How Fleet Tracking System Work: Features and Benefits Explained

A fleet tracking system stands for a group of vehicles being traced and tracked. The group of vehicles can consist of cars, trucks, buses and other assets too. As we move on with time, we see the evolution of each possible thing we have experienced so far. Similarly, fleet management technology has also evolved and is still evolving day by day. From manual tracking to advanced software-based tracking, fleet management has touched new heights. The further evolution of fleet management technology is bright with artificial intelligence being the foundation of most of the features in the software. Fleet tracking system is the new age software that is widely used for tracking fleets of vehicles.

Fleet tracking is essential in modern business for multiple reasons. It has various benefits including safety and security, efficient compliance management, better customer services, and competitiveness.

Core Components of Fleet Tracking System

GPS Technology: The Heart of Fleet Tracking System

GPS technology is truly the Heart of fleet tracking. A GPS technology is the most essential aspect of fleet tracking as it helps in providing real-time data on the vehicle’s positioning. It provides the movements and real-time location of the vehicles through satellite communication. The data is provided through GPS technology and it helps fleet managers manage multiple aspects like route optimization, reducing expenses, etc.

Telematics Devices: Enhancing Data Collection

Alone fleet management software can’t do these wonders. Telematics devices go hand in hand with the software to provide the data. These data are then demonstrated as visible and valuable insights through the software. So in simple words, we can consider the telematics devices as the carrier of the data and the software as the receiver which processes the same. Telematics devices help not only to bring data regarding vehicle positioning but also many other aspects. There are feature-specific devices like:

– Vehicle diagnostic-specific devices commonly known as OBD devices
– Driving behavior-specific devices
– Video telematics-specific devices
– Fuel monitoring-specific devices
– Temperature monitoring-specific devices
– Remote immobilization-specific devices

These devices help to gather data as per the feature along with the positioning data. Further, the software uses these data to depict the analytics in the form of reports and charts. 

The Role of IoT in Fleet Tracking

We talked about the evolution of fleet tracking. Artificial intelligence and IoT are the cornerstone of the future of fleet tracking. These technologies are being used to improve and enhance the existing features of the fleet tracking software. Additionally using these technologies, new features are also introduced like AI-Chatbot which gets certain data through some IoT devices!  To make it easier, IoT is the connecting and carrying entity of the data and AI is the one processing and transforming those into useful insights.

Key Features to Look for in a Fleet Tracking System

Real-Time GPS Tracking

Track your fleet in real-time using GPS technology. Using satellite communication, the data is gathered, through which the result is received; real-time vehicle tracking is done. The real-time data and constant updates help the manager know the current location and movements of the vehicles.

Driver Behavior Monitoring

Advanced features like video telematics which includes driver monitoring systems abbreviated as DMS and advanced driver assistance systems abbreviated as ADAS help to detect driver behavior which can be risky. Signs that can be proven risky are fatigue, yawning, distractions, speeding, smoking, etc can be detected with the help of these features. Once detected, the timely alerts are sent from the software to the manager. These alerts can help managers take timely and correct actions to prevent further losses.

Fuel Usage Optimization Tools

Fleet without fuel, how does that sound? Hollow and meaningless right? It clearly states how important fuel is. More importantly, how can the manager monitor fuel usage and save fuel costs? The answer is using fleet management software. All fuel monitoring aspects are covered; including reports, alerts to live tracking from one application.

Maintenance Alerts and Scheduling

A well-maintained fleet is always on a fleet manager’s checklist. Timely maintenance can get overlooked or ignored by managers while focusing on the other aspects of fleet management. The fleet tracking system helps in scheduling the maintenance activities, automatically. It helps by providing reminder alerts and reports regarding maintenance.

Geofencing Capabilities

Geofencing is a new and innovative way in which virtual geographical boundaries are created. These boundaries can be categorized into a common area, an area where vehicles have to strictly stay in the boundary, and an area where vehicles are restricted from visiting. According to these types, alerts are generated and the fleet managers receive notifications.

Benefits of Fleet Tracking System

Improved Efficiency and Productivity

Fleet tracking using new-age technologies increases productivity and efficiency. The automation and advanced software make the processes easy and reliable. This is how it reduces time and provides benefits to the managers.

Cost Savings Through Better Resource Management

Resource management is also a big task when you have to manually handle not just the resource but everything coming along with it. Through the software, it becomes convenient to manage resources and use them optimally. This helps to save unnecessary resource expenses and promotes cost savings.

Enhanced Driver Safety and Accountability

Fleet tracking software consisting of features like DMS(Driver Monitoring System) and ADAS(Advanced Driver Assistance System) helps the manager monitor the driver and their behavior. This helps in standing by driver safety and accountability factors.

Real-Time Monitoring and Better Decision-Making

With the help of– the Heart of fleet tracking i.e. GPS technology, the fleet manager can get real-time data for monitoring and making better decisions for maintaining and managing the fleet.

Compliance with Legal and Environmental Standards

Governments and organizations impose rules and regulations which need to be followed mandatorily. Also, using the right software can make this easy for the fleet manager. The manager can be worry-free just by following the guidelines.

The Final Conclusion

The fleet tracking system is a golden tool for fleet managers. Features like vehicle tracking, route optimization, fleet maintenance reminders, and much more can create a great impact. Also, these features benefit the fleet manager and help in managing the fleet better. To conclude, the fleet tracking system is a boon to easier and more manageable fleet management.