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Posted Wednesday, August 19th, 2020

Invasion of privacy or part of the job? When it comes to fleet managers importance is placed on reducing costs, optimising routes and ensuring efficiency and profitability at a top level.
The environment has changed for the industry with more than 100 fleet tracking systems available worldwide. If you are running a fleet of 8 right through to 800 vehicles, tracking becomes a necessary part of the job and your team is also responsible.
In this article we discuss the top 5 pros fleet managers have found through implementing vehicle tracking and monitoring systems.

Route Optimisation image for trucking industry

ROUTE OPTIMISATION

When most people think about GPS they think about getting directions, finding a stolen vehicle, or, perhaps, parents tracking the whereabouts of teenage children. For a business with a fleet of vehicles, however, a GPS vehicle tracking system increases productivity when used to its full capability.

With GPS trackers installed in your fleet vehicles you will have real-time data on the location of every vehicle in your fleet allowing you to send the ideal route for your fleet vehicle to take to avoid delays due to construction, traffic jams or accidents.

Handle fuel nozzle to refuel. Vehicle fueling facility.

REDUCED FUEL COSTS

In an industry where fuel usage is the number one expense and where every percent of fuel saved is a big deal it makes sense to use a solution that can save the department and business money in the long run.

A fleet tracking solution can help you keep an eye on fuel usage by monitoring idle times, calculating fuel efficiency per vehicle and uncovering any instances of fuel theft where personal vehicles are being filled up instead of company vehicles.

Many fleets run off an onsite fuelling solution fitted with an FMS system which monitors every litre pumped in real time. This involves an onsite fuel tank which has been proven to save the business money on:

  • Time (time wasted filling at the servo)
  • Labour (downtime reduced for drivers) and
  • Cost (tanks can be filled by the cheapest local wholesale fuel provider at full discretion of the Fleet Manager/ Owner Operator) annually for the business.You can also find out your costs by trying our tank calculator.
Handle fuel nozzle to refuel. Vehicle fueling facility.
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TAX TIME A BREEZE

Through the detailed reporting of such GPS / fuel management systems Fleet Managers cut down on the admin time of manually doing reports. These systems (such as Sapphire and Teletrac) allow all the necessary reporting (including any GST or taxes) so when it comes to auditing this process is made so much easier.

Tax Time For Transport Industry Made Easier with Sapphire FMS

EFFICIENCY

One of the issues with having a large fleet is that it’s hard to monitor such a number of vehicles. It can be difficult to prove if a driver is being inefficient in some way, like for example if they are driving too fast or idling excessively. This can cost businesses a substantial amount of money. Policies and regulations can be put in place but if these aren’t followed, they’re useless. GPS real time tracking can help ensure that such policies are implemented. The GPS system sends data which can be used to assess efficiency and based on these improvements can be made where necessary. Reports can be produced which can be used in improving the business.

Tax Time For Transport Industry Made Easier with Sapphire FMS
Fleet Safety image

DRIVER SAFETY

GPS helps ensure the safety of drivers. For example, if a driver must go through a dangerous area or bad weather conditions or an accident occurs, they can set off a trigger to indicate that help is required. This can also be achieved automatically by using the real-time tracking device. For example, if a driver is not responding and has stopped for some unknown reason or if they have driven into a prohibited area, then an automatic alert can be sent out. There is also a distress button which can be pushed manually. This is where real time technology really comes into play. Immediate assistance can then be dispatched.

 

With these key benefits pros in mind, it is clear that fleet management has the potential to positively impact all kinds of businesses. In an increasingly digitised economy, fleet management technology, such as Sapphire and an onsite fuel tank, are powerful tool to help companies operate more effectively and compete more efficiently.

 

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Blog article by Praneel Lal