Fleet managers know how important it is to reduce costs with their company—unfortunately, this is no easy task. Staying on budget requires a balance of fuel and repair costs, driver retention, fleet risk management, and proper vehicle lifecycle management. Fleets employ a number of tools and policies to reduce these costs, such as preventative maintenance and fuel cards. However, there is one tool that can help you reduce costs across several business tiers in your fleet, in a more comprehensive way.
Partnering with a fleet tracking company is a solution that fleet companies have been taking advantage of since the implementation of the ELD mandate. But since learning of its benefits, the use of GPS trackers for more than hours of service (HOS) logging is transitioning into a standard across the industry.
It’s not just a matter of choosing the right GPS tracker that helps your company succeed. Instead, you must focus on pairing with the right fleet tracking company to reap all of the rewards.
Factors to Consider Before Purchasing a Fleet Tracker
Finding the right company to work with isn’t as easy as typing in “what is the best fleet tracking company” into a search engine. You have to look for a company that can meet the specific needs of your own company. This isn’t always easy, but there are ways around pouring over endless specs, pros and cons lists, and reviews. First, read up on the benefits of GPS fleet tracking. Sometimes there are benefits you didn’t even know you needed and others that simply wouldn’t be a good fit for your fleet company. Next, consider your own fleet, and the reasons you sought out a GPS tracker to begin with.
This is a great place to start but we also recommend taking into account other aspects of your business before making your choice. These factors include:
Fleet Size
Small fleets don’t typically need a lot of features from a fleet tracker, but they often can benefit from most of those features available. While you may benefit, sometimes the costs far outweigh what you get from the features. In other words, assess the costs versus the rewards.
Real-Time Tracking
Real-time tracking is quickly becoming one of the most sought after features of any telematics device. It helps alleviate the need to communicate with drivers to get ETA’s or to route them to different job sites as calls come in. Not all fleets need this feature, but nearly all will find this to be a huge benefit.
Your Budget
Budget comes into play with every decision your company makes, especially with an investment such as a fleet tracker. Decide what type of features you need and how much you’re willing to spend on those features. Plus, don’t forget to calculate potential savings by implementing the device.
ELD Needs
The ELD mandate is the largest reason that companies seek out fleet tracking companies. The additional features are just that, additional. Fleets have been functioning without those benefits for several years. However, now that they’re around, they can’t be neglected. You may simply need an ELD with real-time tracking, but if you’re going to get the device, consider other features you can benefit from.
Types of Fleet Tracking
After narrowing down the specific needs of your fleet, consider the types of fleet trackers currently available on the market. There are a variety of trackers available but these are the most commonly offered to fleets because they offer the most benefit. They include:
- Asset trackers: These attach to assets that are non-vehicular such as generators, storage containers, and road signs. Most commonly used as an anti-theft or recovery measure.
- Satellite-based trackers: These trackers use satellites to pinpoint locations and also to transfer data about vehicles or assets in addition to location.
- Cell-based trackers: One of the most commonly used by fleets. These trackers utilize cell towers to send data on the vehicle.
- Passive trackers: Which only transmits data during set periods. One of the least used trackers for vehicles, but still helpful for some assets.
- Live trackers: These trackers send updates in intervals of either seconds or minutes to provide real-time insights.
How to Choose the Best GPS Fleet Tracking Company
Your fleet tracking decisions shouldn’t stop at the device itself. You want the best U.S. fleet tracking company for your specific fleet needs. What does this mean exactly? It means finding a fleet company offers:
- Reliable customer service
- Support for device installation
- Cloud-based data storage and transmission to access your fleet information from anywhere.
- The option to implement a mobile app so management and drivers can see data on the go
- A driver incentive program to help improve fleet safety.
- Different plans to choose from
- Ease of use so everyone from drivers to administration utilize
- Reporting efficiency
- Scalability
- Fuel card integration
- A range of features to choose from
You should also ask yourself, and the fleet company, several questions to help gauge whether or not they’ll meet your needs. Some of the most vital questions include:
- What is your budget?
- What are your goals for using a GPS tracker?
- What data do you wish/need to track?
- How will you use any of the data you gather from the device?
- How many vehicles will you track?
- What is telematics insurance?
- What does insurance cover?
- How responsive is the GPS fleet tracking company?
- Does the fleet tracking company have references or reviews?
- Do they offer a customizable dashboard?
The benefits of using a fleet tracking system are innumerable, but you can only gain so much from a device. Having the support of a company that knows and cares about your business is a vital part of the equation. That is why we at Azuga are dedicated to knowing your industry and how to meet your needs.
Learn more about fleet tracking and how it can help your business cut costs and improve efficiency at Azuga.
