is one of the latest technologies driving advancements in fleet safety, with AI-powered dashcams to detect distracted driving patterns and road hazards in real time.
By combining high-quality, AI-powered visual data, like lane changes or red-light violations, with performance indicators like hard braking or sudden acceleration, operators gain a more complete understanding of driver behavior and vehicle dynamics within minutes of an incident occurring.
'You get a rich data source when you put those two data sets together and add the location and related details like the speed limit or proximity to a school,' Mitchell said. 'Most important is distilling that down to what you should care about if you're an owner.'
Similar technology is being applied beyond vehicles. Equipment Asset Trackers (EAT) allow customers to monitor and manage equipment in the field. With remote access to vital equipment data such as status, location, productivity and health, businesses gain efficiencies while reducing theft and downtime for high-value or critical machinery.
'Businesses operating fleets have financial pressures, and they are aware of the benefits that these systems can bring,' Mitchell said. 'Fleet management technology boosts performance, reduces costs, improves safety and supports sustainability. The results are being clearly demonstrated."
Learn more about how fleet management technology continues to empower fleets across small, medium and enterprise companies to enhance efficiency, improve safety and navigate sustainability challenges in the 2025 Verizon Connect Fleet Trends Report.
Verizon Connect is a leading provider of fleet management and mobile workforce solutions, helping businesses improve safety, efficiency and productivity. With advanced GPS tracking, integrated video solutions, AI-powered insights and compliance tools, Verizon Connect empowers companies to optimize operations and reduce costs. Learn more at
