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Connect a satnav to a mobile phone and you have a simple telematics system that can track the progress of a vehicle in real time. People have been doing that for years now, and with great benefits, but telematics systems have continued to evolve, and these days they do much more than just give vehicle location.

On early telematics systems you could select a vehicle and be presented with a little map, showing its last reported position. Look at modern control centre software for telematics systems and you’ll see the whole fleet pinpointed on a zoomable map, updated in real time. In addition to the fleet information, the map can show traffic information with data updated in real time. It is possible to see drivers heading into problem areas and reroute them, or at least reschedule on the basis of predicted delays.

You can map the history of a vehicle’s movements throughout the day. The ignition key is monitored as well so it’s possible to check drivers hours, and see how much driving time they have left. Control centre software can also log movement data, truck miles and driver hours, and elaborate the data for both personnel management and truck maintenance purposes.

On trucks, a telematics system can be provided from just a satnav and a smartphone. These are not limited to telematics use, they can be used as an ordinary satnav and mobile phone as well. smartphone use is on the increase; they allow additional specialised software packages to be deployed. Truck drivers can use a smartphone application to make their daily walkaround vehicle inspections. Vehicle check and defect reports get sent straight back to the operations centre where they can be stored as VOSA approved electronic reports.

Another smartphone application is electronic Proof Of Delivery, the type of delivery note where goods are signed for on a touch screen. A copy of the signature goes straight back to the control centre so administration staff can close the paperwork straight away, without having to chase around for lost bits of paper. Customers can have access to a system that shows them the state of consignments in real time. Of course there are stand alone systems that can do this, but incorporating the functions with a Vehicle Tracking System is more efficient and can allow customers to view the vehicle location online to check progress.

Truck telematics systems are simple in concept, but they can be complicated to piece together. Rather than try and commission their own systems, most operators adopt a ready made and proven system from specialist suppliers. Operators often want to integrate their telematics systems with existing control centre software and administration system; control centre software allows for this with interfaces to custom software modules.

Implementing a fully featured telematics system can be a big outlay, and not just for the up front costs; maintenance and running charges must be accounted for as well. Many operators prefer to use a telematics service where they pay a fixed daily fee per vehicle for an all inclusive package.

Find out more about how telematics can help your business by visiting http://www.truckcom.co.uk

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