Telematics and GPS Navigation

GPS Fleet Management Technology Can Help Save Company Costs

GPS broadcast signalImage via Wikipedia

THis is a good article that touches on the benefits of using GPS fleet management technology to bring cut down on the costs of operating a fleet.  Many businesses that have 3 or more company vehicles that are used regularly can really save on their costs of running their vehicles for their business.  Many fleet owners will be interested in technology that makes it easier to manage their vehicles and know exactly where their costs are going.  Read on for more on this topic.GPS fleet management is an amazing piece of technology. Thanks to GPS tracking, work is more efficient and cost cutting has become easier. Both businesses as well as customers find themselves indebted to this technology that is easily available today.

GPS has become among those who are involved in fleet management. Anyone owning many vehicles and putting them to use everyday has seen how effective the this system is while to a lay man it may still seem like a piece of technology that is rarely necessary or useful.

Let us take a closer look at its advantages:

Fuel prices today seem to soaring high. With a GPS tracking system in place, one can assess the efficiency of ones driving as well as how much fuel is being consumed by the vehicle. It also helps the company have an eye on the vehicles location at all times, thus letting the company allocate work to any vehicle that is closest to the area in which work is required, ultimately saving on both time and fuel. Your service will be swift and well accepted by customers.

Probably the best use of this technology lies in the fact that it always tracks the location of the vehicle. Thus in case of a robbery, you can be sure to get back your vehicle while the tracking system is still in place.

Other helpful technology like geo-fencing will alert the owner of the fleets if any of his vehicles happen to pass through any virtual boundary. This can help a fleet manager rest in peace knowing that the fuel and services of the drivers are being used strictly for work purposes.

GPS fleet management systems will also have an effect on your insurance. Insurance companies trust the GPS tracking system and this helps to reduce your bill considerably since they believe that vehicles with this systems are less prone to both accidents and thefts.

If you are looking to cut costs and be efficient in your business world, invest in a GPS fleet management system. You will see much wisdom in it after a month of use. It will keep your fleet of vehicles protected.

The author is a GPS expert and writes on GPS Fleet management services, such as http://www.fleetmatics.com

Additional Resources:

Gps fleet management software| cab management software

Fleet management provides complete online trip booking engine with multiple trip booking methods along with customizable payment gateway. It provides rich interface to ticket booking engine to administrative panel. …

Publish Date: 01/19/2010 14:28

http://www.indialist.com/

State of Kentucky Seeing the Benefits of GPS Fleet Management

AT&T Mobility and WebTech Wireless are pleased to have been involved in this pilot and subsequently chosen by the state as exclusive supplier of GPS fleet management systems. Details of that agreement can be found on WebTech Wireless' …

Publish Date: 01/14/2010 16:44

http://www.webtechwireless.com/blog/


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Leasing software and fleet management converge to create synergies

This article discusses the accounting side of telematics and fleet tracking.  When integrating the software of the tracking system to other software platforms that perform other functions, powerful systems can be created that really save time and resources for businesses.  The key is finding the right tools to link these software platforms together.  Automation is key, key, key in creating systems that are stable and reliable.

After extensive research, Fleet management consultants Odessa Technologies, Inc. recently identified key trends shaping the fleet management industry. Among these key trends, in addition to real-time exchange of information, users can expect to see greater functionality derived from (1) the integration of leasing software and fleet management systems and (2) web-based fleet/leasing software. With the advent of Internet-based fleet management software, fleet management companies can now leverage the accessibility of the Web to create significant advantages over traditional leasing software products.

Benefits of web-based design
One of the benefits of the added functionality attributed to Web-based software is an increase in operational efficiencies. In the past, the ability to manage complex relationships across all customer types has been challenging. Current technology enables users to connect with the fleet management company or lessor from any location equipped with Internet access. The traditional one-way pipelines of data delivery thus become forums for information exchange. Additionally, the integration of leasing software and fleet management systems can result in demonstrable cost savings for the business. More specifically, fleet management software is capable of connecting business partners in real-time, thereby significantly reducing communication cycle times.

Integrated Lease & Fleet management software solutions
Designed specifically for fleet and lease management companies, Odessa's software suite can address the entire range of fleet operations while comprehensively managing the entire life -cycle of the underlying lease contract. Typically, the fleet leasing life-cycle begins with the issuance of a fleet card and ends when the vehicle is taken off-road. With a continually expanding choice of services, fleet management companies can choose software applications that are equipped with fuel purchase management, maintenance work management, accident management, license management, fleet card administration, exceptions reporting, and customer billing capabilities, just to name a few. When this is coupled with fully integrated lease management functionality, there is a new value add that is brought to the table. The customer can now be viewed in terms of all the services or products that they are paying for and not just in isolated fleet or lease terms. Further, the company's internal profitability, as a result, can also be better analyzed. This allows salespersons, for instance, to more effectively negotiate the various terms of a customer relationship that includes fleet and leasing products.

Integration and customization
Fleet leasing services can be administered either as value-added services that complement the lease life-cycle or as separate, stand-alone product offerings - independent of leasing. The choice is entirely dependent upon the individual business's needs. An advanced fleet management software product provides seamless integration between existing systems and allows for some level of customization thus ensuring the long-term success of the investment.

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Telematic Controls - Car Insurance and the Issue of Telematics and Privacy

This article is about sacrificing technology for privacy.  Many insurance companies would love to  use the telematic information that is collected in a vehicle to determine the insurance rates of a particular individual.  The question is… is it really necessary or a gross invasion of privacy?  Read the article for more on Telematic control issues in relation to the Insurance Industry.
Insurance is all about risk. Insurance companies evaluate the level of risk and then set premium rates and coverage per the measurement in question. As you can imagine, they like to limit risk whenever possible. Telematics are a new and controversial method for doing it.

What do insurers want to know the most about drivers? The want to know what kind of driver they are. Do they drive the speed limit or race around town? Do they gun it when they see a yellow light or slow down and stop? An insurance company really has no way of knowing. A few are trying to change that.

A number of car insurance companies like Travelers and Progressive are testing drive monitors. These gadgets, often called telematics, are plugged into the diagnostic electronics of the car. Roughly the size of an iPhone, the devices record basic things like the time you drove, how far you went and other practical data. The data is then sent back to the insurance company through cell phone towers. Basic calculations can then be used to determine if you were being a driver who was more or less likely to get into an accident.

The concept of privacy has more or less become a joke these days. Many feel that telematics are another nail in the coffin of privacy. Insurance companies make no bones about it, either. There is no privacy. They are not looking at overall data for all drivers. They are looking at YOUR driving patterns so they can set your rates or even cancel your policy if you don't meet there risk requirements.

So, how might telematics be used to evaluate someone? Well, let's assume you work in the restaurant industry. You're a cook. You cook till 11:00 and then have to go through the clean up and prep for the next morning. You usually get out of the restaurant around midnight and it takes you 20 minutes to drive home.

The telematics device in your car would send data back to the insurance company. A computer program would do an initial analysis. What would it find? The most obvious is that you are driving after midnight. This dramatically increases the probability of risk because the highest frequency of crashes happen between midnight and four in the morning. This is obviously due to people drinking. You weren't drinking, but it won't matter. Your rates are going up!

Telematics are currently being tested in multiple states. There is no legal requirement they be used, but we are heading down a slippery slope. This raises the question again of just how much are we willing to let our lives be regulated and controlled? Only time will tell.

Thomas Ajava writes for AutoOwnersInsuranceCompanies.com - where you can find auto insurance companies for your insurance needs.

Fleet Telematics and Navigation

This is a short article about the benefits of using telematics if you use a fleet of vehicles in your business.  Most of the benefits are obvious, such as finding stolen vehicles, knowing where your drivers are in an instant, the lower need for communication, which also lowers costs such as phone bills, etc.  I think the list can be longer as well such as lower insurance costs because of the anti-theft benefits as well as being able to implement policies such as safe driving speeds, and limiting the area where the vehicle can go.  Read on for more info however.

If your company runs a fleet of vehicles then you should think about having tracking systems fitted for some very good reasons.

Vehicles could be found if stolen!

If you had a vehicle stolen from your yard or anywhere the it would be possible to trace the location of that vehicle and pass on the information to the police. Also it is possible to fit an 'input' into the tracking device that would alert you at your 'watch' station that a vehicle was being moved without authorization this could also be set up to send you a text message so you don't have to wake up in the morning and find a vehicle missing.

You would have a eta of vehicle without contacting driver!

If you get a phone call from a customer asking how long until the vehicle arrives you would normally let the customer listen to some music on hold and get hold of another phone and contact the driver for hs location and then take the customer off hold and give him the information. With a tracking system fitted you could stay on the phone with the customer, saving him the music, and with the click of a mouse find the vehicle location and inform the customer on the eta.

Lower mobile phone bills!

Due to the above situation you would save on phone bills when trying to locate a vehicle/driver.

Your drivers could be wasting time and getting to customers late!

Being able to trace the vehicle movement historically will reduce overtime costs and journey time by checking the route taken by the driver and debriefing them on journey route and break time duration. With overtime you would be able to confirm end job times and see if drivers are finishing early.

If any of these reasons seem to be for you then to have a tracking system fitted would benefit your business. It is not all about the driver there are the security benefits too. visit us at http://www.autonav.biz

Benefits of Fleet Telematics and Navigation

This article discusses some of the benefits of fleet telematics and fleet navigation.  This is a technology that a business can receive their investment back through various ways of savings in operating costs.  The larger the fleet, the sooner the investment can be recouped.  Smaller fleets can still receive benefits from fleet navigation as well.

If your company runs a fleet of vehicles then you should think about having tracking systems fitted for some very good reasons.

Vehicles could be found if stolen!

If you had a vehicle stolen from your yard or anywhere the it would be possible to trace the location of that vehicle and pass on the information to the police. Also it is possible to fit an 'input' into the tracking device that would alert you at your 'watch' station that a vehicle was being moved without authorization this could also be set up to send you a text message so you don't have to wake up in the morning and find a vehicle missing.

You would have a eta of vehicle without contacting driver!

If you get a phone call from a customer asking how long until the vehicle arrives you would normally let the customer listen to some music on hold and get hold of another phone and contact the driver for hs location and then take the customer off hold and give him the information. With a tracking system fitted you could stay on the phone with the customer, saving him the music, and with the click of a mouse find the vehicle location and inform the customer on the eta.

Lower mobile phone bills!

Due to the above situation you would save on phone bills when trying to locate a vehicle/driver.

Your drivers could be wasting time and getting to customers late!

Being able to trace the vehicle movement historically will reduce overtime costs and journey time by checking the route taken by the driver and debriefing them on journey route and break time duration. With overtime you would be able to confirm end job times and see if drivers are finishing early.

If any of these reasons seem to be for you then to have a tracking system fitted would benefit your business. It is not all about the driver there are the security benefits too. visit us at http://www.autonav.biz


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Which Type of GPS Fleet Management - PC Based Or Web Based?

This is a good article for understanding the difference between what web based and PC based GPS fleet management systems.  Companies who want to use fleet tracking technology to reduce their costs or make their fleets more efficient, will want to understand the difference between the systems and which one would fit better in their current business model.
Your need to manage your transport business can be effectively served by a fleet management system. If you are searching for most favorable system in this direction, you can find two options coming your way. The first option is PC based management system for your transport business, while the second option is a web based system. A PC based system will allow software to be installed in your machine to help you track the fleet, whereas in a web based solution, you are required to get subscribed to an online service provider.

Now, the question is which of these two options can offer more advantages to your business. If you want an answer to this question, here are few parameters to escort you.

Easy Access With Web based System
With subscription to an online GPS fleet management service, you can access and monitor your fleet from any part of the region. All you need to have is an access to computer and internet and you can manage your fleet from your home as well as office. However, with a PC based management, you are restricted to monitor your fleet from only one machine in which the software is installed. However, the PC based management is more secure, as there is no threat of password misuse.

What Is The Price
The PC based fleet GPS tracking system is one time investment. You are required to purchase the system once and get it installed in your machine. On the other hand, a web based management can demand for monthly subscription fees. However, this fees is not a huge amount to be spent, still you can facilitate your small budget with one time investment of PC based management.

Hassle Free Management
With a web based GPS fleet tracking service, you can expect network choking and other similar hassles on the path of managing your fleet. However, if you have a fast and efficient internet connection, this problem can be easily solved. As far as PC based management system is concerned, it is not at all prone to any network problems.

What Matters Is The Company
Both PC based as well as web based GPS systems have their own sets of advantages and minor disadvantages, which can be easily tackled. What matters the most is the source from which you are availing these systems. Thus, a good amount of research is expected from you, before finalizing the deal for a dedicated GPS system.

The author is a GPS expert and writes on GPS Fleet management services, such as http://www.fleetmatics.com

What is Commercial Telematics And How Does It Fit Into My Business?

Telematics or Vehicle Telematics is a term used to define vehicles that are connected with each other and to a home base while exchanging data over a wireless technology such as GPS.  The practical applications that offered through vehicle telematics include vehicle tracking, trailer tracking, Cold Store Freight Logistics, Fleet management, satellite navigation, mobile data and mobile television, wireless vehicle safety communications and emergency warning systems.  Many of these applications can fit well into a business who uses their vehicles as a part of providing services to their clients and customers.

Commercial telematics historically has been the domain of businesses with large fleets of vehicles.  As this market saturates and service providers economize their costs, they can provide these services to businesses with smaller fleets.  There are many different segments of businesses that can make use of the fleet management systems that telematics services provides.  These target industries include: cargo containers, car-sharing programs, commercial trailers, emergency response vehicles, field service/repair fleets, government fleets, heavy equipment, intermodal shipping, long and short haul trucking, military vehicles, municipal fleets, regionally-based delivery vehicles, rental cars and trucks, school buses, taxis/limousines and transit buses and trains.

Business who don’t maintain fleets can benefit from the technology that commercial telematics has to offer even if only the sales people or technicians are using motor vehicles as a part of their jobs.  Features such as vehicle tracking, when combined with mapping software, can assist the driver in locating the client, and using the shortest route to get there.  When a company keeps a database of the movements of their employees, over time, they will be able to come up with estimated times of arrival for their clients and customers as well as avoid traffic jams due to trouble spots (some systems offer this feature).  This will save wasted time on the road and increase productivity.

Another important feature of vehicle telematics that can save businesses money is its ability to provide security for its vehicles.  Many telematics service providers provide stolen vehicle tracking and shutdown features.  This means if the vehicle is stolen, it can be tracked and shut down remotely.  No matter the size of the fleet, whether it is 1 vehicle or 1000, this feature alone will lower insurance costs.

Some tracking systems provide a remote diagnostics feature so that the home base can know when it is time for a vehicle to come in for maintenance, or warn of potential maintenance problems.  This will keep the vehicle in peak performance thus saving the company the cost of more expensive repairs and savings in fuel due to more efficiently running vehicles.

Commercial telematics, once the domain of the big boys has very real and very key roles in smaller companies who have to use their vehicles as part of servicing their customers.  The biggest investment is the up-front cost of purchasing the hardware for the vehicles and the management system, which is usually a software package.  The ongoing costs would be accessing the communication network that allows the vehicles to communicate with the home base.  When choosing your service provide, first determine what features you will need for your business and select your provider based upon your needs.
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An Asset GPS Tracking System for Your Company

Businesses use asset GPS tracking systems when they want to track more than just their vehicles.  If companies deal in freight or other large assets such as construction equipment, cargo containers, rail cars, trailers and other large machinery they will want to use asset tracking systems.  Usually these systems track other things in addition to location and speed.  They will also track environmental data such as humidity, moisture or temperature.  Other information is tracked as well such as whether or not the container has been opened.  Many businesses that require asset tracking almost always use features that prevent theft and vandalism and utilize a number of different alarm features that are available with some of the asset tracking systems (panic buttons, location, zone alarms, open/close alarms, various environmental alarms)

These kinds of features have been helpful to companies with construction projects in areas of the world where the theft of large assets is high.  The company can know exactly where they can retrieve their property.