There is a difference between ‘vehicle tracking’ and Fleet Management in the sense that although they may be similar sounding, they are very different in the way they work as terms. Vehicle tracking is basically the method of identifying the vehicle location using GPS technology. On the other hand, Field Management involves a holistic approach, comprising a combination of technology and techniques, such as, ‘geofencing’ alerts, tour history, real-time monitoring, exception management, vehicle utilization and insights that help in quick and informed decision making for management.
The Evolution. The simple concept of vehicle tracking first began in the 1990s. This tracking system has now evolved into the versatile Fleet Management System. The advancement in telematics, 2-way communications, satellite mapping and integration into back office systems has opened opportunities, to streamline fleet operations, to manage costs, to boost revenue and productivity.
GPS technology was used widely to track the activities of vehicles with hardware installed with the vehicle. Terminals in the cab were bulky, collected data and paired with software of a PC. The data was stored in a server and retrieved by the fleet managers. Some customers paid to access the satellite generated data. Solutions were expensive and used by only large and wealthy fleet owners or companies.
In today’s marketplace, fleet operation has many vendors and options to consider and numerous features to choose from. With the advancement of the internet in the 2000s vehicle tracking systems got a we interface with browser-based access to data. But the lack of broadband capacity made updates on location maps very slow. However, over the years better satellite capabilities improved GPS performance, leading to better and robust vehicle tracking systems. Two-way communication between drivers and managers also improved and the system now moved beyond locating vehicles to managing driver and vehicles.
Total Fleet management. Today’s tracking solution has evolved into fleet management system (FMS) capitalizing on technological advancements and deployed more efficiently. The FMS can be updated running with minimal IT support and the dedicated software updated to add the most recent features.
Vehicle tracking & positioning is updated in seconds with dispatch always in step with drivers. Advanced telematics and integration of communication systems has now provided fleets ability to enhance driver safety, lower fuel consumption & harmful emissions, improve service & maintenance schedules and customer experience. It has enabled vehicle monitoring and engine analysis, driver behaviour, route mapping and integration with mobile apps.
Fleets involve high capital cost with running and maintenance costs, therefore, a Fleet Management System like that provided and customized by Trinetra Wireless can significantly save time, money & other costs, for a fleet company/operator owning or monitoring assets or driver behaviour. The FMS is important to gauge the utilization of vehicles, performance or well-being of the service or business as a whole. For your fleet business needs kindly contact us or visit our website for more information.
