Generating a numerical ranking of driver performance based on a plurality of metrics

A memory medium having machine instructions stored thereon for carrying out the following steps:

• (a) while a driver is operating a vehicle, automatically collecting data corresponding to the performance of the driver, the data including at least an idle time metric and a route deviation metric, where the route deviation metric is based on determining if the driver has deviated from a predefined route while operating the vehicle;
• (b)for each metric, automatically determining a numerical value for the metric;
• (c) automatically combining the numerical values for each metric to achieve a numerical performance value;
• (d) automatically normalizing the numerical performance value to achieve the numerical ranking indicative of the performance of the driver;
• and (e) displaying the numerical ranking in real-time to the driver while the driver is operating the vehicle.

A system for producing a numerical ranking indicative of a performance of a driver based on a plurality of metrics corresponding to an operation of a vehicle by a driver, comprising:

• (a) a memory in which a plurality of machine instructions are stored;
• (b) a data link for importing at least one of the plurality of metrics determined while the driver is operating the vehicle, and data collected while the driver is operating the vehicle, where such data are to be used to calculate the plurality of metrics, wherein the plurality of metrics include an idle time metric and a route deviation metric, where the route deviation metric is based on determining if the driver has deviated from a predefined route while operating the vehicle;
• and
• (c) a processor, coupled to the memory and to the data link, said processor executing the machine instructions to carry out a plurality of functions, including:
• (i) where the data link imports data that are to be used to calculate the plurality of metrics, automatically calculating the plurality of metrics from the data;
• (ii) for each metric that is calculated or imported, automatically determining a numerical value for the metric;
• (iii) automatically combining the numerical values for the plurality of metrics to determine a numerical performance value;
• (iv) normalizing the numerical performance value to determine the numerical ranking indicative of the performance of the driver;
• and (v) displaying the numerical ranking in real-time to the driver while the driver is operating the vehicle.

A method of using a plurality of positional data points to produce a numerical ranking indicative of a performance of a driver, each positional data point comprising a geographical position of the vehicle at a specific point in time, comprising the steps of:

• (a) automatically collecting the plurality of positional data points while the driver is operating the vehicle;
• (b) using the plurality of positional data points to automatically calculate a plurality of metrics, each of the plurality of metrics corresponding to the performance of the driver while operating the vehicle, where the calculations are performed at the vehicle and the plurality of metrics include at least an idle time metric and a route deviation metric, where the route deviation metric is based on determining if the driver has deviated from a predefined route while operating the vehicle;
• (c) for each metric calculated, automatically determining a numerical value for the metric, where the determinations of the numerical value for each metric are performed at the vehicle;
• (d) automatically combining the numerical values for the plurality of metrics to determine a numerical performance value, where the determination of the numerical performance value is performed at the vehicle;
• (e) automatically normalizing the numerical performance value to achieve the numerical ranking indicative of the performance of the driver, where the determination of the numerical ranking is performed at the vehicle;
• and
• (f) displaying the numerical ranking to the driver in real-time while the driver is operating the vehicle.