16 WAYS GPS

TRACKING CAN SLASH

COSTS AND BOOST

PRODUCTIVITY FOR

BUSINESSES WITH

MULTIPLE VEHICLES

16 Ways GPS Tracking Can Slash Costs and Boost Productivity for

Businesses with Multiple Vehicles

GPS tracking technology is quickly becoming a vital part of operations for any business-large

or small- that regularly uses several vehicles, whether to transport people, deliver supplies or

provide services. If your company uses multiple vehicles in its daily operations, a GPS

tracking system can offer some real advantages.

Fleet tracking uses GPS technology to identify, locate and maintain contact with one or more

company vehicles in real time. This guide will provide you with an overview of GPS tracking

systems and help you to find the best vendor for your business.

Key Benefits of GPS Tracking Services

A study by the Aberdeen Group, Improving Productivity and Profitability through Service Fleet

Management focused on ways in which fleet management affects both small and large

businesses. The report listed chief reasons participants had chosen to increase efficiency by

implementing fleet tracking technology.

Enhancing the customer experience through improved response times was cited as a top

priority by 73 percent of the respondents.

Other reasons included:

Reduce service response times (57 percent)

Reduce fleet related operating costs (46 percent)

Increase service related productivity (41percent)

Extend life of service vehicles (16 percent)

Knowing where your drivers are at all times enables you to meet customer needs more

efficiently. Companies that carry out services such as mobile repair or maintenance must be

able to plan an effective schedule for their field workers.

GPS fleet tracking enables companies to quickly locate and dispatch the nearest employee to

fulfil customer requests for service as quickly as possible.

Instant access to the location history of vehicles can help you to plan routes more

economically and make adjustments as needed due to traffic variances, road conditions and

other factors.

GPS technology allows field sales professionals to pinpoint their destinations in real time.

When travelling in unfamiliar areas, sales agents can easily locate their prospects, get

directions and schedule last-minute appointments.

A GPS tracking solution can also protect your company against employee fraud in terms of

over-reported work hours. One company, after installing a GPS tracking system, discovered

that some workers had been regularly claiming 1 to 2 more hours per day than they actually

worked. Others habitually neglected to stop at some of the businesses on their route.

Another company discovered more than 120 hours of falsely reported overtime in a single

week. Businesses have reported a return on their investment in GPS tracking solutions within

as little as two weeks after resolving such discrepancies.

A GPS tracking system can save your company money in several ways:

Operating Costs – By monitoring activities like speeding or excessive idling you can

not only save fuel, but reduce damage done to the engine, brakes and tires. This will

also reduce your fleet’s gas emissions, keeping your company green.

Reducing Fuel and Maintenance Costs – The average operating cost per vehicle is

about $1.50 per mile. A company can reduce at least 25 miles per week for each

vehicle with a GPS fleet tracking system.

Increasing Efficiency – On average, each vehicle could complete at least one extra

stop, job, or delivery per day by using a web based GPS fleet management system.

Reducing Delays – and time spent at unauthorized locations. With fleet tracking

software you can easily establish a custom notification system for events like a driver

going outside of a designated area, speeding or staying idle for too long.

Reducing Insurance Rates by up to 35% – Many insurance companies offer

discounted premiums for vehicles that have real-time GPS systems.

Risk Avoidance – A GPS tracking system will help eliminate any liability for

unauthorized vehicle usage.

Important Features of GPS Tracking Systems

GPS technology has the capability to report the current location of your drivers, how many

stops they make, their response times, and even how fast they are driving.

Starts and Stops reports each time engines on your vehicles are turned on or off. This

feature is included in most GPS systems.

Integrated Maps within the tracking system enable you to view driver or vehicle

locations on a map. Your reports will include a link to the map.

Daily Usage breaks down the daily travel data of a vehicle, including the starting and

ending position for each vehicle.

Driver Analysis reports on the daily usage of a specific driver. You can see the

duration of the trip, maximum speed, vehicle idle time and total distance covered by an

individual driver. This feature is very useful for comparing the performance of your

drivers.

Mobile reporting lets you access live reports even when you are away, using an app

on your iPhone or Android mobile device.

Drawbacks to Be Aware Of

In some countries, you will encounter legal issues regarding the use of tracking technology. In

the UK, for example, the law requires companies to inform drivers if they use tracking devices

to monitor vehicles for any purpose aside from asset tracking.

Another potential drawback is one you may encounter with a less expensive form of GPS

tracking; cell phone tracking. Cell phones can be more easily turned off, disabled, or

purposely misplaced by employees who wish to avoid having their movements tracked.

Overdependence on the tracking system can be a disadvantage if the system is ever

temporarily out of service and drivers have to perform tasks without the aid of the GPS.

Should You Choose an Active or Passive System?

These are the two basic types of GPS tracking systems. Some companies utilize both types

of systems; other users have a strong preference for one type or the other. The choice you

make depends on your business and its needs. Here is a summary of the pros and cons to

help you decide.

An active system collects driver and/or vehicle activity data in real time and sends this

information directly to the central network. The vehicle’s current position and other relevant

data can be accessed online via the company’s computer system, or remotely using a smart

phone.

Advantages of Active Systems

Real-time data

Ability to reroute vehicles based on variables

Users can make decisions and adjustments during the workday

Can handle issues as they arise

Helps vehicles arrive at destination on time

Allows drivers to react to real-time traffic data

Solutions allow for smart phone access to data

Disadvantages of Active Systems

Requires a monthly fee

Often requires a contract

Requires cell data coverage

Passive tracking begins recording data when signalled, usually by the start of the vehicle

engine. At the end of the workday or vehicle route, the GPS tracking device is removed from

the vehicle and the data is then downloaded to the company’s computer system.

Advantages of Passive Systems

No installation costs

Relatively inexpensive one-time cost

Gives accurate view of routes driven

Disadvantages of Passive Systems

Memory will overwrite itself if data is not downloaded in time

Does not enable users to make decisions on the fly

Does not offer the ability to communicate with driver through device

Cannot be used to track stolen vehicles

Data cannot easily be accessed on multiple computers or phones

Top Questions to Ask when Comparing Vendors

Begin by determining the particular needs of your company by considering questions such as:

How many and what type of vehicles does your business use regularly?

Will you be monitoring your vehicles continually or only on specific occasions?

Do you need your fleet tracking system to be concealed or can it be installed in the

open?

You can then compile a list of questions to help you evaluate vendors. Here are some key

ones to ask:

Does the vendor use a subcontractor for installations or does the company do the

work? If the company uses a subcontractor, your installation could take longer than if

the vendor itself performs the installation.

Does the system require special software? With some systems, data can be accessed

online and no software is required. Other companies offer a cloud-based system with

no software to buy or support.

How much does the system cost? Pricing varies; devices can range from $99 to $700,

and monthly fees for active systems will be around $100 or less per month.

What type of data does the system monitor?

How long do repairs take?

Qualities to Look for In a Provider

Excellent reputation—Carefully research each company by conducting thorough

reference checks.

Software—The company should provide a demonstration of their software and system.

Wireless network—Find out about the wireless network the system utilizes to transmit

the data from vehicles.

Hardware component—Evaluate the hardware component you are purchasing; i.e.,

does it operate on a digital wireless network?

Unlimited use for a flat monthly fee—Be sure to check the polling rate and monthly fees

if you choose a real-time system.

Making Your Final Selection

It has been said, “There is a price to purchase, and a cost to own, and if you purchase the

wrong product, the cost to own will exceed the purchase price several times over.” At

InsideUp, we know how vital it is to make the right purchasing decisions for your business.

InsideUp.com can help you choose with confidence by providing free, no obligation

competitive price quotes from top GPS fleet tracking vendors who match the needs of your

business.

Glossary of Key Terms A-GPS (Assisted): Assisted Global Positioning System refers to a GPS tracker using both satellite and cellular

technology in operation. Typically, a GPS tracking device will record location data using

satellite technology, but then transmit that data using cellular communication technology that

allows users to remotely access live data.

Active:

Also known as real-time GPS tracking, active refers to a GPS device having the ability to

transmit data where it can be viewed remotely. This form of vehicle monitoring is popular

among businesses seeking to improve fleet management, families interested in monitoring a

elderly or teen driver and people looking for a auto-theft prevention tool.

Alkaline Battery:

A battery that can be purchased at most retail locations, alkaline batteries are widely known

for being rated as a quality power source, and having a long shelf-life.

Atomic Clock:

The most precise method of measuring time through a process of using the movements of

atoms, atomic clocks are utilized in both GPS navigation and GPS tracking devices to assist

in the calculation of determining GPS location.

Business Tracking:

Using GPS monitoring devices and other surveillance tools such as keystroke loggers and

hidden camera systems to observe employee activity. Business tracking helps reduce fuel

consumption, and other social activities that can weaken employee performance while on the

clock.

CDM:

Cellular Data Module, or CDM, is a component used in real-time GPS trackers to transmit

location data using cellular networks.

Covert Monitoring:

The process of secretly observing activity of person, place or object. Covert monitoring often

refers to using Spyware to observe activities conducted online, or GPS tracking devices to

observe driving activities.

Data Plan:

A monthly service obligation required due to the cost of transmitting data using

telecommunications and cellular networks. All mobile communication devices (cell phones)

and real-time GPS trackers require a data plan for the device to be operational. The data plan

cost will vary depending on how much information the user transmits.

Drivers:

An internal computer system component that controls a particular technological device.

Driving Activity:

The collection of information related to driving that includes how long a motorist stopped at a

location, how fast they drove, the total mileage driver for a particular day, the number of

locations a driver stopped at per day and more. By observing driving activity, businesses can

gauge whether a company employee is working at a satisfactory level while out in the field.

Employee Monitoring:

Using technological tools such as GPS tracking devices to ensure staff are not misusing

resources or company time.

Fleet Tracking:

Also known as fleet management, fleet tracking refers to the ability businesses have of

overseeing and controlling the activity of mobile assets and employees working out in the

field. The most common tool used for fleet tracking and management is the GPS tracker,

which gives fleet supervisors the tools required to observe an entire fleet of vehicles within

seconds through real-time tracking!

Geo-Fence:

A feature common among real-time tracking devices that allows the user to create essentially

a virtual

boundary around a vehicle or location. When the vehicle breaches that pre-determined

perimeter, a alert notification is sent to the user by either text message or email.

Global Positioning System:

The network of satellites that rotate around the Earth, and transmit low-level radio frequencies

that help GPS tracking and navigation devices determine locational information. The Global

Positioning System was originally developed by the Department of Defense for military

applications.

Google Earth:

Satellite image program that offers 2D & 3D methods of viewing locational information.

Google Earth also offers a popular feature known as "Street View" that provides an intimate

view of almost any location in the world. Google Earth is the primary satellite imaging program

for many GPS trackers.

Google Maps:

Web-mapping service program that is commonly used on smart phones to retrieve directions

to and from a particular location. Many GPS tracking device programs will incorporate Google

Maps either as a routing utility feature, or method of showcasing addresses arrived/departed.

GPS Tracker Shop

Leading provider of real-time GPS trackers, GPS data loggers and personal GPS tracking

solutions for families, companies and police agencies!

GSM:

GSM, or Global System for Mobile Communications, is basically a digital telecommunications

device that was created to be an alternative to solution to analog. GSM is the international

standard, and only form of telecommunications used in Europe. GSM is also often times

referred to as SIM card technology.

Hard-Wire Connection:

Hard-wire connection refers to the permanent installation of a GPS vehicle tracker to the

electrical 12-volt system of an automobile. Hard-wiring a GPS tracking device to a automobile

allows the user to never have to worry about battery-life, as the GPS device will pull power

directly from the car battery.

Internal Antenna:

Internal antennas are components used in GPS tracking devices that assist in the unit

receiving GPS signals from the Global Positioning System orbiting the Earth. Internal

antennas result in a navigation or tracking device that is more compact, keeping the footprint

of the device much smaller. When engineered correctly, internal antennas on GPS trackers

can actually acquire signal even when the device is placed underneath a target vehicle, as the

antenna picks up GPS signals reflected off the ground.

Lithium-Ion Battery Pack

One of the newest forms of battery system, lithium ion battery packs are commonly used in

mobile communication devices and real-time GPS trackers. What makes lithium-ion battery

packs advantageous is that they are more leak resistant than alkaline batteries, have a

tremendous shelf-life and are ideal for technological and electrical consumer products.

Meter:

(Metric System) The most common form of measurement, a meter is a measure of distance

that is equal to 3.28 feet.

Operating System:

A form of software that is used for managing various programs of a particular computer

device.

Passive:

Refers to a GPS tracker that does not transmit vehicle location or data. Users of passive

tracking equipment must remove GPS device from the target vehicle and download historical

driving records. Also known as a GPS data logger.

Real-Time GPS Tracker:

Also known as a live tracker, real-time GPS tracking systems record a variety of information

related to position and travel, transmitting that data using telecommunications technology.

This allows users to have remote access to where a vehicle is located, and everywhere that

vehicle has traveled. Real-time GPS trackers are often used for auto-theft prevention, law

enforcement surveillance and business fleet management.

Refresh Rate:

Also referred to as a sampling rate, the refresh rate is the frequency of locational positions

that are updated and stored by a GPS receiver. Occasionally thought of as "bread crumb

trails" or "pings", the refresh rate can vary on the type of GPS tracking device the user is

operating.

Spot:

Manufacturer of personal location devices

Spot HUG:

Real-time tracking solution that uses 100% satellite technology. Spot HUG GPS was

designed specifically to help safeguard boats and other expensive water vessels.

Teen Tracking:

The process of observing the driving habits of a teenage driver through the use of a GPS

monitoring device. By calling upon a GPS vehicle tracker, parents can identify whether a teen

is driving aggressively or going to locations that are "off-limits".

Telematics:

The integration of wireless, computer, and mobile devices for information and other

communications. Telematics provide the ability for real-time tracking devices to effectively

transmit data, allowing users to obtain remote access of locational data.

Tracking System Direct:

A global distributor of both real-time tracking devices and GPS data loggers, Tracking System

Direct works with both businesses and consumers to deliver quality vehicle surveillance

products at wholesale prices.

USB Port:

Electrical connection point on a personal computer or Mac system that provides interface with

various technological gadgets, including, MP3 players, mobile communication devices,

iPhones, desktop printers and some GPS trackers such as the GPS Tracking Key (GPS

Tracking Key was engineered with a USB drive that allows the user to connect the unit

directly to the USB port of a computer for manual download of historical driving activity).

Virtual Boundary Alert:

Also referred to as a "Geo-fence", virtual boundary alerts are a common feature among real-

time GPS monitoring devices that allow the user to set a boundary over a satellite mapping

program such as Google Earth. When a driver enters or exits this set virtual boundary, the

user is sent a alert via text message and/or email. This tool is helpful for notifying businesses

when employees arrive/depart from a particular job site, or parents wanting to know the

moment their teenage driver gets home.

Waterproof:

The ability to keep all water and moisture outside of the internal workings of a device. In order

to ensure complete water protection for those intending on using a GPS tracker outside of a

vehicle, most GPS tracking companies will recommend consumers invest in a waterproof

casing accessory.

Water-Resistant:

Devices or products that are classified as "water-resistant" often can continue to operate

without interruption when faced with a very light splashing or misting of water. Although

products such as GPS tracking devices are often described as having water-resistant

capabilities, the limited ability to keep moisture out of the device should be something users

pay close attention too. That is because using a GPS vehicle tracker outside of a automobile

exposes the device to a wide range of elemental conditions, and can cause damage to the

product. Most companies do not offer warranty protection to devices that are water damaged.