GPS Tracking to Curtail Ambulance Misuse

When you call 9-1-1 in an emergency situation, you expect that an ambulance can and will get to you as quickly as possible. When every minute could make a difference between life and death or between full recovery and permanent damage, the ability and commitment of a driver to reach you as fast as is safely possible is a reasonable expectation. However, in some countries, that expectation isn’t well-founded. Driver irresponsibility with ambulance vehicles in India has led the Jammu and Kashmir government to implement a vehicle GPS tracking program for all ambulances in the state.

Misuse of Ambulances 

Government officials in Jammu and Kashmir, a state in northern India, decided to implement the vehicle GPS tracking program both to increase efficiency and to curtail misuse of ambulances by drivers. Using the vehicles for personal reasons or to make unauthorized stops has become enough of a problem that officials felt the need to step in. These personal misuses have sometimes been committed at the expense of patients who were waiting to be transported to a medical facility.

Benefits of GPS Tracking for Fleet Vehicles

GPS tracking has provided solutions for fleet vehicle managers in a variety of business and government situations. Its ability to improve efficiency and modify driver behavior has been well-documented. Some of the benefits of equipping fleet vehicles with tracking devices are:

• More efficient routes


• Decreased fuel usage


• Greater cost savings


• More efficient driving habits (such as decreased idle times, safer driving speeds, and shorter driving times)


• Deterred vehicle theft


• Better chance of recovery in the event of a theft

Many businesses that use GPS technology on their fleet vehicles have reported savings in the thousands of dollars—enough to pay for the equipment quickly and still realize a net savings in a reasonable amount of time.

Government officials in Jammu and Kashmir expect the new GPS tracking system not only to provide the above benefits, but also to curtail the misuse of their emergency vehicles by drivers. Because the tracking devices can record exact locations and movements of each vehicle, it will be easier for administrators to address driver misuses and instigate changes in behavior. They also hope that the new measures will increase overall department efficiency.

Modifying Driver Behavior With GPS Tracking

It’s one thing to talk about gathering data with a vehicle GPS tracking system, but will that data actually make a difference in what drivers do on the road? That all depends on how the accumulated data is used. Many businesses have successfully elicited change in driver behavior by practicing some of these behavior modification strategies:

• Inform employees that driving will be monitored. Simply letting drivers know that their driving is being monitored and their behavior tracked can make a difference in how they drive. It’s easier to resist the temptation to use a company vehicle for personal reasons if you know the boss will be checking.


• Institute driver training programs. Let drivers know what company expectations and policies are regarding vehicle use on the clock, traffic violations, personal use of company vehicles, and consequences for violations. Some violations, such as taking longer routes or leaving the vehicle idling for lengthy periods of time, happen because employees aren’t aware of problems or alternatives.


• Introduce consequences for violations and follow through. Consequences can take many forms, including official reprimands, monetary consequences, and job loss. The severity of the consequence should match the seriousness of the violation. First-time offense can receive a warning and additional training, while repeated offenses over time can result in reprimands and/or eventual job loss.

When employees know both the expectations and the consequences of vehicle misuse, it becomes easier for employers to bring about real change. The data from GPS tracking can bring to light violations that otherwise might go unnoticed, giving employers concrete information to demonstrate individual violations and connect them with the driver responsible.

Taking Back the Ambulances

In Jammu and Kashmir, the ambulance misuse problem carries greater consequences than those faced by ordinary businesses. Because lives are sometimes at stake, it’s vital that the misuse problem be curtailed quickly and that drivers experience concrete consequences for their actions. The proposed vehicle GPS tracking program will help government officials do just that. By providing the necessary data to keep tabs on each driver, the new system will help administrators determine how the ambulances are being used, whether they’re reaching people in a timely fashion, and what changes need to be instituted to improve driver behavior.

GPS Tracking to Curtail Ambulance Misuse