Vehicle Tracking Systems

Fleet tracking is the use of GPS and telematics technology to identify, locate and monitor one or more fleet vehicles in real-time. A modern fleet tracking system can help any business that requires the use of a vehicle to get the job done. This includes a wide variety of businesses – anything from a construction company, an HVAC company, and any type of a delivery service – from flowers to serving court papers. A vehicle fleet tracking system combines the installation of an electronic GPS tracking device in a vehicle, or fleet of vehicles, with web-based computer software. This enables a fleet manager to track a vehicle’s location in real-time, collecting all sorts of data in the process – from vehicle diagnostics to driver speeding alerts.

Don’t like standing around waiting for the bus? Me either, especially when it’s freezing cold or raining outside. For some lucky students at Lehigh University, a new type of GPS fleet tracking system is being installed in the school’s fleet of school buses. The new GPS fleet tracking system will enable students to track where their bus is in real-time, so they can spend their time waiting indoors instead of outside at the bus stop. Better yet, the service is free for students!

All fleets require management and monitoring. Even fleets with less than 25 vehicles. For business owners with employees and contractors on the go, investing in a GPS fleet tracking system is a smart investment because it will make their businesses more efficient and more productive. The bottom line savings that one should expect in gas bills, vehicle wear and tear and employee productivity is to be expected from a high quality fleet tracking system solution.

When you have to immediately service a customer or get your driver across town in rush hour traffic, it’s important that you have up to the minute information exactly when and how you need it so that you can make the most intelligent decision at a moment’s notice. A modern fleet tracking system will help you during these times.

More and more companies and cities across America are using a GPS tracking system to keep tabs on where employees are during work hours. Privacy experts say it is totally legal. Across the US, little black boxes are being tucked into vehicle dashboards. Why? Because installing a gps fleet tracking system into a fleet vehicle saves money, controls costs and keeps employees on the right track. It is not the kind of GPS system most people have in their car, but a black box that tracks where a car has been.

Managers really like the ability to monitor employees in real-time during work hours. There have been several instances where a GPS fleet tracking system has helped catch employees doing things they aren’t supposed to be doing. One fleet manager found an employee on the golf course when he was supposed to be working! Another employer caught an employee moving furniture with a company truck during business hours. One employee was busted after he put his moto-cross bike in his 18-wheeler big rig truck and went to the motorcycle racing track while on the job.

With FieldLogix, fleet management is no longer left in the dark wondering where their drivers are or what they are doing. A real-time fleet tracking system can empower you to better optimize, manage and capitalize from your fleet’s activities. Different fleets have different reasons for using FieldLogix: fuel costs are reduced, drivers are more safe and also held more accountable, improved customer service, lower maintenance costs, tax reporting needs, increased fleet productivity.

Gas prices have steadily been rising since December. Gas prices are expected to keep rising due to two primary reasons:

1) The cost of oil is expected to increase due to political upheaval in the Middle East, particularly Egypt and Tunisia. Egypt is not a major oil-producing country, but about 2 million barrels of oil pass daily through the Suez Canal, which is controlled by Egypt. The outcome of the political turmoil in Egypt will certainly have an effect on gas prices. The situation may end quickly or the uprising may spread, no one knows at this point.

Garmin Intl Inc. (GRMN) recently launched the dezl (pronounced “diesel”) series navigation system, designed specifically for the trucking industry. The dezl GPS fleet tracking system is pre-loaded with features that can save truckers time, money, and fuel.

The navigation system appeals to both drivers and fleet management for different reasons. Truck drivers will like the navigation device because it can make finding places on the go as simple as possible. The Garmin navigation device can quickly locate highway exits, fuel stops, rest areas, lodging, truck stops, anything the driver may need along his route. The GPS navigation device also has Lane Assist which helps drivers navigate with confidence and drive safer.

The City of Sacramento recently spent over $100,000 on a GPS fleet management system. Many tax payers questioned if the new fleet tracking system was a luxury or a necessity? Turns out, that within the first month of using the fleet management system, the City identified ways to cut fuel costs by over $60,000 in just one month.

According to Keith Leech, City of Sacramento Fleet Management, “The analysis identified savings in excess of $60,000 a month in fuel costs alone, quite an impressive figure considering the cost to equip those 184 vehicles was just over $110,000. Simply stated, the system paid for itself in just two short months making it an excellent investment for the City and a real money saver for the tax payers.”

A real-time GPS Fleet Tracking System can help to Cut Fuel Costs and other Fleet Management Costs. It can also help to:

* Save time and reduce paperwork
* Quickly identify wasteful activities
* Accurately track and measure operating efficiencies

Google Maps (GOOG) just launched a Fuel Cost Calculator to driving directions for Google Maps in Europe. Google’s new Fuel Cost Calculator can be used to estimate the average fuel cost for your journey. When a user asks for driving direction between two locations on the map, it shows an estimate of how much cash your have to spend in order to procure fuel for the journey. The estimated fuel cost appears at the bottom of the list of driving directions.

This new tool can be very helpful for many reasons. With rising gas costs on the horizon (Oil is expected to top $100 a barrel this year.) it would be nice to be able to plan your trips taking gas costs into consideration. If utilized properly, this new tool can help you to become aware of your carbon footprint, and gives you the opportunity to really cut your gas costs, which is a great incentive to take the time to plan your trips more efficiently.