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GB1977  
#1 Posted : 10 May 2018 12:14:18(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
GB1977

Hi All

We are thinking about installing dash cams in all our vehicles. Anybody have any good recommendations?

Thanks

Hsquared14  
#2 Posted : 10 May 2018 12:34:55(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Hsquared14

My niece and her husband bought me a Transcend one which he really rates as he specifies them for his own company and other companies.

Roundtuit  
#3 Posted : 10 May 2018 14:03:45(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Roundtuit

Depends upon what data you are trying to collect - I have a Transcend but it is single forward facing audio/video with date & time i.e. not a full GPS unit meaning speed and location are not recorded.

The latter items are very useful evidentially but you then start to move in to the realms of employee monitoring which given the imminent arrival of GDPR requires careful application of freely given employee consent (especially if the vehicles are used privately).

You will need some rules regarding control of footage to stop employees loading videos from their journey to social media. Here the professional units circumvent this by giving live feed to a central recording system to prevent miss-use and "accidental" loss of data.

Bit of an old article:

https://www.commercialfleet.org/fleet-management/safety/cameras-pick-the-right-dash-cam-to-protect-your-fleet

Roundtuit  
#4 Posted : 10 May 2018 14:03:45(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Roundtuit

Depends upon what data you are trying to collect - I have a Transcend but it is single forward facing audio/video with date & time i.e. not a full GPS unit meaning speed and location are not recorded.

The latter items are very useful evidentially but you then start to move in to the realms of employee monitoring which given the imminent arrival of GDPR requires careful application of freely given employee consent (especially if the vehicles are used privately).

You will need some rules regarding control of footage to stop employees loading videos from their journey to social media. Here the professional units circumvent this by giving live feed to a central recording system to prevent miss-use and "accidental" loss of data.

Bit of an old article:

https://www.commercialfleet.org/fleet-management/safety/cameras-pick-the-right-dash-cam-to-protect-your-fleet

Doug32  
#5 Posted : 10 May 2018 14:53:44(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
Doug32

Nextbase 412GW.

Brilliant bit of kit.. google it. 

thanks 1 user thanked Doug32 for this useful post.
DavidGault on 11/05/2018(UTC)
HSSnail  
#6 Posted : 11 May 2018 07:16:07(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
HSSnail

I have a nextbase great bit of lit in a private car - but in a comercial situation im not so sure. Also as others have said check out all the data protection rules that apply, dont forget its a form of CCTV used inthis way so lots of things to consider before you decide on the kit itself.

thanks 1 user thanked HSSnail for this useful post.
DavidGault on 11/05/2018(UTC)
Mark-W  
#7 Posted : 11 May 2018 08:13:50(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Mark-W

Originally Posted by: Roundtuit Go to Quoted Post

The latter items are very useful evidentially but you then start to move in to the realms of employee monitoring which given the imminent arrival of GDPR requires careful application of freely given employee consent (especially if the vehicles are used privately).

I'm having this issue with 1 of my clients. An FM company, 40+ mobile engineers all fitted with dash cams and trackers.

Engineer was booked to work on a Sat morning weeks in advance. Then late on the Fri as he was finishing work he declared himself unwell enough to work on the Sat. Apparently it had nothing to do with the impending hot weather.

So company paid overtime to another engineer to cover the work.

On the Monday morning his tracker was monitored, within the 10% monitoring that the company conduct eveery week.

His van was driving round all day Sat to local places of interest.

He was called in on the Tues morning for an informal chat about how sick/unwell he really was and then he just kicked off about the invasion of privacy, why were we monitoring him.

I explained it was in the 10% policy, and we found it strange that he was to unwell to work but still well enough to drive around and be parked at the gym for 45 mins. We laid his whole weekends driving out in front of him. We explained that we were looking out for company property, the van, not tracking him. Because he was sick, his van shouldn't be moving so it caught the interest of the office staff and then they conducted a monitoring session of his van.

He went away muttering about seeking legal advice and human rights. But a couple of weeks later we've heard nothing but word has got round the company that the office staff are spying on engineers at the weekends..

Roundtuit  
#8 Posted : 11 May 2018 15:48:40(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Roundtuit

Why should being "unfit" for work equate to the individual being bed ridden?

Where I live there is a gym and doctors surgery (walk in centre) on the same car park.

The comments indicate the (vehicle) monitoring policy was not clearly communicated and I would agree that if the company is looking after its property then private journeys outside of working hours are secondary information to the primary purpose of company asset protection.

Roundtuit  
#9 Posted : 11 May 2018 15:48:40(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Roundtuit

Why should being "unfit" for work equate to the individual being bed ridden?

Where I live there is a gym and doctors surgery (walk in centre) on the same car park.

The comments indicate the (vehicle) monitoring policy was not clearly communicated and I would agree that if the company is looking after its property then private journeys outside of working hours are secondary information to the primary purpose of company asset protection.

johnmurray  
#10 Posted : 12 May 2018 19:04:00(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
johnmurray

Originally Posted by: GB1977 Go to Quoted Post

Hi All

We are thinking about installing dash cams in all our vehicles. Anybody have any good recommendations?

Thanks

No. They're all pretty much the same under the plastic.

However, you will need to establish a system to keep the recordings, as any member of the public may decide to use the subject access provisions of the DPA to view the recording/s of him/herself...after all, these are not personal recorders, they are being used commercially.

While the unit is recording video, it will usually also be recording audio, so you may want to think about the problem of recording cab audio, including personal phone calls...

You will have to instruct the employee to not delete the recordings, and not to use them for personal reasons....

Mark-W  
#11 Posted : 15 May 2018 09:37:53(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Mark-W

Originally Posted by: Roundtuit Go to Quoted Post

Why should being "unfit" for work equate to the individual being bed ridden?

Where I live there is a gym and doctors surgery (walk in centre) on the same car park.

The comments indicate the (vehicle) monitoring policy was not clearly communicated and I would agree that if the company is looking after its property then private journeys outside of working hours are secondary information to the primary purpose of company asset protection.

My bad for not giving a clear explanation. In this case his self certifying unfit to work was bad back and unable to walk/move without severe pain. He was noticed out and about by a fellow engr (not the one who worked). The company then chose a quick snapshot of his time that day to check the status of his vehicle. The tracker is linked into the vehicle and gives us all sorts of info. Time they turned the ign on, when they moved, how fast, harsh braking etc. He completed lots of short journeys for most of the day. If he had a trip to thr Dr's then all would of been fine, but for the journey pattern he displayed they looked further into it. Hence the coming in for a chat without tea and biscuits.

WatsonD  
#12 Posted : 16 May 2018 09:29:47(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
WatsonD

Originally Posted by: Mark-W Go to Quoted Post

My bad for not giving a clear explanation. In this case his self certifying unfit to work was bad back and unable to walk/move without severe pain. He was noticed out and about by a fellow engr (not the one who worked). The company then chose a quick snapshot of his time that day to check the status of his vehicle. The tracker is linked into the vehicle and gives us all sorts of info. Time they turned the ign on, when they moved, how fast, harsh braking etc. He completed lots of short journeys for most of the day. If he had a trip to thr Dr's then all would of been fine, but for the journey pattern he displayed they looked further into it. Hence the coming in for a chat without tea and biscuits.

It shows how easy these things can turn. A guy has got caught out and instead of owning up, now the rumour is the company is spying.

These vans are your property, To satisfy your own responsiblilties and the requirements of your insurers you are tracking the vehicle journeys. Your staff are fortunate you allow them to have use of your vehicles overnight and over the weekend (I assmue the are taxed for this). From what I can see this appears to include free fuel (?), as your issue was not for the van being used, per se; but the fact it was being used quite a lot for someone who - due to a reproted bad-back -  probably shouldn't have been driving it at all.

There are many reasons he could have given for this, but instead he chose to try and turn it around, get angry and accuse you of spying.

I would reiterate to all staff that the use of a company vehicle out of work hours is a privilege you are happy to extend. However, as the vans remain company property 24 hours a day 7 days a week your responsibility for them and how they are being used and driven (insurance) extends beyond the 9-5 of the work day. If any staff are not happy with this 'intrusion' then they can simply leave the car at the office overnight and make their own way to work and back home each day.

thanks 1 user thanked WatsonD for this useful post.
Mark-W on 17/05/2018(UTC)
Roundtuit  
#13 Posted : 17 May 2018 10:10:17(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Roundtuit

There is a world of difference between the technological solutions and the communication with those affected by its implementation

I want to recover a vehicle asset in the event of theft - tracker (passive system until activated)

I want to have real time data on vehicle location for work planning/monitoring - telematics (active system constantly monitoring)

I want to have real time data on vehicle location for work planning/monitoring AND my employees are permitted to use the vehicle privately outside of working hours - telematics with PRIVACY selector (active system with constant monitoring BUT flags periods where all gathered data should not be used for any business purposes other than locating the vehicle in the event of theft/loss)

Some have purchased telematics systems but then only inform employees the system is fitted for vehicle recovery in the event of theft - any use of peripheral data e.g. detailed journey log is an invasion of privacy and reviewing journey data in this case is "spying". Where privacy mode is fitted and activated this is a clear indication as to the limitation of the extent to which data can be used.

This is not only vehicle related - mobile phones have the ability to be tracked especially when loaded with apps or function such as "Lone Worker" and here the extent of monitoring is quite often restricted to communicating the perceived business benefit without explanation of the additional leaked data

​​​​​​​Winston Smith...

thanks 2 users thanked Roundtuit for this useful post.
Kate on 18/05/2018(UTC), Kate on 18/05/2018(UTC)
Roundtuit  
#14 Posted : 17 May 2018 10:10:17(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Roundtuit

There is a world of difference between the technological solutions and the communication with those affected by its implementation

I want to recover a vehicle asset in the event of theft - tracker (passive system until activated)

I want to have real time data on vehicle location for work planning/monitoring - telematics (active system constantly monitoring)

I want to have real time data on vehicle location for work planning/monitoring AND my employees are permitted to use the vehicle privately outside of working hours - telematics with PRIVACY selector (active system with constant monitoring BUT flags periods where all gathered data should not be used for any business purposes other than locating the vehicle in the event of theft/loss)

Some have purchased telematics systems but then only inform employees the system is fitted for vehicle recovery in the event of theft - any use of peripheral data e.g. detailed journey log is an invasion of privacy and reviewing journey data in this case is "spying". Where privacy mode is fitted and activated this is a clear indication as to the limitation of the extent to which data can be used.

This is not only vehicle related - mobile phones have the ability to be tracked especially when loaded with apps or function such as "Lone Worker" and here the extent of monitoring is quite often restricted to communicating the perceived business benefit without explanation of the additional leaked data

​​​​​​​Winston Smith...

thanks 2 users thanked Roundtuit for this useful post.
Kate on 18/05/2018(UTC), Kate on 18/05/2018(UTC)
Stuart Smiles  
#15 Posted : 17 May 2018 22:33:38(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
Stuart Smiles

ask your insurers, they will have a relationship with a particular manufacturer, and may offer discount for installation, (or require as part of insurance), also will have mobile fitters they approve of for fitment. for commercial fleets, I have discussed smartwitness, road hawk, vision techniques, brigade, and you have already been offered nextbase by someone else - perhaps halfords could supply and fit for you? 

also discuss and check up on sd cards or 3/4/5g options , some allow real time viewing, hard disk/ssd recording and such like.  

tfl were talking some time ago about assessing "driver support aids" have a look for fors specification in google and "fors camera" to see who advertises as being suitable. 

also ask about them being evidence grade for use in court when there's an issue and how they approach the issue.

Edited by user 17 May 2018 22:36:07(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

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