GPS Tracking Devices – Fleet Monitoring Solutions
What Are GPS Tracking Devices?
GPS tracking devices are part of a vehicle tracking system. The device is installed in a vehicle or in all the vehicles of the fleet that you wish to track. There is specifically designed software located at the operational hub with the help of which the owner or any other third party can track the progress of the vehicles. The GPS technology is most commonly used for this purpose; however, GLONAS (The Global Navigation Satellite System) is also used. The information regarding the position of the vehicle is obtained through electronic maps facilitated via specialized software solutions or simply through the Internet. Fleet monitoring systems such as these have become common in larger cities. They are being resorted to by owners or logistics controllers to establish control over the progress of their fleet. Vehicle tracking services are also used by public transit officials for better traffic control.
Types Of Tracking Used For Fleet Monitoring
Various types of GPS tracking devices are used for vehicle tracking and fleet monitoring purposes. Broadly, these can be classified into passive and active devices. The passive ones are those that store data pertaining to the GPS location, the speed at which the vehicle is traveling, the heading and the occurrence of specific trigger events like opening and closing the door or turning the key on or off. However, there is no real time transmission of data. Once the vehicle is accessed, the device is dislodged and the data is downloaded and processed on a computer for evaluation and monitoring purposes. One can make use of either wireless data download or automatic download.
Passive devices are being steadily replaced by active GPS tracking devices. These are best suited for continual fleet monitoring and management. The same information is collected as in the case of passive devices. However, the information is transported concurrently through a satellite or cellular network to a data center or a computer, through which it can be accessed for evaluation. Most modern GPS tracking devices use a combination of the passive and active tracking system these days. Depending on the availability of the cellular network, the data is either transferred across or stored in its internal memory for future evaluation.
GPS Enabled Fleet Monitoring Solutions-Benefits
GPS Based Fleet Monitoring Solutions Can Incorporate Several Benefits. These Include:
* Fleet monitoring solutions have a huge role to play in reducing and managing fuel costs. They also help in fuel conservation by controlling unnecessary wastage. With a monitoring system in place, you prevent speeding, using vehicles for personal purposes, idling etc. It will also help in improving routing. The cumulative impact would be a reduction in fuel expenses.
* Considering the fact that the vehicle monitoring services will help in bringing down time abuse, employee expenses are likely to come down. This is especially the case of truck monitoring services, which are used to track carriers that remain on the road for days or even months together.
* Work orders are completed on time and productivity is enhanced. This means greater prospects and more jobs added each day. Therefore, it is a win-win situation for both the owner and the employee.
* With GPS tracking devices, the vehicles are monitored with accuracy. This means that the logistic support functions better and provides improved customer service. It also provides for safe transportation of goods.