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4 Ways to Create a More Efficient Fleet

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Are you looking to run a more efficient fleet and reduce operating costs?  Who wouldn’t.  We all try and save money by doing all sorts of things to help reduce costs at home as well as our business.  Here are some pointers on how to run a more efficient fleet.

Create a Baseline

Before you can start to reduce fleet costs you need to determine what your baseline is. A baseline is where all comparisons are made.  How much are you spending on gas each day across all vehicles? How much are you spending on maintenance monthly? Some fleet managers keep detailed records, some just guess or don’t care. You can’t start improving until you start measuring. If you have a GPS tracking system, this kind of data is probably readily available, you just need to start using it.

Communication

Once you have your numbers, make sure every driver in your fleet knows what their numbers are. Make sure they know what’s being spent on fuel, maintenance, insurance, etc. Give them their numbers and work with them to identify areas to start reducing costs. Ask if they idle frequently and if they know how much fuel it wastes. Ask if they realize the impact of hard breaking, rapid acceleration, hard cornering, etc. on their vehicle’s maintenance. Are they reporting issues to your fleet mechanic or just living with them?  Create a safe driver program or rewards for keeping up with maintenance.

Personal Use

Your  drivers spend a lot of time in their vehicles. Over time they may begin to feel as if the vehicle is theirs. This can sometimes lead to misuse as employees begin using their vehicles inappropriately on weekends or after hours. Do you let these incidents go or do you restrict this kind of use? You may find that eliminating personal use not only reduces fuel use and wear and tear, but it also may save your reputation. A van with your name on it parked after hours at an inappropriate location could be damaging your reputation and losing you business.

Initiate Fuel Usage Policies – Introduce a Fuel Card and Usage Policy

Fleet fuel cards can provide discounts and rewards, reduce paperwork, save you from fraudulent spending, provide purchase controls, improve driver security and much more. If you’re already using fuel cards, make sure you’re getting the most out of them. That starts with developing and communicating a usage policy including:

  • Acceptable card uses
    Fuel
    Washer fluid
    Motor oil
    Wiper blades
    Towing
    Etc.
  • Unacceptable card use
    Food
    Car washes
    Bulk fuel
    Non-company vehicles
    etc.
  • Consequences for improper use
  • Card spending limits
  • Retention of receipts

It is important to have this communication between  drivers and owners/management to make sure everyone understands the rules and the consequences of not adhering to these rules.  Policies in place can also help to reduce insurance costs as well.  Many carriers have programs that can help you with the implementation of a safe driver program.

Robert Drucker is owner of Boston Global Tracking, providing GPS tracking solutions for fleets of all sizes.  He helps business owners keep track of what they value most.

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.

GPS Tracking Benefits for Fleet Owners

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GPS Tracking is no longer for the big guys.  Today GPS tracking can benefit any business, even if there are only 1 or 2 vehicles on the road.

Tracking offers a host of benefits for companies that deploy vehicles on a day to day basis.  It allows these companies to streamline their operations in the most effective and efficient manner. The cost of this equipment is reasonable and the return on investment is significant.

GPS Tracking helps companies of all sizes to constantly track and monitor vehicles on road.  Without the need to invest in expensive equipment or hire additional employees, GPS fleet tracking is a very attractive option particularly for smaller companies that might not typically have the resources to roll out this type of effective technology.

Fleet tracking offers a variety of benefits for fleet owners.  It can keep a constant tab on the vehicles, regardless of whether they’re on the move or stationary. They can monitor the time taken for vehicles to reach their destination and identify any time wasted. They can also identify and optimize inefficient routing, enhancing fuel efficiency.

One of the greatest advantages to fleet owners is the tremendous potential for labor savings.  Being fully aware of an employee’s day to day operations keeps them alert and ensures they deliver maximum productivity.  GPS fleet management systems help fleet owners track their vehicles to see if they are on the move or stationary at a location. They can also monitor the duration for which the vehicle is on the road. This helps them monitor if fleet drivers are working efficiently. In the long run, this provides them with immense savings on labor costs as well other significant benefits.

Many companies have been able to cut down on their fuel costs through fleet GPS tracking. Without tracking, it is virtually impossible to accurately track fuel costs and the result is the company absorbs unnecessary expense.  Enhanced routing, reduced idling, and eliminating unauthorized use of vehicles will dramatically reduce fuel costs.

Tracking systems make it possible to know when the vehicles and crew arrive at and leave the job site. These systems also make it easier for the payroll department to accurately match up hours worked with the time sheets.

 

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.

GPS Tracking for Theft Recovery

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Over the past several months problems with commercial vehicle and equipment theft has been in the news.  It seems to be a growing problem for many commercial businesses with fleets of vehicles and expensive equipment.  Often located in out of the way places thieves find these businesses easy targets.

One of the biggest overlooked advantages to GPS fleet tracking is theft recovery.  GPS tracking can alert authorities to the exact location of the vehicle when stolen.  It’s not just the loss of equipment but loss of income and the inconvenience of having to deal with insurance companies and replacing vehicles and equipment. Below is one of the most recent articles on this problem.

Alerts can also be set to notify by email or text when a vehicle or equipment is moved from a designated area.  Businesses that may need to leave trucks or equipment on a job site can now be notified when the vehicle leaves a designated area.  Alerts can be set by time of day to avoid false alarms.  The advantage is that now a business owner can be confident that there equipment and trucks are safe from theft or unauthorized use.

Many businesses close for the weekend to find equipment gone Monday morning.  It is a known fact the sooner a theft is reported the better chance of recovery and less damage.

Many insurance companies will discount the cost of insurance when GPS tracking is installed, check with your carrier for details.

Call Boston Global Tracking at 508-341-5115 for assistance with GPS Tracking.

July 4 Deadliest Day for Teens and Americans on the Road

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As the busy summer driving season is now underway I thought the article below is a great reminder to speak with your young drivers about driving safely.  Whether you are responsible for a teenage driver or a fleet of 100 drivers, talking about safe driving should always be on the top of your list.

At Boston Global Tracking we believe in safety 1st.  That is why our GPS tracking devices are the most accurate and reliable on the market.  Having a GPS tracker installed has shown to change driving behavior, making drivers accountable for their driving.  A safe driver results in fewer accidents and helps to keep your insurance costs down.  Have a great 4th of July and safe summer!

 

July 4 Deadliest Day for Teens and Americans on the Road

Summer is supposed to be a time of celebration for teens and their families with prom, graduation and college on the horizon. Unfortunately, new analysis of crash data from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) shows that July 4 is the deadliest day for teens on the road and is just as deadly for the motorists that will be driving alongside them.

Nationally, car crashes are the number one cause of death for everyone ages 1-34, with teens crashing four times more often than any other age group.

Based on the latest available data, IIHS reports that more than 800 people were killed on July 4 from 2006-2010. And if the projections remain true this year, an average of 140 people will lose their lives on July 4 due to car crashes. California alone lost 241 people during the month of July, 2010, due to fatal car crashes. July trends as one of deadliest months on the road for all drivers.

Teens accounted for nearly 10 percent of the U.S. fatalities that occur on July 4 and are particularly susceptible to fatal distracted driving incidents. Research from The Allstate Foundation found that 49 percent report that texting is their biggest distraction behind the wheel.

“These tragedies are compounded by the fact that many crashes are preventable,” says Phil Telgenhoff, field vice president of Allstate in California. “Driver error, speeding and distractions are the main causes of crashes, and seemingly simple activities such as switching radio stations or interacting with friends can significantly impair a teen’s or adult’s ability to react quickly to changing traffic conditions.”

“Staying focused on the road, wearing seat belts and following the speed limit and other road rules are simple steps we can all take this July 4 to make sure that we return home safely,” he recommends.

Currently, legislation that would encourage the states to enact optimal teen driving laws, or Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) laws, is being considered by Congress as a part of the Surface Transportation Reauthorization bill. GDL policies have been shown to reduce traffic fatalities by as much as 40 percent in the states where they have been adopted. Additionally, recent research from The Allstate Foundation’s License to save report found that comprehensive GDL laws could save an estimated 2,000 lives and $13.6 billion annually.

Source: Allstate Insurance Company

 

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Reasons for Fleet GPS Tracking

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Welcome to our new blog, we thought for out first post we will give a background on why companies need use our Fleet  GPS Tracking

  • To Reduce Fuel Costs – GPS fleet tracking identifies inefficient fuel consumption and will help combat rising fuel prices.
  • To Improve Productivity –  Complete more jobs per day & ensure the most efficient routes are always taken.
  • To improve Customer Service -Real-time location data will allow you to respond quicker to your customer inquiries.
  • To Reduce Labor Costs – GPS fleet tracking will hold drivers accountable for hours they claim to have worked.

This from Wikipedia:

Fleet Management

A study entitled Improving Productivity and Profitability through Service Fleet Management[1] reports on how fleet management impacts on both small and large businesses, was published by the Aberdeen Group, March 2008.

In the report, businesses were grouped together based on the size of their fleet:

1 to 10 were characterized as small

11 to 50 as medium small

51 to 250 as medium

251 to 1000 as medium large

More than 1000 as large

The report also measured the main reasons cited by businesses seeking increased efficiency through the implementation of fleet tracking technology. An intention to improve the customer experience through better response times was listed as a top priority by 73 per cent of fleet respondents.

Other reasons businesses cited for wishing to implement some form of GPS vehicle tracking technology were:

Reduce service response times (57%)

Reduce fleet related operating costs (46%)

Increase service related productivity (41%)

Extend life of service vehicles (16%)

Applications of commercial vehicle tracking solutions in the fields of transport, logistics, haulage and multi-drop delivery environments can include optimised fleet utilisation, real-time operational enhancements and dynamically remote-managed fleets. Fleet tracking is scalable by design and interfaces with the logistics industry’s leading back-office systems[2].

Rising fuel costs constantly challenge fleet operators to maintain movement of vehicles and monitor driver behaviour to avoid delaying traffic conditions by either, combining deliveries, reconfiguring routes or rescheduling timetables. This aims to maximise the number of deliveries while minimising time and distance. It has been found that even restricting the number of left hand turns can improve on time, efficiency and energy savings[3].