By Greg Bartlett

These days it seems everyone is talking about the economy. More specifically, just about everyone is looking for ways to spend less and save more. Unstable fuel prices and uncertainty about the future are strong motivations for businesses as well as consumers to cut back anywhere they can. Companies that maintain a fleet of vehicles to transport goods and services must give economizing an even higher priority.

Unfortunately for business owners, employees aren’t always as conscientious with the company vehicle as they would be with their own. They might take unnecessary detours or leave the engine idling while they unload a shipment. Scenarios like these have prompted many business owners to ask whether there might be a way to keep closer tabs on what employees are doing on their business trips, whether across town or across the country. Increasingly, these owners are looking to GPS vehicle tracking to be their second pair of eyes.

GPS vehicle tracking accurately monitors a vehicle’s location at any given point. A transmitter placed in the vehicle sends a signal to a receiving device that can be monitored by the business owner or designated employee, who can then keep tabs on a vehicle’s movement along its route. Some GPS models include the ability to monitor fuel consumption and idling time, encouraging greater efficiency and conservation on the part of the driver.

The question that probably remains in the minds of most business owners though is “Will GPS benefit my company enough to make the initial investment worthwhile?” Companies already using GPS answer with a resounding yes. One company reported a projected annual savings of more than $70,000 in fuel costs alone, not to mention employees making more service calls in a day, making fewer unnecessary stops, and generally being more efficient with their time on the clock. Knowing that a GPS vehicle tracking device is monitoring their movements is almost like the boss riding shotgun on each service call.

In these troubled economic times, it’s important that at the end of the day, small business owners can rest assured that they have done everything they can to use their resources as wisely as possible. While personal monitoring of each employee’s productivity is not possible, GPS fleet tracking is the best option to accomplish the goal of economizing with fleet vehicle activity. And isn’t it good to know that reducing fuel costs also benefits the planet? It’s an investment well worth the cost.