Fleet management is precise science involving the interplay of a multitude of factors. At first glance, it may seem that fleet management simply involves the location of a company’s vehicle fleet in real time. But it is not so, for fleet management encompasses a range of functions including vehicle maintenance, vehicle telematics (tracking and diagnostics), driver management, speed management, safety management etc. Fleet management includes commercial motor vehicles such as trucks, cars, vans as well as assets, and looks to improve overall productivity and efficiency through smart management. It also looks to bring down overall transportation and staff costs by bringing in automation and safety measures.

Fleet management today relies heavily on GPS platforms and each vehicle in the fleet is equipped with a vehicle tracking component – which is mostly GPS based, but in some cases, cellular network based. After determining location, speed and direction, additional components can be gathered by the GPS tracking network and broadcast to a server. Here is a quick look at what GPS fleet tracking offers

• Track vehicles in real time with a continuous stream of information that helps assess and diagnose vehicles' location as well as vehicle condition
• GPS trackers also provide information on information altitude, reverse geocoding, GSM area code, number of GPS satellites in view, emergency button status, cumulative idling, etc.
• GPS tracking can be employed for small fleets, assets – both battery driven and tethered, and also for enterprise class vehicles.
• GPS tracking platforms are simple and easy to use. No need for intensive training.
• Fleet management GPS also integrates with traffic updates providing you with driving directions necessary to avoid obstacles and pileups along the way.
• Maintain tracking reports of oil changes, tune ups, and other vehicle repair costs.
• Enforce safety management, prevent theft and have continuous surveillance data at hand.
• Fleet GPS tracking systems also allow you to control a vehicle remotely and allow functions such as locking doors or engine shut down in case of emergencies.
• Maintain driver logs; receive continuous vehicle feeds to ensure more responsible driver behavior.
• Fleet trackers help in navigating through harsh environments and rugged terrains when visibility is poor.
• Maintain constant communication through two-way texting and imaging.
• Reduce service response time and increase service related productivity.
• Increase service related productivity.
• Reduce operating costs by increasing automation and decreasing staff.
• Through efficient fleet management, reduce fuel costs.
• By reducing the usage of fuel, there will be a steep drop in carbon emissions and other pollutants, giving your fleet the green advantage.
• Extend the life of vehicles by scheduling tune ups and maintenance work through regular diagnostic reports. In case of a breakdown, receive alerts which enable you to quickly send a backup or repair wagon to fix up the stalled vehicle. This saves costs and time.
• With accurate tracking and logs, fleet management leads to significant tax benefits

The Challenges

Fleet tracking, while having its advantages, raises a few challenges which have to be understood in depth by any organization before opting for a GPS tracking solution. However, the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages.

• GPS systems and Fleet Trackers often involve a high cost of implementation which may not work out for all logistic operators, especially a smaller fleet of vehicles.
• A high cost of satellite tracking equipment in some cases, leads to a preference of installing cellular based tracking as opposed to Satellite tracking devices.

The Solutions

Most of the challenges described above can be remedies with the right understanding and application of GPS tracking technology and the correct choice of equipment.

• For cost efficiency, there are several GPS tracking equipment manufacturers who provide consultancy services for upgrading your fleet systems and offer analyses explaining the impact of GPS tracking technology on your efficiency, given your scale of operation. This gives a fair assessment and guideline to help you make an informed choice on the scale of GPS expenditure.
• Satellite tracking communications, while more expensive, are critical if vehicle tracking is to work in remote environments without interruption. GPS tracking in combination with Radio Frequency (RF) should be a failsafe means of getting a continuous data feed. RF transmitters send signals through walls, basements, garages and even building without the necessity of a cellular network.