Is my employer allowed to use GPS in work vehicles?

Yes. Businesses sometimes use GPS as a tool to manage their vehicle fleets more efficiently. For example, a GPS system can ensure that a dispatch centre sends the closest taxi to pick up a passenger. It can deliver information on the best routes to take. It can monitor the time a driver works, and even assist with issues such as speed compliance.

Since GPS involves monitoring company vehicles and where the driver is, it is important that the employer should have good policies to govern the way GPS is used, and make sure the driver is fully aware both that the vehicle has GPS and what the policies are around it.

This is best achieved by having clear work policy documents. For example, what happens out of work hours? Any information relating to that non-work time will need to be handled very differently from the information gathered while an employee is on the job.

The Privacy Act regulates the collection, use, and storage of personal information, as well as access to that information. GPS data about work vehicles can be personal information about employees.

A company should ensure employees are aware of why information is being collected, and how it will be used (as well as their right under the Privacy Act to request access to information about themselves).

This tool on our website may help your company form a privacy statement for the collection of this information.