Fleet Tracking
Encyclopedia
Fleet tracking is the use of GPS technology to identify, locate and maintain contact reports with one or more fleet vehicles in real-time. Immediate access to the location history of individual fleet vehicles allows precisely time-managed, current and forward journey planning, responsive to changing travelling conditions.
impacts on both small and large businesses, was published by the Aberdeen Group
, March 2008.
In the report, businesses were grouped together based on the size of their fleet:
The report also measured the main reasons cited by businesses seeking increased efficiency through the implementation of fleet tracking technology. An intention to improve the customer experience through better response times was listed as a top priority by 73 per cent of fleet respondents.
Other reasons businesses cited for wishing to implement some form of GPS vehicle tracking technology were:
Applications of commercial vehicle tracking solutions in the fields of transport, logistics
, haulage
and multi-drop delivery environments can include optimised fleet utilisation, real-time operational enhancements and dynamically remote-managed fleets. Fleet tracking is scalable by design and interfaces with the logistics industry’s leading back-office systems.
Rising fuel costs constantly challenge fleet operators to maintain movement of vehicles and monitor driver behaviour to avoid delaying traffic conditions by either, combining deliveries, reconfiguring routes or rescheduling timetables. This aims to maximise the number of deliveries while minimising time and distance. It has been found that even restricting the number of left hand turns can improve on time, efficiency and energy savings.
solution.
A company with a fleet of 20 vehicles (medium small business) can typically have one vehicle out of service for unscheduled repairs at least twice every month at an average cost of £ 419 a day (the cost may vary according to industry). A simple 25% reduction in this unscheduled soft cost can result in an annual savings of nearly £ 2, 514 based on the following formula:
Cost:
Savings:
Escalating oil prices are increasing costs for many businesses, particularly those with large vehicle fleets, adding a powerful financial impetus to the search for fuel efficiencies. Implementing real-time vehicle tracking as part of a commercial company’s mobile resource management policy is essential for comprehensive operational control, remote driver security and fuel savings.
, an engineering and support services company, who have both saved 15 per cent of its fuel costs and seen a drop in CO² by tracking its vehicles with satellites.
Interserve is using an advanced vehicle tracking system,which works over a web browser and updates vehicle location reports every 20 seconds. It also displays mileage information, live traffic information and exception reporting. According to Mark Stimpson, the commercial director for Interserve, fuel bills were estimated to be cut between 10 and 20 per cent.
Using GPS vehicle tracking technology and viewing interactive maps online enabled the company to see where it was losing money, time and wasting fuel (such as on duplicated journeys).
's new winter service fleet which is responsible for keeping all of the UK's motorway and major A roads free from snow and ice during the winter period.
The Highways Agency will be able to monitor route treatment progress in real-time and provide customers with more reliable information on road conditions. The telematics
system gives the contractors the ability to monitor location-based information, monitor planned versus actual activity, to react to problems and to be confident that roads have been adequately treated. The system also records whether the vehicles are spreading, the rate of and pattern of spreading, width and lane position, and ploughing.
Fleet Management
A study entitled Improving Productivity and Profitability through Service Fleet Management reports on how fleet managementFleet management
Fleet management is the management of a company's vehicle fleet.Fleet management includes commercial motor vehicles such as cars, vans and trucks. Fleet management can include a range of functions, such as vehicle financing, vehicle maintenance, vehicle telematics , driver management, speed...
impacts on both small and large businesses, was published by the Aberdeen Group
Aberdeen Group
Aberdeen Group Inc. is a provider of fact-based research helping organizations and individuals make better business decisions. Founded in 1988, Aberdeen Group tries to understand the implications and results of process innovation, methodology advancements, technology deployments, and business...
, March 2008.
In the report, businesses were grouped together based on the size of their fleet:
- 1 to 10 were characterized as small
- 11 to 50 as medium small
- 51 to 250 as medium
- 251 to 1000 as medium large
- More than 1000 as large
The report also measured the main reasons cited by businesses seeking increased efficiency through the implementation of fleet tracking technology. An intention to improve the customer experience through better response times was listed as a top priority by 73 per cent of fleet respondents.
Other reasons businesses cited for wishing to implement some form of GPS vehicle tracking technology were:
- Reduce service response times (57%)
- Reduce fleet related operating costs (46%)
- Increase service related productivity (41%)
- Extend life of service vehicles (16%)
Applications of commercial vehicle tracking solutions in the fields of transport, logistics
Logistics
Logistics is the management of the flow of goods between the point of origin and the point of destination in order to meet the requirements of customers or corporations. Logistics involves the integration of information, transportation, inventory, warehousing, material handling, and packaging, and...
, haulage
Haulage
Haulage may refer to:* The business of being a haulier or hauler , also called haulage contractor, common carrier, contract carrier, or private carrier, in other words of transporting goods by road or rail for other companies or one's own company.* The horizontal transport of ore, coal, supplies,...
and multi-drop delivery environments can include optimised fleet utilisation, real-time operational enhancements and dynamically remote-managed fleets. Fleet tracking is scalable by design and interfaces with the logistics industry’s leading back-office systems.
Rising fuel costs constantly challenge fleet operators to maintain movement of vehicles and monitor driver behaviour to avoid delaying traffic conditions by either, combining deliveries, reconfiguring routes or rescheduling timetables. This aims to maximise the number of deliveries while minimising time and distance. It has been found that even restricting the number of left hand turns can improve on time, efficiency and energy savings.
Fuel Economy
Fleet managers and drivers operating within both large and small companies, have realised an average savings of nearly 25 percent in reduced ‘downtime costs’ due to maintenance management programmes using a GPS fleet managementFleet management
Fleet management is the management of a company's vehicle fleet.Fleet management includes commercial motor vehicles such as cars, vans and trucks. Fleet management can include a range of functions, such as vehicle financing, vehicle maintenance, vehicle telematics , driver management, speed...
solution.
A company with a fleet of 20 vehicles (medium small business) can typically have one vehicle out of service for unscheduled repairs at least twice every month at an average cost of £ 419 a day (the cost may vary according to industry). A simple 25% reduction in this unscheduled soft cost can result in an annual savings of nearly £ 2, 514 based on the following formula:
Cost:
- £419 x 2 days = £ 838 per month
- £838 x 12 months = £ 10,056 per year
Savings:
- 25% savings x £10, 056 (year) = £ 2,514 per year
Escalating oil prices are increasing costs for many businesses, particularly those with large vehicle fleets, adding a powerful financial impetus to the search for fuel efficiencies. Implementing real-time vehicle tracking as part of a commercial company’s mobile resource management policy is essential for comprehensive operational control, remote driver security and fuel savings.
Reduction in Carbon Emissions
One example of how fleet tracking technology has a significant role to play in both a measurable reduction in fuel consumption and clear environmental benefits by the reduction in carbon emissions is InterserveInterserve
Interserve plc is an international support services and construction company based in the UK, with revenue of £1.9 billion and a workforce of 50,000 people worldwide. The company is headquartered in Reading, Berkshire and is listed on the London Stock Exchange...
, an engineering and support services company, who have both saved 15 per cent of its fuel costs and seen a drop in CO² by tracking its vehicles with satellites.
Interserve is using an advanced vehicle tracking system,which works over a web browser and updates vehicle location reports every 20 seconds. It also displays mileage information, live traffic information and exception reporting. According to Mark Stimpson, the commercial director for Interserve, fuel bills were estimated to be cut between 10 and 20 per cent.
Using GPS vehicle tracking technology and viewing interactive maps online enabled the company to see where it was losing money, time and wasting fuel (such as on duplicated journeys).
Tax Benefits
Because the systems inherently track the mileage and usage of company vehicles they can be used to confirm the vehicle is solely for business use and so help with things such as UK Benefit in Kind Tax claims.Case study
In the Autumn of 2008, a winter maintenance tracking solution was supplied on the Highways AgencyHighways Agency
The Highways Agency is an executive agency, part of the Department for Transport in England. It has responsibility for managing the core road network in England...
's new winter service fleet which is responsible for keeping all of the UK's motorway and major A roads free from snow and ice during the winter period.
The Highways Agency will be able to monitor route treatment progress in real-time and provide customers with more reliable information on road conditions. The telematics
Telematics
Telematics typically is any integrated use of telecommunications and informatics, also known as ICT...
system gives the contractors the ability to monitor location-based information, monitor planned versus actual activity, to react to problems and to be confident that roads have been adequately treated. The system also records whether the vehicles are spreading, the rate of and pattern of spreading, width and lane position, and ploughing.