Overview

Private Mode disables the recording of GPS location events for designated trips or days.

Private Mode is designed to satisfy a carrier's obligations under Workplace Surveillance regulations. These regulations prohibit an employer using work surveillance devices – such as an Ehubo2 – while an employee is on a private journey in a company vehicle.

While in Private Mode:

No location events for a vehicle are recorded, monitored, derived or transmitted while en route
No location events for a vehicle are recorded, monitored or derived on Depot: No location events for Daily Activity or Event Log, for example.
No driver reporting: No violations, Leaderboard reporting, overspeed alerts, etc.

Who would use Private Mode?

The use of company vehicles for private use is a privilege the company may or may not grant to its employees and contractors. Private Mode is commonly given to drivers who have demonstrated a responsible attitude and logistical need to use company vehicles privately. Some Private Mode examples:

Company representatives who require work vehicles to do their job effectively.
Contractors who split time between different companies and must assure confidential relationships among them.
Third party service and maintenance companies who may need to use a company's vehicle in the normal course of their service.

Is ANYTHING recorded while in Private Mode?

Yes.

Ignition on and Ignition off events are recorded, along with their timestamps, but no location data about where those events occur.
Date and time the trip began
Date and time the trip ended
Date and time off-road started
Date and time off-road ended

These details are required to satisfy the company's legal obligations to the government: for example, Fringe Benefit Tax in Australia and Road User Charges in New Zealand.

What does Private Mode look like in MyEROAD?

This map and corresponding Activity log tracks a vehicle driving for one day operating around Canberra.

Daily Activity Private Mode2

The vehicle does a short public trip in the north of the city.

Then Private Mode is engaged.

About 7 hours 30 minutes later, it appears near the university of Canberra, and does another short public trip.

According to the logs, all we know about this day is that the vehicle travelled 37km in about 7 and a half hours.

Private Mode FAQ

How much is Private Mode?

Currently, Private Mode is available on selected plans at no additional cost.

Is Private Mode available on Heavy Vehicles?

Private Mode is plan-dependent. Talk with your EROAD account manager to discuss specific applications of Private Mode for your company.

Does Private Mode work with Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT, AUS), Fuel Tax Credits (FTC, AUS), off-road, etc?

Yes. However, certain non-compliance features like messaging, Jobs, Odo-sync, Inspect and Fuel are unavailable.

Here's a set of functions commonly affected – and unaffected – by Private Mode.

RUC	Distance travelled in Private Mode is calculated as on road distance. RUC expired event will still be triggered to ensure that the RUC calculation is correct.
Offroad	The distance travelled in Private Mode is calculated as on road distance.
FBT	When a trip is identified as Private by the Driver and the vehicle has Private Mode – that after that point vehicle activity will not be visible, and the trip purpose will be recorded as Private.
FTC	The distance travelled in Private Mode will be calculated as on-road distance for calculatin of Fuel Tax Credits.
Driver Behaviour Analytics	RUC expired event will still be Private Mode travel excluded from Overspeed Dashboard, Leaderboard and Driver Safety Reports.
Drive Buddy	In-vehicle coaching including Drive Buddy and Posted Speed works while the vehicle is in Private Mode.
Fuel	Fuel Exception will not be created during Private Mode. However, the fuel transaction will still be displayed in Fuel Transaction Management. The location of that fuel transaction will be the location of the site, not the vehicle.
Geofence	When a vehicle turns on or off Private Mode in a geofence, only the travel for work purposes will be reported in Geofence Reports.
Distance Summary Report	Distance travelled in Private Mode will be aggregated against an unknown region/jurisdiction.
Other Events	When Private Mode is enabled only events required to ensure vehicles are compliant are sent, including: Ignition events without location Tamper/HW Fault Events without location Driver Login Events without location FBT Events without location RUC License Events without location Debug events WITH location

Is the Private Mode option turned on at a Fleet-level or a vehicle level?

Companies assign vehicles to have Private Mode. A company could give their entire fleet private mode, or a small set of vehicles, or start rolling out Private Mode to more vehicles over time.

How do I know if a vehicle is in Private Mode?

In several screens, including the Daily Activity Screen, a Mask icon indicates a Private Mode On/Off event. Also, if MyEROAD or support users click on a vehicle that doesn't seem to be transmitting location events, a pop-up bubble will indicate if the vehicle is in Private Mode.

Can we get an report on Private Mode trips?

Yes, but of course, no location data will be contained in it. If you wish to monitor occurences of Private Mode in your company, ask for a '103 Trips Report' from EROAD Technical Support. This is an Exception Trip Log (ETL) report. Please supply:

"For Private Mode Monitoring"
Organisation
Email address for the report to be sent
Fleet/s
Events between times & for selected days eg. between 9am and 5pm - M,T,W,T,F (optional)

What happens if a driver forgets to go into Private Mode for a private trip?

While Private Mode is a privilege given to users of certain vehicles, it's the Driver's responsibility to put the vehicle into Private Mode, if appropriate. The trip will be fully recorded, the records of that trip will be available. The trip records can't be altered, but the driver should contact their company to clarify any discrepancies.

What if a driver forgets to exit Private Mode for a company trip?

The location records for this trip cannot be recovered - they were never recorded in the first place. However, non-location events necessary for company compliance and tax records are still recorded.

Could people improve their rankings on Leaderboard under Private Mode?

They could try But this is why we have the '103 Trips Report' – so Fleet managers can get an eye on Private Mode use, so employees can't misuse Leaderboard.

Could I put a company car into Private Mode for annual leave?

Yes (assuming the vehicle has the Private Mode feature). You can activate Private Mode by trip, or by day. Just activate Private Mode at the start of every day you're using the vehicle during your annual leave.

What are the repercussions If a driver is speeding while in Private Mode and has an accident?

Accidents are handled by legal enforcement officers, who assess a scene for evidence they can collect. They will be unable to collect location event data from the Ehubo or Depot, because it doesn't exist.

In terms of policy, this is a matter for your company's legal representation. EROAD has no ability to assist either the company or law enforcement.

How does Private Mode affect CaRA (Collision and Rollover Alerts)?

Private mode does not work with CaRA. If a rollover or collision event is detected in a CaRA-fitted vehicle while it's in Private Mode, no alerts from CaRA will be transmitted.

If a vehicle is in Private Mode and stolen, can Depot turn that vehicle's Private Mode Off?

No. It's more likely the thieves will cut the Ehubo cable.