Vehicle tracking sounds pretty self-explanatory, right? But there’s more to it than just locating your car. As you prepare to head home after a day at the mall and suddenly notice your car is nowhere to be found - a reliable tracking device can help you get your wheels straight back.
Investing in a vehicle monitoring and tracking system is the final step in ensuring you have the greatest and safest driving experience possible. Whether it’s one for a fleet of many or a personal vehicle, keeping an eye on it not only gives you peace of mind but can also save you tons of money.
Vehicle tracking gives you instant reassurance by always keeping you informed of the whereabouts of your vehicle. To achieve this, we’ll need to use some modern technology: satellites, signals and, of course, a tracking device. These three things come together to create the global tracking system we commonly use today to pinpoint the exact geo-location of your vehicle.
Well, a global positioning system (GPS) is used to track trucks, cars, and other moving vehicles. GPS units ensure vehicles are used properly and are left in safe locations when not in use. In the event of vehicle theft, the technology ensures their safe return.
Tracking involves connecting the vehicle’s installed GPS tracker to software that collects data on whether the vehicle is stationary or on the move. The device proceeds to send satellite signals to a receiver that reads the signal to efficiently track the location of all the devices connected to it.
Depending on the reason for fitment, the device can cater to a variety of consumers and offer a range of benefits. This system can be used for many purposes by fleet managers and their businesses, such as:
Having a vehicle tracker implements auto fleet solutions that give you complete insight into the real-time location of every vehicle in your fleet, allowing you to always be able to make smart, productive and cost-effective decisions about your fleet’s movements and customer deliveries with no time waste.
The software as a service (SaaS) uses a global positioning system that enables users to monitor fleet vehicle locations from their respective geographical locations.
Thanks to vehicle data and the telematics used, the software can collect and store information related to vehicle performance and management.
Vehicle tracking device can give you the following insights:
The completed collection of data will be available to you at the click of a button on fleet management platforms.
Being aware of when drivers are speeding or braking harshly can save you money on vehicle maintenance costs and make your business run more efficiently. A fleet management tool can give you instant access to vital information like this at any time with alerts and notifications.
When investing in a tracking device, it's important to know which type would suit your business or individual needs. Take into consideration the type of storage you need - whether you prefer internally stored data that needs to be downloaded or real-time location broadcasting directly to your device.
Once it’s gathered all this valuable information, you have to choose how frequently you want to receive it. Do you prefer manually going through your vehicle’s information or having organised, easy-to-understand reports automatically sent to you?
There are two ways you can track your assets:
Regardless of which GPS tracking device you find ideal for your needs, GPS information is always accurate no matter the situation. Depending on the business, it's important to choose a tracking method that will not only seamlessly integrate into the business operation but also serve a purpose.
Investing in a tracking device not only aids in the recovery of a stolen vehicle and the monitoring of driver behaviour, but it also improves fleet management and influences business decisions.
When you want to take control of your vehicle(s), you can use a computer or a phone to access fleet information for easy fleet monitoring and tracking.
As a fleet manager, business owner or even ordinary motorist, using modern GPS trackers does more than just show you a moving dot on a map; they provide real-time information on the vehicle, driving behaviour and events surrounding the vehicle. Gaining instant access to relevant information from anywhere and at any time.
End-to-end fleet tracking solutions, such as the type offered by Cartrack, have all the tools you need to manage a highly effective and safe operation, ensuring business success.
In the last few years, South Africa’s Q3 2021/2022 hijacking reports have shown an increase of 13.8% with 5 455 cases over the period. With the rise in hijacking and other vehicle-related crimes, vehicle tracking units have become a necessity for any business that seeks to keep its assets safe.
Apart from the safety benefits, this technology has also been proven to save on costs. A manager can use the data gathered to show:
When it comes to calculating salary rates for drivers, the information listed above will give you insight into the drivers’ daily schedules and completed tasks, influencing how much they make. When analysing the data, you can also see the true value drivers add to your business and its bottom line.
Fleet management is made easier with the use of a reliable tracking system. Vehicle tracking gives you, as a fleet manager or supervisor, the ability to:
1. Always know which area your drivers, fleet and cargo are in
The system ensures your business’s most valuable resources are secure, safe and in good condition.
2. Set more accurate ETAs
Using traffic information, you can avoid traffic jams and provide alternative routes to your drivers for faster delivery, all while ensuring they comply with labour and road safety laws.
3. Improve driver communication and performance evaluation
With gathered insight into driving behaviour, the data can be used for focused improvement. By evaluating time spent on lunch hours, deviated routes and unauthorised stops and breaks, fleet managers can make decisions to improve work ethic through further training or productivity bonuses.
Vehicle tracking does more than just keep an eye on your vehicles. Managing a fleet with a tracker helps retrace previous trips to identify opportunities to save and ensure the efficiency of workflow.
Here are a few other benefits you can get with fleet tracking software:
The data collected from fleet software helps fleet managers get an idea of how vehicles are performing and how their resources are being used. This helps you identify your fleet’s daily movements to make smart choices on improving cost savings and efficiency.
Is reducing expenses high on your priority list? Fleets armed with GPS technology aren’t only an asset to efficient management, insurance companies usually offer such fleets lower insurance premiums because it’s easier to recover the vehicles in the event of theft.
See where the vehicles in your fleet are in real-time, capture and analyse vital data points and optimise fleet efficiency and management. A GPS tracker also monitors how drivers handle vehicles. Fleet managers can prioritise safe driving, prevent unnecessary wear and save on maintenance costs.
Determine and control who is operating the vehicles in your fleet. Their location, name and how long the vehicle has travelled are available to you with various driver identification options.
driver behaviour
So, vehicle tracking has multiple benefits for fleet managers, but what about the average South African motorist? You don’t want to think about your car going missing, but having a vehicle tracking system means if it does, your chances of getting it back are much greater.
Even if you work at a highly secured company and have security cameras at your own home, these are sometimes not enough. Monitoring your vehicle and having access to it via an app is a great additional safety measure.
In addition to protecting against theft and resolving theft quickly, a GPS vehicle tracking device can also help you save money on maintenance and insurance, improving driving efficiency.
For personal trips over long distances, tracking how much time and money you spend on the road is easier with a vehicle tracking system. Shorter routes and roads without potholes can also be recommended to you through the app.
When searching for quotes, insurance companies may ask if you have a vehicle that has a tracking device. Due to the high vehicle theft rate of particular brands or models, car dealerships sometimes insist that owners of those types of vehicles have vehicle tracking installed.
Simply put – the vehicle you drive can determine your premium. Vehicle brands that are regularly targeted by criminals often have higher premiums, and the opposite can be true. If you are looking for affordable insurance packages, use Cartrack to help you find the right price.
Over and above vehicle tracking technology, Cartrack can assist in finding affordable insurance. They review your current insurance package and send you up to 14 quotes with better rates. If an accident occurs, Cartrack can (with your permission) share the historical driving data with your insurance company, which comes in handy when painting an accurate picture of accident events.
We offer a variety of packages with different vehicle tracking features specifically for fleet managers. Find the perfect fleet management system that could take your fleet management skills to the next level and ensure the safety of your whole fleet. Get a free quote now.
Keeping an eye on your car is easier than ever thanks to our expert fleet management and individual customer solutions. Visit cartrack.co.za for more.
Looking for a way to keep your vehicle safe and sound no matter the location? Vehicle tracking can assist in locating.
