Port Colborne

Improving fleet safety, insurance claim resolution, and public works visibility with telematics

The City of Port Colborne, Ontario, manages more than 300 pieces of equipment across five departments, including bylaw enforcement, parks, roads, waterways, and snow removal. With a diverse municipal fleet supporting services throughout the community, staff needed quicker access to vehicle information and better visibility into field operations. By combining telematics, driver performance monitoring, and vehicle cameras, the City improved its ability to investigate incidents, monitor operations remotely, and make more informed fleet decisions.

The Challenge: Limited Visibility Across a Growing Municipal Fleet

Port Colborne’s previous fleet management system was slow and difficult to use when staff needed information quickly. This became particularly challenging when dealing with insurance claims involving slip-and-fall incidents, parking lot accidents, or vehicle collisions, which could take days or weeks to investigate.

The lack of real-time visibility also created challenges for public works operations. Supervisors could not remotely monitor winter road work or verify where equipment had been deployed during waterway emergencies.

As the fleet became more complex across multiple departments, the City needed a simpler way to access operational and safety information without requiring specialised technical expertise.

The Solution: Connecting Fleet Tracking, Cameras, and Driver Performance

Port Colborne introduced a unified fleet management approach that brought real-time vehicle information, video, driver performance reporting, and fleet analytics into one system across its municipal departments.

Vehicle cameras were deployed on equipment where additional visibility could improve safety. A 360-degree camera on a road sweeper gave operators greater awareness of curbs, gutters, and nearby vehicles, while a side-bin camera on a waste collection truck allowed operators to check that the surrounding area was clear before activating the bin.

The City also equipped snowplows with four-camera live-view systems, allowing supervisors to monitor winter operations remotely. This meant managers could assess road and weather conditions without needing to be physically present and could respond more quickly when operators requested assistance.

Driver performance reporting was another part of the program. Monthly reports allowed supervisors to review driving behaviour by department and use documented performance information during coaching and insurance discussions.

The Results: Faster Investigations and Stronger Fleet Accountability

One of the most immediate improvements came in insurance claim investigations. Information that previously took days or weeks to collect could now be accessed within hours. In one waterway-related claim, fleet staff were able to identify which vehicles responded, where they travelled, and when they arrived, while also accessing relevant video footage.

Port Colborne also maintained a driver performance score of 75% or higher across all departments. This provided objective information that could be used to demonstrate the effectiveness of its driver performance and safety practices during an insurance renewal process.

Real-time camera access further strengthened public works oversight. Supervisors could remotely monitor snowplow activity and field conditions, while specialised camera setups added another layer of protection for operators, pedestrians, and other road users.

The City is also using information such as route patterns, vehicle usage, and idle time to evaluate which vehicles may be suitable for future electrification. Rather than relying on assumptions about vehicle use, fleet data can help identify where electric vehicles may be practical while supporting the City’s sustainability and cost-efficiency goals.

For the City of Port Colborne, GPS tracking and telematics have become an important part of managing municipal operations. Faster access to information helps staff investigate incidents, monitor field activity, support safer driving, and make more informed decisions about the future of the fleet.

Want to see more fleet success stories? Explore our Success Stories to see how GPS tracking and telematics are helping organizations improve safety, efficiency, maintenance, and fleet performance.