Fleet management is a huge responsibility that goes far beyond keeping an eye on a fleet of vehicles or trucks. You must be abreast of the vehicle’s current location, speed, when and where it stopped, and for how long, among other things.
Technological advancements can help fleet managers meet their deliverables thanks to vehicle tracking systems. And businesses are increasingly using GPS to track their assets because it provides precise location data in real-time, in addition to being an effective theft deterrent.
What is a GPS asset tracking system? It is a system that tracks the location of assets in real-time using Global Positioning System (GPS) technology. This system makes it easy to track vehicles, trailers, containers, and other vehicles.
The Global Positioning System consists of 27 satellites orbiting the Earth. There are 24 operational satellites and three backup satellites in case one of the other 24 fails. Every 12 hours, these satellites orbit the Earth and send signals that GPS receivers receive. The Positioning System is managed by various tracking stations located all over the world. The microwave carrier signals transmitted by the satellites are picked up by these stations, and GPS receivers convert these signals into data such as velocity, time, and position. GPS receivers receive alerts from GPS satellites and use them to ascertain the current location of the user in space and time.
GPS trackers use a technique known as trilateration to communicate with this network. It is where at least three satellites from the GNSS network ascertain the trackable asset’s latitude, longitude, elevation, and time. Trilateration generates precise and accurate data, which improves asset visibility. It enables fleet managers to control overuse and to make the best possible use of their assets.
Benefits of Using Vehicle Tracking System
There are several benefits to using the vehicle tracking system. GPS tracking improves the accuracy and ease of routing and dispatching. The GPS tracking fitted to vehicles has prevented theft and increased the chances of recovering stolen vehicles for emergency services. It can track vehicle usage using metrics like speed, distance, and time spent on the road. These assist managers in understanding the performance of employees who use a variety of vehicles. Everything from heavy-duty cranes and bulldozers to delivery vans and rental cars is available with the Hidden Brains Vehicle Tracking System.
As a valuable tool for fleet managers, GPS tracking has some additional advantages, which are:
1. Reduced Operation Costs
GPS tracking gadgets can aid you in making cost-effective decisions based on real-time data. It provides more data about your fleet vehicles by providing increased perspective and awareness of your fleet’s operations, allowing you to make more positional and profit-oriented decisions for your business. Operational costs from manual fleet management are off the rack. Manual fleet management necessitates a large workforce dedicated to the operation of your vehicles. It also implies that a sizable infrastructure is required to house the staff. The option is a costly expense that is unnecessary when better alternatives are available. A vehicle tracking system from Hidden Brains is the better option, and it improves your business’s ROI. Business owners are far more in touch with their business operations when they have detailed information on the whereabouts of all employees. That is, they have more control over their company.
2. Vehicle Maintenance
All mechanical devices have an expiration date; afterwards, there is no use for them. The same holds for automobiles. It is an arduous task to maintain vehicles in an optimal condition manually, and if you opt for that, it can lead to maintenance fraud, which often results in significant financial losses. With our fleet tracking system, you will be notified when any vehicle in your fleet requires maintenance. It helps ensure that vehicle servicing requirements are met and reduces inadvertent expenses and repairs. Vehicles are thereby used efficiently owing to the information obtained from vehicle tracking systems. Vehicle maintenance and upkeep can extend the life of your fleet and save your organisation money, thereby increasing the company’s ROI.
3. Better Time Management
Workers’ productivity can be increased by keeping track of lunch hours, uncovering non-authorised stops and breaks, and evaluating overtime requests. It is easier to monitor employee activities when specific data regarding the location of vehicles is available at all times. You’ll be able to allocate resources based on real-time insights, preventing your trucks from taking longer trips and drivers from spending more time on the road than necessary. This assists in keeping your payroll hours under control. Timesheet fraud occurs when drivers are paid for work they did not perform or for time spent on non-work-related activities. Drivers may record more hours than they worked, edit their driving hours retroactively, or log regular hours as overtime. It not only costs you money, but it can also result in incorrect billing. Payroll and billing are more accurate when GPS and electronic logs are maximised.
4. Controlled Fuel Expenses
The most expensive part of driving a car is the fuel. A GPS tracker can help you save a significant amount of money that you would otherwise spend on fuel. Before GPS telematics advancements, fleet managers had no way of verifying what their drivers did each day, where they were at any specific time, or where they were headed next. They had no way of knowing who to dispatch for jobs when they were completed, or even if they were being completed. But with a GPS tracker, you can save fuel, and time, and reduce emissions by using GPS tracking and better dispatching. For example, GPS technology can be used to monitor excessive speeding or idling, both of which are fuel-wasting behaviours. You can train your drivers to drive more efficiently and save fuel.
5. Tracing of Assets
GPS fleet tracking software can be used to track all assets, not just vehicles. You can track the movements of expensive mobile equipment, such as generators and trailers. This allows you to determine whether or not they are on the job site where they are needed rather than sitting idle and unused. You will know they are safe and secure. You can also set a geofence around work sites so that you know when they come in and go out.
6. Excellent customer service
One of the significant advantages of fleet tracking systems is improved customer service.
Companies are figuring out how to use real-time fleet status to provide a five-star customer experience. For example, more accurate arrival estimates mean fewer calls from customers inquiring about the status of their deliveries. Status calls can also be answered more quickly without the need to contact the driver. Fleet managers and others can use fleet tracking to quickly identify the closest vehicle to a service destination, allowing them to respond to new or changing customer requests more quickly.
7. Route optimisation
Access to current and historical route data can help fleet managers manage driver time and trip more effectively. Fleet tracking systems that combine GPS data with real-time mapping data can provide real-time traffic and road condition information, as well as current fleet location. This allows dispatchers to reroute vehicles more quickly and adapt to changing conditions as they occur. Another benefit of using a GPS vehicle tracking system is the data it can provide on trip history. Trip history data analysis can also reveal patterns and lead to performance improvements, such as avoiding a specific section of road at certain times of the day.
8. Increase driver safety
Most importantly, fleet tracking can assist businesses in protecting their most valuable asset—their drivers. Many GPS fleet tracking systems can replay individual routes, displaying an animated trail of where any drivers were speeding so you can coach drivers and improve their driving skills. A company vehicle is an important brand asset. When the drivers drive safely and courteously, it makes a good impression on those who share the road with your vehicles. Fleet tracking services can be used to maintain and reinforce driver safety and coaching programmes aimed at improving driver performance.
Hidden Brains provides services for all your business needs, including Vehicle Tracking Solutions, Fleet Management Systems, and Fleet Telematics. Hidden Brains assists you in optimising your operations and business while you focus on the expansion of your company!
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