Your GPS tracker is your most crucial fleet management tool. It helps you track your drivers, the status of your vehicles, and any behaviors you may find concerning. Because it is such an important tool, we know that investing in a quality GPS tracker is crucial to optimize your fleet’s everyday operations. If your GPS problem suffers from any of these problems, you may want to troubleshoot or even look into a new device.
How Does GPS Work?
Before we can break down issues with GPS devices, we need to understand how these devices work. GPS devices, particularly for fleets, are used to track vehicles, drivers, and assets using hardware and software that captures critical data regarding locations and diagnostics. This technology then sends this information back to the primary office. With GPS fleet tracking, managers can track, locate, and monitor their fleet vehicles and drivers in real time.
The device connects at three points:
- The vehicle’s engine computer unit
- GPS satellites
- The internet
Through a web browser or mobile app, you can access the tracking data in a dashboard that presents the live data via maps, charts, and reports. This way, you can see where a vehicle is, the health of the vehicle, and even driver behaviors like speeding and idling.
Common Problems with GPS
Inaccuracy
Often, GPS inaccuracy is caused by a weak GPS signal or obstructions like tall buildings, tunnels, trees, etc. If you’re dealing with a weak GPS signal, it could be because the antenna isn’t getting a good signal. Make sure your GPS device is positioned correctly to get the most visibility. This can significantly improve accuracy problems if you have a quality GPS device.
Location Jumps
You may have seen sudden location jumps on your map, even if the vehicle in question or GPS device is at a standstill. This is common with cheap devices, and investing in higher-quality devices should solve this problem.
Incorrect Travel Route
If you’ve ever seen a big mess of incoherent lines on your GPS map, it may be due to incorrect time zone settings. GPS devices have to send data in 0 UTC timezone. Check your GPS device manual to check how to change your timezone, then clear object history once you have done so to get a clean start.
Invest in the Best GPS Tracking Device
Azuga’s GPS devices are designed with fleets in mind. This means more features, higher accuracy, and better integration with our fleet management software. We seek to help you achieve your fleet goals, no matter what they are. Speak with one of our experts today to try a demo of our GPS tracking software and learn how to harness it to reach your fleet’s fullest potential.
