A company may install GPS trackers in every vehicle and still create a security problem if too many people can access the tracking platform. Vehicle location, route history, parking locations and travel patterns can reveal a great deal about how a business operates. For Kenyan companies managing sales vehicles, delivery vans, trucks or field teams, fleet GPS access control should therefore be treated as part of fleet security rather than simply an IT issue.

Not every employee needs the same level of access. A fleet manager may require visibility over the entire fleet, while a branch supervisor may only need access to vehicles assigned to that branch. Senior management might require reports without needing to monitor every journey in real time. Restricting users to the information necessary for their responsibilities can reduce unnecessary exposure while still allowing the tracking system to support daily operations.

This is particularly important because vehicle location information can amount to personal data when it relates to an identifiable person. Kenya’s Office of the Data Protection Commissioner lists location data among examples of personal data and emphasises that information should be processed lawfully, transparently and only to the extent necessary for its intended purpose. Kenya’s Data Protection Regulations also state that only authorised personnel should have access to personal data necessary for their processing tasks.

Companies should therefore avoid the common practice of sharing one GPS username and password across an entire department. When several employees use the same account, it becomes difficult to know who viewed information, changed a setting or shared tracking details outside the organisation. Where the platform supports individual user accounts or different permission levels, management should assign access according to job responsibilities and keep administrator privileges limited to a small number of trusted users.

Employee changes are another area where businesses can become vulnerable. A salesperson, dispatcher or fleet supervisor may leave the company while still having access to the tracking app on a personal phone or saved login credentials. Fleet-access reviews should therefore form part of the company’s staff-exit procedure. Passwords can be changed where necessary, former users removed and authorised access reviewed whenever staff responsibilities change.

Businesses should also consider what each user can actually do inside the platform. Viewing a vehicle’s location is different from managing users, changing geofences, issuing reports or accessing historical movement. A dispatcher may need current vehicle locations to assign jobs, while only a fleet administrator should be able to change important account settings. This type of role-based access can help prevent accidental changes while ensuring that operational staff still have the information required to do their work.

Transparency with employees is equally important where company vehicles are assigned to identifiable drivers. Staff should understand that vehicles are GPS tracked, why the information is collected and how the company intends to use it. The ODPC states that individuals have a right to be informed about how their personal data will be used, while its guidance emphasises safeguards against unauthorised access. Clear internal policies can help businesses use GPS information for legitimate purposes such as fleet security, route management and operational control without turning the platform into unrestricted employee surveillance.

Finatrack Global Ltd provides GPS tracking and fleet-management solutions for Kenyan businesses that need better visibility and control over company vehicles. Beyond installing tracking devices, businesses should establish clear rules covering who can view fleet information, who controls administrator access and when access should be removed. Finatrack can assist organisations with professional GPS tracking setups suited to private vehicles and commercial fleets. For enquiries, call or WhatsApp 0723 645 810 or visit www.finatrack.co.ke. A secure tracking system is not only about protecting the device hidden inside the vehicle; it is also about protecting the information visible on the screen.