8 Essential Features of a Reliable GPS Tracking System

Nowadays, GPS tracking systems are employed in various small and big businesses. They are used to prevent theft incidents and protect business assets, while also providing other benefits which make them indispensable to businesses. Below are eight key features a good GPS tracking system should possess:

1. Advanced Reports & Analytics

It is important for a GPS tracking system to have advanced reports and analytics that the user can access at all times. Such systems facilitate the process of decision-making by providing insights into fleet operations. It will also give you an overview of your fleet from the dashboard, allowing you to respond swiftly in the event of unforeseen circumstances. For instance, if your vehicle is on the road, the dashboard will notify you about it, so you can take action accordingly.

2. Tracking History of Vehicles

An optimal GPS vehicle tracking system must be able to provide a complete history of your vehicle location over a selected time period. It must ensure that a complete report is provided to you indicating where your vehicle has been in the past weeks, days, or even hours. Such information enables you to know whether your drivers are speeding excessively, not following pre-determined routes, or are making unauthorized trips outside of work hours.

3. Vehicle Diagnostic Alerts

Another essential feature a GPS tracking device should have is diagnostic alerts for fleet management. Such real-time alerts can be of significant value as they provide necessary information for gaining insight on how to improve your fleet efficiency. Such insights include vehicle diagnostics and driving behavior which can be helpful for lowering driving risks.

Besides knowledge on driving habits, real-time alerts also offer visibility on fuel wastage and prolonged idle hours. With this information, you can make improvements to your fleet operations and aim to reduce fuel costs. It is estimated that fleet businesses can get 5-10% fuel savings with the help of such real-time alerts.

4. Monitoring Driving Behavior

It is imperative for any company to keep a strict check on their drivers’ behavior and driving habits. If such checks are not maintained, there is an increased probability that your drivers may be spending time doing nothing or indulging in unproductive activities.

All the issues mentioned above can easily be addressed with a reliable GPS vehicle tracking system. It will gather information on inadequate driving behavior and risky driving practices, bringing these issues to your attention immediately and allowing you to enforce stricter regulations without delay.

5. Integrated Dashboard Camera

An integrated dashboard camera can provide you with video evidence of your vehicle trips and serve as a record keeper in the event of an accident. As each record is date, time and location stamped, it can be used as evidence to address legal issues.

Installing a dashboard camera will also allow you to review and monitor data through driver score ratings and receive instant alerts from GPS tracking. Additionally, such records can also be combined with modern analytics for use in training and development. By using video analytics to monitor driving safety, poor driving practices such as sharp acceleration, speeding, tailgating, and distracted driving can be reduced.

6. Periodic Vehicle Maintenance Scheduling

The reliability and performance of your business operations depend on its vehicles. Therefore, it is important to keep track of vehicle health through a GPS tracking system, which will help you to detect and monitor maintenance issues in your vehicle.

Knowing which vehicles need maintenance and if servicing follow-ups are needed will ensure issues are addressed in time, so as to prevent downtime due to vehicle breakdowns. Using a GPS tracking device can also significantly reduce the risk of accidentally missing an important maintenance date. By providing timely insights into fleet maintenance, it will allow you to manage large fleet sizes with ease.

7. Scheduling and Route Optimising

A GPS vehicle tracking system makes your fleet significantly more reliable. It eliminates the hassle of manual scheduling and route plotting, informs you of route breaches, and instantly lets you see which drivers are available or closest to pick up the next job.

With a GPS vehicle tracking system, you can save time and resources that would otherwise be spent on making repetitive phone calls to drivers or planning of driving routes. Fleet managers can monitor the whereabouts and routes of their drivers, and can also plan in advance to identify the best possible routes considering parameters such as peak hours, delivery requirements, and customer requests.

8. Trip History

GPS tracking devices are able to provide detailed information on vehicle trip history. This allows you to know whether a particular driver is staying on the correct route, or is deviating from the route and making unauthorized trips. From the GPS vehicle tracking system, you will be able to gather relevant information such as vehicle stoppages, idling, acceleration, and total travel distance. Through this useful feature, you will have ample time to plan your trips to save fuel and monitor the shortcomings of your drivers.

Conclusion

The above eight features are the most advantageous capabilities a GPS tracking system has to offer. When reviewing a GPS tracking system, other factors to consider are the software’s user-friendliness, whether it has a mobile app, and the benefits of its geofence features. The ability to integrate with third-party software is also important to have. Besides these, one last thing to note is that GPS tracking system suitability will ultimately depend on the business problems you want to solve, such as poor fleet visibility or high fuel costs.

If you feel that any of the above-mentioned features can help your fleet, consider looking into a suitable vehicle monitoring system that can meet your needs. V3 Smart Technologies has been providing GPS tracking solutions for fleet operators worldwide for more than 18 years. We have dealt with multiple businesses, enterprises, and institutions. Contact us today and let us know how we can assist you.