Fleet Tracking
Additional Add-on Services
Jul 27, 2022
Here at Fleetsmart we are the UK’s #1 vehicle tracking app and system. In this blog we hope to inform you on the benefits that Telematics software can provide to improve efficiency and reduce costs.
Telematics technology is the use of telecommunications and informatics to monitor an asset, eg. company vehicle’s location, safety metrics and engine diagnostics in real time. The vehicle applicatory possibilities of Telematics make them a popular choice of fleet managers to analyse, and subsequently optimise fleet productivity.
Telematics systems gather GPS tracking and vehicle specific data to transfer via means including- cellular network, satellite communication, mobile data, and GPRS to a central server. The data collated is then analysed and transcribed into specific metrics for the fleet manager to interpret via our Fleetsmart app or website.
Telematics helps improve company driver safety and general road safety by tracking hazardous metrics such as seat belt usage, harsh braking and speeding. This not only helps prevent incidents, but Fleetsmart journey replay also provides evidence (via dash cams) when clearing up disputed incidents that do occur, cutting down investigation time and false claims. These valuable insights not only improve safety and reduce accident costs but also cut costs of legal proceedings.
Telematics help optimise operational expenditure by improving efficiency of routing. Superior vehicle tracking leads to improved routing by avoiding congestion/accidents which in turn streamlines journey travel times, ultimately providing better fuel economy by reducing how much fuel is needed for any one journey. The financial positives of improved fuel efficiency are obvious to see, especially in these record breaking times for fuel prices.
Idling or idle time refers to the time spent by an employee that is deemed unproductive (this can be due to controllable or uncontrollable circumstances). Typical justifiable idling time reasons can include-
Stopped at a rest stop/sleeping
Warming up the vehicle
Stopped to use a phone
Gridlock traffic or toll booths
Queuing up to load or unload at suppliers’ or customers’
Stopped to process documentation
The implementation of telematics software data collection can increase fleet productivity by giving accurate information on specific times when a vehicle's engine may be on, but not driving. Journey reports enable many fleet managers to observe and streamline excessive idling patterns by better educating their drivers, a major benefit for a business as huge savings could be made by reducing vehicle idle time.
A Telematics system can also gauge potential maintenance needs and allow for repair time to be allocated in advance rather than cut into productivity hours. Often fleet maintenance such as oil changes are set by maintenance schedules; however early detection of other issues, can lead to preventative maintenance, this can save time and money. Some Telematics services recognise vehicle trouble codes and can alert fleet management in real time and help ensure drivers are alerted to new problems.
Telematics has a definite positive impact on the streamlining of communication, both business internal and external to customers or clients. With fleet management or logistics control based at a HQ or central hub, being in constant communication with a number of drivers all over the country could prove a telecoms and signalling nightmare. Telematics nullifies this by providing reliable, clear, two way communications via real time tracking metrics and digital GPRS communication.
Customer communications are also improved as the real time data can provide more accurate updates and timescales as well as troubleshooting customer enquiries or issues. This company clarity and driver accountability aids in improving customer satisfaction as transparency and truthfulness rank highly in an overall customer experience.
It’s proven that Telematics can help boost productivity, employee efficiency and fleet operations as a whole; all the while reducing idling, hazardous driver behaviour, fuel consumption and vehicle maintenance costs.
Fleetsmart offer a range of the latest Telematics technology at extremely cost effective prices with scalable options starting from just £6.95 per vehicle per month. With a clear multitude of performance enhancing and money saving reasons to implement telematics to your vehicles, now might be the time to upgrade your fleet.