Read from our blogs
Fleet management systems have been around a while and have become so complex that it has evolved into Field Resource Management. This article explores 5 reasons why all fleets need at least a basic Field Resource Management system.
GPS fleet tracking devices are being used by Washington County highway superintendent John Deakins Jr. to resolve several fleet management issues such as reducing vehicle misuse, improving employee productivity and improving emergency vehicle response time. “All GPS fleet tracking measures have resulted in lower county fuel expenditures and a more capable fleet, not to mention safer roads for Washington County citizens,” said John Deakins Jr., Washington County, TN, highway superintendent.” Once Deakins Jr. saw how much the GPS fleet tracking devices were able to put an end to fleet vehicle misuse, he realized the fleet management devices could also be used to improve employee productivity. (This is Part Two of a 4 Part Article.)
Before installing GPS fleet tracking devices, Deakins Jr. had heard several accounts of vehicle misuse, motivating him to research online and purchase the fleet tracking devices. For example, Deakins Jr. recalled one truck driver who was only authorized to drive his truck to and from work everyday. However, the truck driver was using the County owned fleet vehicle for personal errands – about 12 miles on average per day. While this may not sound like a lot, according to Deakins, “These trucks only average 11-12 miles per gallon. So the cost in fuel adds up quickly.”
In addition to the personal use of County fleet vehicles, Deakins Jr. acknowledged there were other issues that almost all fleets deal with, such as long lunch breaks and unauthorized time off during work hours. Thanks to the County’s GPS fleet tracking devices, Deakins Jr. can now monitor a driver’s exact location within roughly 10 – 15 feet. He also set speed limits for fleet trucks and automatically receives notification alerts each and every time a truck driver exceeds that limit.
GPS fleet tracking devices are now being used by Washington County to make huge improvements in county operations, monitor employee behavior, productivity and reduce unauthorized vehicle use. Washington County, located in the state of Tennessee, contains over 800 miles of rural highways. So tracking and managing its fleet over 24 pickup trucks 24/7 has been quite a challenge.
Why did Washington County install GPS tracking devices?
Because Washington County is so large and spread out, the County’s highway superintendent, John Deakins Jr., was struggling to manage all of the County’s mobile employees. He had received reports that employees were sometimes taking long lunches and using county vehicles after hours, which was not authorized usage of the County’s fleet vehicles. Before installing GPS tracking devices into the county’s vehicles, pinpointing the truck’s exact locations was nearly impossible. There were times when he needed to locate and dispatch the nearest vehicle and driver to a time-sensitive job. Also Deakins Jr. was concerned about speeding, optimizing routes and reducing fuel consumption due to budget constraints.
Deakins Jr. chose the best solution to solve these fleet management problems. He installed GPS fleet tracking devices into all of his vehicles. The results of installing the GPS system have been impressive. According to Deakins Jr., “We saw a lot of abuse and reports of county vehicle misuse. I went online one day and researched GPS tracking devices. When you have that much territory, it helps to have these devices.”
Companies now have access to a wide range of tools to monitor employee performance and streamline operations. While these tools have proven to significantly improve operations, they occasionally face resistance by employees. GPS fleet tracking technology is one such tool that has the potential to cause an adverse reaction by some employees if not implemented […]
GPS devices are easy to use, affordable and use real-time vehicle GPS tracking technology. With a web based interface, modern GPS systems can be used anywhere to stay informed about your fleet. Email alerts, SMS alerts and advanced tracking reports keep you updated on your fleet 24/7.
Over 80 fleet management professionals and fleet solution providers were in attendance at the 100 Best Fleets Seminar held in Santa Ana, CA, August 26 to discuss best fleet management practices and to solutions to current issues in government fleet management. The seminar was presented by Government Fleet magazine. Tom Johnson, founder of the 100 Best Fleets, was the opening speaker at the fleet management event.
John Alley, CAFM, deputy director, fleet services for the City of San Diego, was named Government Fleet’s 2010 Public Sector Fleet Manager of the Year. Congratulations Mr. Alley! Among his notable accomplishments in 2009, Mr. Alley helped save the City of San Diego nearly $12 million through a fleet reduction program that reduced underutilized and obsolete fleet vehicles by more than 300 units. More on Alley’s award-winning fleet practices will be featured in an upcoming issue of Government Fleet Magazine.
GPS tracking system, FieldLogix, can quickly slash vehicle fuel consumption and fuel expenses plus reduce greenhouse gas pollution and CO2 vehicle emissions. FiedlLogix GPS system will give your fleet managers a GREEN Fleet Management Report that is easy to understand and utilize to develop a green fleet strategy. These automated Green Fleet Score Reports work around the clock, so you can quickly see increases in profitability, performance and greenhouse gas emissions reductions. With this type of GPS system, even a small fleet can save thousands of dollars per vehicle per year.
Vehicle GPS systems enable drivers to easily set attainable goals to reduce vehicle emissions and show tangible results. Reports that used to take days or months to compile now take just seconds thanks to recent improvements in fleet telematics technology. Modern GPS tracking systems can do things today that they were unable to do even just a few years ago. As the demand for Green features increases, the wireless telematics GPS technology is evolving.
Whether you have a fleet of one van or one thousand, all fleet managers should consider installing a GREEN GPS system into their fleet vehicles to monitor engine diagnostics, fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. With “Green” fleet GPS systems, it’s easy for fleet managers to identify areas for improvement and take decisive action on key issues such as:
The Fleet Management Department in the city of New Orleans, LA, is revising its city employee take-home vehicle policy. The Fleet Management Department is significantly reducing the number of take-home vehicles for city employees, according to a statement from Mayor Mitch Landrieu. As the city faces a huge budget shortfall, take-home cars have been a recurring topic under scrutiny. The new policy, according to Landrieu, reduces the total number of fleet vehicles from 937 to 473, effective Sept 1, 2010. Starting right away, the extra 464 vehicles will now only be used during regular business hours or auctioned off, according to the mayor’s office.
The new policy also eliminates take-home fleet vehicles for those living 40 miles or more outside of New Orleans, “as it is impractical for them to respond to on a 24 hour basis in a timely manner,” said the statement from the mayor’s office.“We are changing the way business is done at City Hall,” said Landrieu. “The revised policy will save hundreds of thousands of dollars annually and is just another way we are streamlining government, eliminating waste and more effectively managing city assets.”
As many cities struggle to cut costs without jeopardizing the safety and well being of citizens, the number of city owned fleet vehicles and equipment is being questioned. A GPS fleet tracking system can help any city to determine the optimal size of its fleet. A GPS fleet system tracks critical vehicle data enabling fleet managers to quickly and easily gain valuable insight into fleet activities.
GPS fleet tracking systems can increase the profitability and productivity of any company, especially those with mobile employees or vehicles. How would you like to increase your small business’ bottom line by over 7 percent while improving service and tightening your performance? Whether you have a fleet of one or one thousand, GPS fleet tracking devices are a rock solid investment. GPS fleet tracking requires only a small initial outlay that will increase the productivity of your business in a huge way. Real-time GPS systems using industry leading telematics technology can save businesses thousands of dollars per yer per vehicle. GPS fleet tracking lets you become the master controller, with dynamic updates on where your investment is going at any time.
GPS fleet tracking systems can increase profitability by:
GPS Navigation Systems were created in the early 1970’s by the U.S. Department of Defense for military purposes. Since then, GPS Systems have come a long way. In the past, GPS systems were expensive and difficult to use. Many people often preferred to use a paper map and hand written driving directions. But now times have changes. Modern vehicle GPS systems are easy to use, very affordable and give accurate turn-by-turn directions to drivers through computerized speech. All consumers have to do is make sure the GPS devices are charged and ready to go.
How does a GPS System work?
GPS technology uses 24 orbiting satellites with very accurate clocks. The timing between your GPS receiver and at least three different satellites allows a distance to be measure. Then by using triangulation and distance mathematics, your location can be determined.
A GPS System can do more than just give directions: As with most technologies, the hardware has gotten smaller and better. Today GPS systems can be installed in a multitude of places. Most cell phones now have a GPS receiver built in, and even there are even GPS watches too. GPS can be used to track wildlife, pets, stolen vehicles, fleet delivery trucks and even your children! Modern GPS systems not only give you turn-by-turn directions, it can also include features such as hands-free calling, MP-3 music, Blue-tooth, 3-D street level mapping, real time traffic reports, touch screens, FM transmitters, fuel pricing and weather reports.
Optimizing your driving route with a vehicle GPS system will not only prevent you from getting lost but it will also reduce your gas expense and reduce your carbon footprint. It may not seem like a lot day to day, but over the course of a year it really adds up. The average U.S. driver using a GPS system with real-time traffic updates is able to cut nearly 4 days off of their annual commute as well as decrease their carbon footprint (vehicle CO2 and greenhouse gas emissions) by over 21%.
