Seithel has been working for Geotab for around eight years and is responsible for Europe-wide business development in the transport and logistics sector. The company, headquartered in Canada, offers fleet operators—from light commercial vehicles to heavy trucks—data analytics and digital tools, including for tachograph management, route and location data, and driving behavior. The aim is to make transport processes more transparent, to identify potential savings, and to strengthen the competitiveness of freight transport companies.
What is new to see and hear at Geotab Day 2025?
We are launching today a solution called “Geotab Vitality.” Our partner Vitality is a leading platform in the field of “Behavior Change” – known from the insurance sector. Here, people are encouraged to live healthier, to move more. They can collect bonus points via an app, for example. Geotab and Vitality have joined forces to implement with Geotab Vitality such a behavior-change platform for professional drivers. Here they receive feedback at the end of the week about their driving behavior and whether they have achieved their goals, and can accordingly accumulate points that can be converted into vouchers at any time, redeemable, for example, on online platforms or local shops. The driver's company subsidizes this with a small budget. Overall, the aim is to motivate drivers to demonstrate forward-looking, positive driving behavior – comparable to sports or language-learning apps. The first pilots have started very positively. Especially in times of driver shortage it is important to motivate drivers – also for cautious and especially sensitive driving.
Are there statutory limits on the reward system?
It is not about creating a significant component of salary. We are operating precisely within the framework of tax-free bonuses. If, however, you can redeem the vouchers at the furniture store or the trusted online shop, that is still welcome. Primarily, the whole thing should be fun; the motivational factor is in the foreground.
How does the technical implementation for capturing the driving data work?
Geotab is the world's largest telematics platform with 4.8 million connected vehicles. We capture their data via the Geotab device – for example acceleration values and speeds – and consolidate them on the MyGeotab platform. The
driver themselves also has an app in which their driving behavior is reflected – and not the fleet manager. The platform basically translates the driving data into driving-behavior feedback and rewards; that is the underlying algorithm.
Does the driver also receive direct feedback about their driving behavior during the drive via displays or separate devices, independent of the app?
There are various concepts. The Geotab platform also offers near real-time feedback, for example in the case of speeding. We are also heavily involved in the Video Safety topic, i.e., the combination of camera and telematics. In Geotab Vitality, however, the focus is on the driver receiving feedback at the end of the day or week – the real-time approach alone is not always suitable. For many, it is more sustainable if they can review their driving values calmly in the evening on the sofa. But there are indeed possibilities to combine both forms with us.
Which other future topics is Geotab currently focusing on in particular?
Clearly the topic of artificial intelligence – it plays a huge role at Geotab. Our goal is to return the added value from our data collection to the customers. AI is deeply integrated into day-to-day fleet operations. The Geotab Ace assistant, for instance, enables fleet managers to receive direct answers to questions – i.e., there is no need to configure reports or dashboards; one can interact with the collected data. For example, you can ask: “How much fuel was consumed last week?” or “Where were the most frequent stops?” Then you get real-time answers because the system makes access to information much easier. Another element we have strongly integrated into the Geotab platform is the topic of route optimization with the Advanced Routing building block. There is no universal solution for the entire industry; one must understand exactly how the respective customer operates and how to optimize their practice. Is it a parcel courier with a hundred stops a day, or a haulage company with perhaps only two or three stops? Then the goal is to optimize their routes across the entire fleet. This saves fuel and reduces costs.
How does the collaboration with
the customer work?
We first capture the customer's input data, e.g., GPS data from history and planned routes. The software can then process the parameters to be optimized using its algorithms. For example, certain delivery windows can also be set in the platform. We look at tours of two to three weeks and analyze them. Then we provide the customer with an evaluation of how to better shape their tour planning.
How long does such a solution-implementation process take?
Traditionally, this can take four to six weeks. After that, it is of course a day-to-day operation with the system, since routes can vary significantly – the process is therefore dynamic.
What objectives should be achieved?
There are different parameters; it depends on the customer's use case and their routes. The avoidance of empty kilometers is one topic, hub-and-spoke trips form another. The adherence to delivery windows can also be configured. In the end, of course, it is always about achieving cost savings for the customer. Today there are still fleets of 30, 40 or even 100 vehicles, for example in urban grocery delivery, that are on the road with Excel lists – albeit to the best of their knowledge. Nevertheless, or precisely there, substantial savings are possible with our tool. We serve customers of all sizes; the largest have more than 100,000 vehicles in operation and listed on our platform. This platform is also usable for small and medium-sized businesses; they benefit from the technology and the experience with large customers.
Which services do you offer for electric fleets?
Very important point! Geotab was an early adopter of electromobility. The first approach where we support customers is the analysis of the electrification potential. Since we have the driving data available, we can see in detail how long vehicles drive and stand. Then, with the help of the EVSA (Electric Vehicle Suitability Assessment), the electrification potential can be calculated. Here we look at, for example, a six-month operating period for internal combustion engine vehicles and analyze which electric vehicle on the market fits the respective driving profile and can perform the tasks at lower costs than before. If electric vehicles are
in operation, real-time data becomes important. Example: If a diesel truck is not refueled in the morning, that is usually not a big problem. If an electric vehicle is not charged, it will depart on its route significantly later. We therefore also read out the charging states of the vehicles and then deliver dashboards to ensure that the vehicle is sufficiently charged in the morning. Another example: Which state of charge fits which routes? This can be analyzed very well with our data. In advanced use cases we also look at the SoH (State of Health) of the vehicles as well as the wear of the battery over a longer period to provide feedback to fleet customers as well as vehicle manufacturers.
Keyword charging management: Do you only collect data in this regard or do you work with partners who manage the charging processes?
Very good point! We have two offerings: On the one hand the Geotab Marketplace, where charging-management software providers offer their solutions. On the other hand the Geotab Sustainability Alliance, where we bring together players from various sectors on the topic of sustainability in fleets, where charging-management also plays a role. Also, our data are the input factors for the software that controls the charging stations. And of course we report the charging processes, when how much was charged. We also register charging interruptions on our platform. To ensure that the vehicles are charged in the morning, we have the so-called Charge-Assurance dashboard. Here you can set, for example, that the vehicles are charged to 90% by 8 a.m. Since we know the charging power in kW exactly, we can intervene if the SoC (State of Charge) is not sufficient by 5 a.m.
Do your solutions also help avoid expensive peak loads?
Precisely, here our real-time data can help to control processes better. If a vehicle arrives at the yard in the afternoon with 50 or 60% SoC, it does not have to be charged from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.; one charging session from 1 to 5 a.m. suffices.
Mr. Seithel, we thank you for the conversation!
The interview was conducted by transport staff member Claus
