How GPS tracking solutions can transform the way you manage your fleet

Do you own a business that heavily relies on vehicles to deliver goods or services? If so, you should keep a close eye on your drivers for safety and efficiency, and the way to do that is to monitor through a GPS tracking system.

With GPS tracking, you can take your fleet management process up a notch and introduce new heights of cost-saving and safety opportunities. Want to know whether GPS technology is for you? Read on to find out more about what GPS tracking does and its benefits for fleet operating companies.

GPS tracking in a nutshell

Global Positioning System (GPS) is a common tool that is often seen in smartphones. How this works is it uses satellite signals to first locate a vehicle, then sends this data via cellular network to the cloud-hosted fleet monitoring system, which is where you will be able to view fleet movements in real-time on the map, via your desktop PC, tablet or mobile.

GPS also provides the following capabilities:

• Lets you locate both local and global fleets in real-time, so you will always be in control over all your vehicles.
• Provides extensive routing and mapping abilities to save you time and money on fuel usage.
• Offers data analytics on driver idling time, speeding, and unauthorised use, etc.
• Tracks data on maintenance and repair schedules and allows you to set up alerts so as to reduce vehicle downtime.
• Enables you to generate detailed reports of fleet activities.
• Also enables fleet activity alerts to be sent to both employees and customers, so as to streamline your fleet process.

How GPS tracking solutions help manage your fleet

1. Enhance cost efficiency

GPS tracking enabled vehicles can be put to excellent use with minimum wastage spent on fuel or vehicle dispatch coordination. For example, in a courier service where timeliness and operating costs are critical, GPS tracking allows you to quickly locate the nearest available vehicles to send to specific pick-up or drop-off locations while avoiding traffic-heavy routes. This kind of smart route planning will drastically improve your fuel efficiency and reduce time on the road.

What’s more, data insights on cost per mile, revenue per mile, etc. can help you mitigate the shortcomings of your fleet. You can also reduce vehicle maintenance costs by monitoring with vehicle analytics and scheduled preventive maintenance to minimise costly vehicle health issues.

2. Reduce vehicle theft

Knowing your fleet is tracked 24/7 will give you peace of mind over your fleet security. In the event that your vehicles are stolen or lost, you can instantly look up real-time location data from the tracking system and take action to notify local authorities for fast recovery.

3. Enhance your driving standards

When it comes to fleet management, the safety and compliance of your drivers are crucial. GPS trackers can provide you with in-depth data on driving patterns to know whether your drivers are prone to dangerous driving behaviour or are not following scheduled routes. If you notice that certain drivers are not keeping to regulations, you can then improve driving quality by targeting those drivers for additional safety training and regular performance reviews.

4. Increase customer satisfaction

Fleet tracking can also play a vital role in enhancing customer satisfaction. For example, some fleet GPS tracking systems will come equipped with additional tools which let you monitor delivery updates and send out shipping notifications to customers.

By having real-time and past vehicle-related data at your fingertips, you will be able to quickly address any issues that arise with maximum transparency. In the case of delivery services, this will equate to lesser customer dissatisfaction over unknown goods arrival times or missed out schedules. 

Conclusion – GPS tracking is a must-have if your fleet management is lacking

The benefits of GPS tracking systems for fleet management are many, with primary ones being: ease of use for finding out real-time fleet information, higher profitability from lowered fleet operating costs, improved driving safety, and increased customer satisfaction. Hence, it goes without saying that these are the focal points in excellent fleet management one should never overlook.

So, if you notice that your fleet management strategies have seen better days, it may be a sign to start looking out for GPS tracking solutions for your vehicles.