The company decided to implement a security solution after two incidents revealed the need for extra safety measures.
Darren Judd, Kier’s head of fleet and plant, explains: “One of these events involved a member of the public entering a vehicle by force and trying to drive our vehicle. We needed something to safeguard staff and property from the threat of vehicle theft, but ultimately public safety was the decisive reason for Ident.”
He adds: “We looked at systems that use proximity detection, but if tags are left in the vehicle they circumvent the security. Ident was the only security system that guarantees vehicle lockdown when the driver is away from the cab – this was the major factor in choosing this system.”
Ident uses passive RFID alongside sensors that recognise seat pressure and door position. Users have to present the tag to the reader to allow access to the truck. Once the driver is off the seat for three seconds, the pressure sensor prompts Ident to lock down the vehicle.
Even if the driver leaves the tag in the vehicle, it is still immobilised. This means Ident will prevent anyone attempting to start the ignition or release the handbrake, without the RFID tag.
“It was an easy decision to make, because if unauthorised access to our vehicles does occur there’s a significant liability for us,” says Judd.
“The benefits are definitely outweighed by the cost outlay.”