Plug-&-Play VS. Hardwired OBD Devices
Before we go on exploring how you can get your hands on a device, let’s first brush through the details of the two most important types of GPS trackers available in the market:
Plug-&-Play Trackers
The first kind is the simpler of the lot as the name suggests, all you have to do with it is to “plug” and “play,” it’s that easy. Our trackers fall within this category, and so do most of the other GPS fleet tracking systems available in the market.
Plug-and-play trackers don’t demand complicated installation and can be set up rather simply, with no extra time, effort, or money required. Such trackers are perfect for those who want to jump straight into the tracking business without wasting a moment, or can’t wait that long to set up a tracker, or simply don’t need a hardwired device for their vehicle.
Plug and play trackers shine the most in the simplicity area, they make tracking much easier than it would’ve been otherwise. However, you should try and keep the device out of sight just in case, i.e. if one of your vehicles gets stolen, you’ll still be able to track it. If someone sees the device in your vehicle, they will simply pull it off and disappear without a trace.
However, for regular tracking, plug-and-play devices are pretty adequate.
Since these devices connect straight with the onboard diagnostics panel, they are also called OBD devices. All you have to do is to unpack your tracker, locate the OBD panel and simply plug in the device. This panel will not only provide the device with electricity, thus eliminating any need for you to recharge it or to replace the batteries, but will also feed it valuable input about the state of your vehicle.
The device will pick up much more than the location and speed of your vehicle, it will also alert you if any maintenance troubles demand your attention.
In short, the device has you covered all the way.
There is just one limitation though, as we mentioned earlier, these devices can be disconnected rather easily.
Hardwired Trackers
If you’d rather have something that integrates perfectly with your vehicles and stays out of sight while doing its job, then a hardwired tracker is worth your attention. This variant, in contrast to the previous one, is not that easy to set up. You’ll most probably have to call over a professional technician with expertise in GPS trackers to set it up.
You’ll also have to dedicate some time to the setup process and pay an installation fee.
However, all of this will be worth it in the long run. For instance, if your vehicle gets stolen, the tracker will continue to transmit location data. Since hardwired trackers are not very apparent and are integrated with the system, there is minimal risk of them being removed from your vehicle.
The only downside is that this added security comes at a greater price, you’ll have to dedicate lots of time for the installation if you have a big fleet, and the money will be simply wasted if all that you want to do is fleet tracking and nothing more.
Which One Is Right For You?
In the end, your decision to acquire either type of tracker will depend on what you want from your fleet management system.
If you prefer simplicity, time conservation, and a low-cost option, then plug-and-play devices are the ones to go for. However, for maximum security (i.e. for company trucks), a hardwired option will be preferable given that you’re willing to put in the extra time, effort, and money.
For most people though, plug-and-play devices work just fine – we already have over 20,000 vehicles on our network!
Getting A GPS Fleet Tracking System Is Simpler Than You Think
If you choose, Fleetr, getting your hands on a Fleet tracking system is a simple, three-step process:
1. Buy Our Subscription & Get The Device
Fleetr will not charge you for the tracker; you’ll only have to pay for our monthly subscription/rent for the tracking system, and that’s all. Once you choose our subscription, we’ll send over a GPS tracker your way, a plug-and-play type model for no cost.
You’ll only have to connect the device to the OBD port of your vehicle to get it working.
The monthly rent is a mere $9.99 per vehicle; at such affordable rates, there is no reason for you to hold back from fleet tracking and improving the performance efficiency of your team.
2. Download Our Tracking App
Once you’ve set up the tracker, which should not take any more than a minute or two, you’ll have to download our tracking app.
The Fleetr app is readily available on the mainstream app stores and our website.
You should try to download the app on both: your mobile and computer to sync the data and for ease of access. In any case, you’ll have to set up the app, a few simple steps, just a couple of taps/clicks, and that’ll be all, and then you’ll be able to track your vehicles without any trouble.
3. Get Tracking
This is the easiest part. Once everything else is in place, you should be able to track your vehicles without any problem. Your Fleetr app will start sharing the real-time locations of your vehicles with you, visible on the screen as indicators on a real-time map of your service area.
You’ll get to see if your drivers are driving safely or not, you’ll be able to review their daily performances with ease, the app will also show you travel histories for all of your vehicles. Fuel wastage through idling will also be slashed to a minimum as the app will alert you whenever the drivers idle your vehicles.
And so on…
Three simple steps and you’ll get tracking in no time with Fleetr!
Why You Should Consider Investing In A GPS Tracking System
Before you leave this page, do consider scanning the following sections to get a better idea of what a GPS fleet tracking system can do for your vehicles, drivers, and your business:
Real-Time Tracking
The biggest advantage of a GPS tracking system is the ability to monitor the live location of your fleets at any given time. In contrast to intervaled tracking, real-time location tracking allows fleet managers to know exactly where their drivers and vehicles are at a given time.
This comes in handy in several situations.
For instance, a fleet manager may have to give their customer an ETA on the cargo, that’s only possible if they know where all of their trucks are at the moment. Fleet tracking software will help them do just that and thus put them in a position where they’ll be able to answer such questions.
Now imagine this scenario without a fleet management system, the fleet manager will have to contact their drivers, bugging them again and again while they drive to get a lock on their location and an estimated ETA. It is both inefficient and very risky too.
Live location tracking helps you avoid all of this hassle.
Save Fuel Costs
Fuel wastage is the most important monetary drain for all businesses involving a transportation business, and this is where fleet tracking technology shines out the most by slashing down these wastes and saving tons of money.
While the sum saved may not seem like much at the moment, pile it up for a year, and you’ll see that fuel wastage can cost you a fortune.
Gladly, fleet tracking systems can help you out here too by telling you whenever your drivers are idling (which is one of the leading reasons for fuel wastage), allowing you to correct them and conserve both money and precious fuel.
Another source of fuel wastage is improper route planning and plotting, and once again, a fleet tracking system can help you out here as we’ll see in the following section.
Route Optimization
As noted earlier, longer routes can not only cost you lots of time but also create monetary drains in the form of fuel wastage. However, there is no guarantee that the shortest route will be perfect for traveling either because you never know if there are traffic issues or if the road is undergoing maintenance.
Not to worry though, this is another area where fleet tracking comes to the rescue.
By selecting the most appropriate route for every travel, you can ensure maximum operation efficiency. Fleet tracking software will take into account all of the factors needed to make your ride smooth and will then suggest the optimal route for each travel.
Once you’ve figured out the optimal course, you can also spend some time planning daily schedules to minimize the time taken to get to places and to get more work done every day.
Time and money, you’ll save both.
Monitor Driver Behavior
Whatever your drivers do out on the street will be partly your responsibility. Since you hire them, you’ll be responsible if they ever cause a crash. And don’t kid yourself, commercial vehicle crashes are far more frequent than you may think at first.
Such accidents can cost companies thousands of dollars in the very least for compensation payments, repairing damages, and other expenses. You may have to lose a huge chunk of your business funds if your driver acts neglectfully; thus it is in your best interests to keep a close eye on what they do.
Fleet trackers can help you do just that.
A fleet tracking software will warn you if your drivers speed beyond the limit, hard press the brakes, accelerate swiftly, take fast turns, or drive aggressively in any way. These timely notifications will warn you about the threat, giving you ample time to respond.
You should also conduct regular workshops on road safety and discuss the importance of being responsible and vigilant on the road with your drivers to stay on the safe side. If someone fails to comply time and again, perhaps you should let them go.
No Need For Manual Logs
You probably get confused a bit with the daily work logs that your drivers are filling. You’re sure that the data is not completely accurate, but there is no way for you to prove so. To effectively judge the performance of your drivers, you need impartial and error-free performance data.
The fleet tracking software will generate such reports and thus help you make meaningful decisions.
Fleetr Is Perfect For Your Small Fleet
You may have brushed the internet for a couple of fleet tracking solutions but were probably dismayed to see that most of them had binding terms that felt like too much. Some even put a minimum number of vehicles that you need to track with their GPS fleet tracking system, you can’t have their software and hardware otherwise.
But that’s not the case with Fleetr.
Fleetr will not ask you to sign any binding contracts, we have no minimum on the number of vehicles you must track with us, no hidden charges, no initiation fees, no charges for the device, and no obligations for a minimum period of commitment. Our work is pretty simple: we help you with tracking, that’s all – we’ve kept it as simple as things possibly could be in this business.
Feel free to call us, and we’ll explain to you how our fleet tracking solution can help you improve the productivity, security, safety, and effectiveness of your fleet, no matter how small!
