Fleet ownership comes with some very real problems. Aside from the constant possibility of theft, employee management can also be a challenge. Are there any issues with the drivers and bad habits such as speeding? Is time being wasted with stops and idle times? Until now, the fleet owner has basically been in the dark, but GPS tracking provides immediate information that can save time and money and allow better fleet management — as well as theft recovery.
Chicago Relies On GPS
The city of Chicago has installed GPS tracking in city-owned vehicles to improve the accountability of their employees and to better address needs through faster response times. When a night investigator and his crew recently stopped for a bite at Taco Bell, their truck was stolen. The good news is that the truck was recovered near the airport a few hours later. The bad news for the investigator is that he is facing disciplinary action for making the unauthorized 3 a.m. food stop when he was supposed to be working eight hours straight.
Increase Efficiency With GPS
GPS tracking is able to store the complete history of location, routes, stops and speed of each vehicle in the fleet in one database. For a particularly large fleet, some GPS tracking systems do not require manual downloads, but download stored information automatically as the vehicle approaches the base station. As an extra benefit, independent contractors and salesmen could easily generate a trip record for reimbursement purposes, thereby saving precious time that could be better spent.
Fleet owners would be wise to protest their investment with GPS technology. It will reduce their costs through lower insurance rates because the vehicles will likely be recovered if stolen and through more efficient labor when employees realize they are being held accountable. Increasing efficiency and reducing downtime are very real ways that businesses can save money in trying economic times. GPS can ensure that your business will be around when the recession is over.
Article Written by Greg Bartlett
