GPS tracking for truck fleets can significantly improve your business’s efficiency and productivity, saving time and money in the process. But how exactly does it work, and what are the key benefits that come with GPS tracking?
In Verizon’s recent 2023 Fleet Technology Trends Report for Australia, it was found that 88% of fleet managers found GPS tracking for their vehicle fleets to be ‘extremely useful’ in fleet management.
As Australia’s leading provider of telematics and GPS truck tracking solutions, we are here to provide you with a detailed breakdown of what GPS tracking for trucks involves, and how it can help make your fleet management efforts easier and more impactful.
Read on to find out more.
How does GPS Truck Tracking Work?
GPS tracking operates on the same working principle as GPS navigation that is used in everyday life, with some notable differences.
Firstly, GPS tracking for trucks usually involves an integrated solution consisting of multiple tracking devices (one for each truck in the fleet) and a digital management platform where the tracking data is recorded and displayed. Each GPS tracking unit records specific information relating to the truck’s location, speed, and overall route, plus vehicle specific data such as weight and other vehicle data.
All of this information is then analysed and collated on an accessible platform to help fleet managers understand how their operations are running and how to improve them. Fleet management can be extremely challenging due to the large number of factors that affect each driver, transport task, and route — which is why a tool like GPS truck tracking is invaluable in managing them.
Benefits of GPS Tracking for your Trucks
The information that GPS truck tracking provides various benefits for fleet managers that lead to the overall outcome of significant time and cost savings. Here are some of the key benefits that come with GPS tracking for trucks:
Improved Asset Uptime
Having a large fleet is ideal for managing the heavy volume of transport jobs that businesses deal with, but it can also result in a potential loss of value when trucks aren’t utilised to their fullest potential. GPS tracking can help match the right trucks to the right transport routes and ensure that fleet resources do not sit idle while there are tasks that require completion.
A GPS tracking system for a truck fleet will provide an analysis of the most optimal arrangement of vehicle resources and operational staff based on your business needs. This data will enable fleet managers to better assign resources and address tasks with fewer delays.
Enhanced Driver Safety
Driver safety is one of the top concerns in fleet management. A key part of operational staff, drivers often spend long hours on the road, leading to fatigue and the increased possibility of accidents.
GPS fleet tracking systems can help enhance driver safety and enforce safe driving practices by issuing automatic alerts to both fleet managers and drivers when dangerous driving patterns are detected, such as fatigue, speeding, harsh breaking, or harsh cornering. Some GPS tracking systems can also track truck odometer readings and issue reminder notifications when scheduled vehicle maintenance is required.
Better Billing Management
When it comes to billing, understanding every part of how much operations cost can make a huge difference to the bottom line of any organisation.
How GPS tracking can help with billing and cost management lies in the data it can provide to fleet managers. With reliable location tracking for each truck, businesses can accurately identify the time and fuel costs for each job, allowing for more informed decision-making when it comes to client billing.
Reduced Fuel Costs
Fuel costs are one of the biggest expenses for any fleet, even overshadowing the cost of maintenance. As such, most fleet managers will make efforts to reduce route redundancies and deviations taken by trucks in order to keep fuel costs as low as possible.
With GPS truck tracking, businesses can take route optimisation even further by analysing driver stopovers and operating behaviour, delivery routes, and truck dispatching. These valuable insights can help fleet managers make adjustments to operations and reduce fuel consumption for even further reduction in fuel costs.
Prevent Unauthorised Activity
Trucks are high-value assets that can incur significant costs if they are stolen or need major repairs. Unauthorised truck operations outside of business hours and purposes are often the main reason for risky accidents or theft that are time-consuming to deal with and disruptive to regular operations.
Instant alerts with a GPS tracking system will help prevent any unauthorised use of tracked truck or vehicle assets, stopping the problem at its source before it grows into a bigger one.
Final Thoughts
If your business does not use GPS tracking for truck assets yet, the above benefits are compelling reasons why you should if saving money and time is part of your operational goals.
Netstar Australia offers comprehensive GPS Tracking for Truck and vehicle fleets of all sizes across all of Australia’s states and territories. Speak to us today to find out how we can help you optimise your fleet management for cost and time savings!