A number of issues may plague fleet management businesses such as reduced employee productivity, increasing overhead costs and maintenance issues cropping up one after the other. Irrespective of the size of the business, fleet tracking can be a very difficult task if you aren’t using the right tools for management.
This is where GPS fleet tracking can come in handy. It provides a plethora of benefits that can improve various facets of your business.
Luckily, GPS vehicle tracking systems are slowly becoming the norm in fleet management businesses today. In fact, it might soon become a legal obligation on the part of the company.
As of June 12, 2021, ELD or Electronic Logging Devices mandate will be coming to effect, thanks to the efforts of Transport Canada which will overhaul the current requirements used for electronic vehicle tracking. From the given date, commercial drivers who maintain records of duty or RODS must comply with the following:
Paper logbooks will be replaced by electronic tracking devices connected to the vehicle’s engine. This new system will be used for recording hours of service and RODS.
Automatic recording of data, time, engine hours, miles ID of the driver and location will have to be gathered with electronic tracking devices.
Some of the Main Benefits of GPS Vehicle Tracking Systems
There are 5 main benefits that come with adopting GPS technology for your fleet. They are:
1. Reduced Overall Costs
By utilizing GPS tracking systems, you can significantly reduce overall costs such as
Fuel Costs
By alerting fleet managers regarding employees who drive at high speeds, businesses will be able to cut down on excessive fuel costs and prevent their drivers from getting fines.
Staying idle for too long can also lead to fuel and time wastage. Nearly 6 billion gallons of fuel is wasted per year today which can be saved by using GPS technology.
It also allows dispatchers to better optimize routes and figure out the ones that have the least amount of traffic. It will also be easier to send technicians to the required location by figuring out who all are nearby.
Insurance Costs
GPS technology also helps to reduce insurance premiums by decreasing the driver’s Compliance, Safety, and Accountability score (CSA)
Improved Billing
With the GPS Insight app, the time of arrival and departure of vehicles can be tracked using reference points on the map. This helps to make customer billing more convenient and accurate.
2. Improved Safety for All
If any emergencies arise, having the correct location of the vehicles will allow you to send help immediately without any delay.
Some GPS tracking apps can even help to correct improper driver behavior by keeping track of their speeding habits, phone usage, history of braking hard and so on. This information can then be used by fleet managers to figure out which of their employees might need further training.
If an accident or a dispute on the road occurs, GPS tracking software programs can help the concerned parties to figure out how the issue occurred by using the collected data on time, date and location of the accident. This is crucial if any legal action is about to be taken.
Theft can be prevented to a substantial degree by keeping track of the vehicle at all times and setting up digital fences.
3. Better Efficiency of Operations
Through SMS and Email alerts, managers can be notified on when maintenance on a particular vehicle is due.
Dispatchers also get a ton of flexibility by monitoring the location of the vehicle in question in regards to the set delivery time.
With GPS Geofencing, managers will be notified whenever a vehicle in their fleet enters and leaves. This not only prevents theft but also allows them to ensure that no vehicle is being used outside of the work schedule.
4. Automated Payroll and Taxes
Companies in the trucking industry have to pay the IFTA tax for vehicles that cross state lines. With GPS tracking, they will be able to get a log of the number of miles their drivers have driven in each state. This helps greatly when it comes to calculating tax payments.
When it comes to payroll, GPS tracking software can be used to verify the timesheets of the drivers and gather information on their break times to ensure that no one is wasting time or getting paid more than what they worked for.
5. Better Customer Satisfaction
With real-time mapping, managers will be able to figure out exactly where the vehicle is and what time the delivery can be made based on the current traffic. This allows customers to get a more accurate picture of when the delivery will be completed.
With timestamps and location, managers will be able to get a full report on the status of the job completion. So if any customer is displeased with the service, the responsible party can be held accountable.