How To Get Started With GPS Fleet Tracking

The fleet management business is expanding at an unprecedented pace. Following the principles of supply and demand, companies have launched hundreds of trucks and other vehicles to keep their businesses moving. There are so many factors to keep track of in this business, such as the route, progress of the vehicles, drivers’ behaviors, and so on.

Just a couple of years back in the past, this was not even remotely possible, at least not with the small companies. Now, things have changed dramatically, and this new wave of transformation has made GPS tracking a ‘must-have’ component for any fleet tracking business to prosper.

Fleet tracking systems and telematics have brought fleet managers one step closer to the future.

If you’re not sure what GPS fleet tracking is, how it fits into the fleet business, if it has any merits, or how to get started with the system, you’ve come to the right place.

We’ll debrief you on everything!

Exploring GPS Tracking & Telematics

The Global Positioning System, shortened as GPS, is a tracking asset that allows people to track movements of an object or vehicle associated with the said system in live stream. In simpler terms, GPS allows you to constantly monitor the position and movements of your fleet.

This means that you’ll see your drivers moving through a lane, making turns, speeding up, slowing down, idling, and much more. Short of putting you next to the driver and letting you see stuff live through your eyes, GPS has got you back in every element of fleet tracking.

Advanced GPS systems can allow you to keep an eye on a larger fleet spread throughout the city or even beyond.

Picking up after the success of GPS tracking, telematics (telecom + informatics) adds to the system by allowing you to monitor the state of your vehicles, even steal a look at live views through dash-cams and those in the rear. This gives you more control, the ability to communicate directly with each driver, and makes your fleet far more efficient and safer.

Of course, this is not the extent of this system, let’s discuss its merits to find out more!

How Can GPS Make Fleet Tracking Better?

Fleet tracking is not about following your vehicles, instead, the main idea is to “lead” the fleet. Tracking their location and behavior is only a prerequisite to lead your fleet vehicles efficiently and ensuring the safety of your workers and those around them.

Let’s explore how that becomes possible:

Route Optimization

The thing with this business is that nothing plays out perfectly according to your planning. You should expect unexpected delays due to traffic issues, weather problems, and whatnot. A couple of years back, this could not be avoided and the competition was not fierce either.

Now, the opposite is true for both cases.

Route optimization is a staggering breakthrough in the world of fleet management, it allows you to choose the best possible course for every travel. This way, your fleet will use the simplest, shortest, and safest routes for their jobs.

You can also adjust the route later on at an instant’s notice if a new problem arises on the path you’ve adopted. Thus traffic jams, damaged roads, low visibility on some roads, and assorted excuses that were often used to mask poor judgment on part of the driver have now become obsolete.

Real-time tracking, direct communication channels, live updates on route statuses, and all sorts of analytics will find their way on your screen at once in an easy-to-understand manner. Thus, you have complete freedom with changing plans as needed to approach a job in the best possible way.

Making Your Fleet Secure & Safe

GPS tracking is a fleet management tool and is intended to manage every aspect of your fleet, including the vehicles.

We all know how GPS can be a deterrent and a perfect counter to theft. Any crook eying one of your vehicles with his wicked gaze will think twice before making the move knowing all too well his target is being constantly monitored.

Apart from theft protection, the live stats and analytics from your vehicles’ systems allow you to ensure that they are in perfect shape. If you see any problem that can create a mess, later on, you can simply communicate with the driver, right at that moment, and let them know that it needs to be fixed immediately.

This will save your vehicle from a big disaster down the road at an inconvenient hour.

You can also choose to receive alerts if one of your trucks is being used other than a proscribed duration.

All in all, you need not worry about vehicle safety and keeping your drivers secure.

Good For Business

Lastly, GPS tracking is perfect for making your fleeting business more efficient and profitable. You ensure customer satisfaction by never being late, or informing them in time if there is something unavoidable causing your vehicle to run late.

Then there’s the reduced cost of operation due to route optimization and on-board stats that will help you save money one way or the other.

Thus, the ROI (return on investment) is very encouraging.

Getting Started With GPS Fleet Tracking

Whether you run a massive fleeting operation or own a couple of vehicles, fleet tracking is always a ‘yes-deal.’ So if you do gather your thoughts about the matter and decide that your business will benefit from a GPS fleet tracking system (which it will), get started via the following steps:

Have Goals, Expectations & Cost Estimates

You will find a host of fleet tracking systems each with its own sets of features and costs. You’ll have to do some homework before finalizing a decision. What is it that you wish to do with your GPS tracking system – we all know what it CAN do, but how much of it do you NEED?

The idea is to save money, so if you go for the most premium option with the biggest price tag, you may actually end up losing money instead of saving it. Just do the math, see how much you save with every plan. You can eliminate options that offer features of which you have minimal or no use at all.

It is best to seek expert consultation here because there are too many variables to judge.

Choose An Option Suited For Your Fleet

Based on the size of your fleet, your current profitability, and safety needs, you can do well with any number of options. For instance, if your cars are already theft-protected and insured, you need not go for hardwired ELDs (electronic logging devices), however, you may want to avoid those plug-and-play options if your vehicle is vulnerable.

The business statistics, drivers’ behaviors, route optimization needs, and several other problems will shape your decision in the end. Just be sure to work out the math and double-check the coverage of all features you need within your budget before finalizing a verdict.

Have Everyone On-Board

Your workers may not be all too thrilled about being monitored. Let’s face it, no one likes it even if it means nothing. We don’t want Google and Facebook prying on our data even if nothing bad will come out of it.

So, why would a driver want you to keep an eye out for them if this will allow you to critique their performance?

You’ll have to get all of your drivers on-board, let them know that everyone will benefit from this transformation and that it will make the business more profitable and safer, creating a growth opportunity for everyone involved.

Try not to be bossy here, instead, use the communicative potential of a leader who cares!

Bottom Line: Fleetr Is Your Answer

Small fleet businesses often avoid having tracking systems onboard due to the costs. However, Fleetr is perfect for small-sized fleets (big ones too) and offers highly flexible, efficient, and simple tracking options for as little as $9.99 for a vehicle (per month), without any initiation fees or contracts!

Wait no further, just give us a call, and we’ll show you how Fleetr can add value to your business!