Top Myths About Fleet GPS Tracking

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If you have never tried Fleet GPS Tracking technology for your company, you are missing out. Over the past several years, we have heard a ton of myths – this article was created to address those myths – fact to face.
MYTH # 1. “We trust our employees, therefore we don’t need fleet GPS tracking.”
The integrity of your employees is not on the line, at all. Fleet GPS tracking was not created to monitor your employees. It is placed to lower fuel costs, increase efficiency, enhance fleet management and provide safety for your employees. This program was invented to help the fleet industry.

MYTH # 2. “My drivers will quit if I insult them with fleet GPS tracking.”
We have worked with small and large companies and our experience in this industry shows that your drivers will be fine with the fleet GPS tracking program. In fact, most employees learn to love the benefits of the GPS tracking. Especially the fact that they can avoid road blocks and shorten their days with the efficiency of the program. In most cases, the fleet GPS tracking reduces time-consuming paperwork and also offers added security for drivers.

MYTH #3. “It’s too much work to install the fleet GPS tracking”
Installing the systems are very easy and the program itself is incredibly user friendly. Most fleet managers find that it’s easier to multi-task, even if they have a huge fleet on the road. The system gathers data and information in an organized fashion. Driver’s Alert also provides top of the line training so that the company is left comfortable.

MYTH # 4. “GPS tracking isn’t a necessity.”
It may not be a necessity, but it saves you money in almost every direction. In this economy, I look at it as a necessity. You can track every vehicle with the click of a button. Fleet managers are able to multi-task, taking safety, delivery times as well as vehicle maintenance into consideration. Fleet GPS tracking may not be a “necessity” but they are definitely a huge benefit to any company with a fleet.

Using GPS fleet tracking can be of benefit to many types of businesses.  On average, businesses see a return on investment in as little as 6 months.  Boston Global Tracking offers a free 1 week trial to test what tracking can do for your business.

 

 

Kids are Back in School: Drive Safe!

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As we turn the page from summer to fall it is time again to be aware that the kids are now back in school.  I would like to remind everyone, from individuals to fleet managers, the importance of being aware of your surroundings and paying extra special attention in the morning and afternoon when the school buses are picking up and dropping off.

For fleet managers I would strongly recommend that you speak with your drivers about the importance of being careful driving around our neighborhoods.   As we normally drive 10 mph over the speed limit on the highways doing this on local streets could mean the difference between life and death.  In addition to being the right thing to do, driving slow in neighborhoods has the added effect of making your company seem more responsible.  The effect is better customer perception of your company.  Better perception = more sales!

It is also a good time to remind drivers the dangers of using cell phones while driving.  Many times I have observed drivers on the phone go right by the stopped bus with warning  lights flashing: no clue to what they just did.

Let’s keep our kids safe by driving slower, dropping the phone and paying more attention to our surroundings.  Parents and kids will really appreciate it.

GPS Fleet Tracking Helps the Worker.

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One of the most common terms when it comes to GPS Tracking is “driver behavior modification.” It sounds like something out of college textbook…no wonder employees are often against the boss wiring a device into their vehicle.

Put simply though, “driver behavior modification,” just means changing a behavior.  Changing  behavior can be beneficial to the employee, not just the boss. Think about it.  Tracking can get you to the job sooner, more jobs in the day and in less time, helping the you to be more productive and getting  more jobs done in a day and in less time, you get home quicker to your family or your plans for the evening. What’s not to like about that?

Or how about proving you did the job you said you did. With fleet tracking technology, it doesn’t have to be a “he said/she said” scenario. Your boss has the info at his finger tips and you are in the clear. Or maybe you show up for the job and no one is there, tracking can show you may be at the wrong building or door.

How about this, you are in an accident and the driver accuses you of speeding, checking the GPS tracking can determine the truth.  Saving you a lot of time off the job to defend yourself.  What about being falsely accused of hit and run?  GPS Tracking can verify the exact location at the time of the accusation.

So let’s get rid of all the excuses for not using GPS fleet tracking.

GPS fleet tracking technology is a tool to help everyone do their job better.

5 more items to consider when choosing a GPS tracking system.

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Continuing from the last weeks blog here are 5 more items to consider when choosing a GPS tracking system.   Once you have decided what you need the next step is to look at the quality of the hardware and pricing.  All quality systems will have a monthly fee.  In order to receive live updates, information must be moved from the GPS device to the server.  To do this all devices have sim cards, just like your cell phone.  This enables the information to be transmitted to the server via cell phone technology.  This is why you have a monthly fee.  Without this service it is impossible to have live updates.

  1. Quality Components.  All GPS tracking devices look the same from the outside, what counts is the quality of the components inside.  Cheaper devices will use old versions of chips which are not very accurate.  Cheaper chips can show locations that could be actually 1 mile away. SiRFstarIII and the MTK all in one are the latest most accurate chips, just below military grade.
  2. Warranty.  Is the Warranty for 1 year, maybe 2?  If the device is hardwired who will remove the old and install the new device if it needs to be replaced?  Will there be a charge for this?  The best companies should offer a lifetime warranty as long as you are a customer.  It only makes sense that the company stands behind the product.
  3. Training.  Is there a charge for Training?  Will the company come to you and train you and your staff?  Are you just getting a manual and a thank you, or is the company always going to be there to train new staff?
  4. Length of Contract.  Many companies require long term contracts which are almost impossible to break.  What happens if you decide or need to reduce your fleet?   Are you stuck with a monthly payment?  Deals with contracts may seem a great value but in the long run are they really a value?   Beware of free hardware and no cost installation.  Nothing is ever free and more than likely your monthly fees (and hidden fees) will cost you more in the long run.
  5. Hidden Fees.  Activation fees, internet usage fees, special software fees are all extra fees that can make a great deal not so great.  Always question any of these extra fees.  A good quality system should never have any extra fees.

The 5 Most Important Things to Consider When Choosing a Vehicle Tracking System

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While the technology behind all GPS vehicle tracking systems is to gather location-based data is the same, it’s how the tracking data is transmitted, what data is transmitted and how all that data is presented to the user that differentiates quality GPS vehicle tracking from inferior products. Here are the five most important things to consider when choosing a vehicle tracking system:

1. Passive Tracking vs. Live Tracking

For passive tracking, all the GPS tracking data is stored in the receiver and must be downloaded once all the vehicles return for the day.  Avoid systems that give the appearance of 1 or 2 min updates but only move the data every 15 or 30.    What you want is active GPS tracking.  Active tracking means that the data from the GPS receiver is transmitted to a remote user at regular intervals. The best systems transmit data every 2 minutes. This gives you real-time location information.

2. Software

Many vehicle tracking systems utilize proprietary software that requires installation on your computer. These solutions also need frequent manual upgrades and downloads. Another drawback to proprietary software is that the GPS solution can only be used on computers with the proper installation. You want to look for a GPS tracking system that provides the information securely over the Internet. The flexibility and 24/7 accessibility of an Internet-based solution makes is the way to go when deciding on a specific vehicle tracking system.  Freedom to view data from any internet connected device; desktop, laptop, tablet or smartphone is ideal.

3. Quality Reporting

A GPS tracking solution should provide you with the data and reporting capabilities necessary to make informed business decisions. One key to reporting is flexibility. If a vehicle tracking system doesn’t allow you to automate reports on a weekly or monthly basis while also giving you the ability to generate reports instantly, cross that one off your list. The reports should be concise and easy to understand.  Reports should be available in your choice of formats:  download to spreadsheet, email or online. Important reports should include vehicle starts and stops, excessive idling times, speed violations and much more.  Information should be archived for at least 1 year and customizable by time and date.

4. Alerting Feature

The GPS tracking solution you choose should include alerting features to notify you of unwanted behavior. Alerts should be flagged in relevant reports and you should also have the ability to be notified of any alerts as soon as a violation occurs via email or mobile device. Alerts can be triggered for excessive speeding  and when a vehicle enters or exits specific geographic areas. The vehicle tracking system should also provide alerts to notify you when vehicles are due for scheduled maintenance. These alerts can be scheduled based on miles driven or engine-on time. If the GPS tracking system you are looking at does not include alerting features, forget about it.

5. Quality Mapping

If the GPS tracking provider isn’t partnered with a well-known mapping provider – like Bing mapping – to provide you with the most accurate and up-to-date mapping available, chances are it’d be a big mistake to invest in it. A vehicle tracking system’s mapping features should allow you to zoom all the way down to street level and provide, street map, satellite and birds eye views.

Next Week: 5 more important things to consider when choosing a vehicle tracking system.

 

5 Tips to save on gas

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With summer driving upon us I thought it would be a good idea to review the best ways to save gas and increase your MPG.

Although gas prices have fallen dramatically over the last few months’ gas is still .20 cents more than the average price just 6 months ago. Saving on gas can be one of the easiest ways to reduce costs and increase your bottom line. These tips apply to personal vehicles as well as business fleets.

Tip #1 – Obey the Speed Limit

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, vehicles that honor the speed limit maintain a higher miles per gallon ratio. Each five mph increment driven over 60 mph is the equivalent of $0.31 per gallon of gas.

Tip #2 – Avoid Aggressive Braking and Accelerating

Not only does frequent braking and accelerating create wear and tear on vehicles, it also significantly decreases MPG. A 2011 study, by the University Of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI), has shown that by observing the speed limit and avoiding hard braking and accelerating, drivers can improve MPG by as much as 25 percent.

Tip #3 – Turn the Key: Eliminate Idle Time

One hour of idle time represents 80 miles of engine wear and approximately one gallon of fuel. By turning off the engine when not driving, fuel is conserved, engine wear is limited and carbon emissions are reduced

Tip #4 – Check Your Vehicle Regularly

Checking tire pressure daily and replacing oil on time will ensure optimal performance. Studies have shown that fully inflated tires can gain up to three percent more miles and regular oil tune-ups will net an additional four percent.

Tip #5 – Plan Your Trips Ahead of Time

By mapping routes ahead of time, companies and drivers can look for ways to cut down on the amount of travel time. Plan trips around rush-hour traffic and check local maps for quicker and flatter surface routes.

Boston Global Tracking offers speed alerts sent via email or text to notify of speeding infractions. Reports can easily be viewed, emailed or downloaded for future reference