Managing a fleet of vehicles can be one of an information management company’s largest expenses. Even with a small fleet, average annual maintenance can cost more than $2,000 per vehicle. Fleet owners and managers are increasingly turning to economical wireless fleet management solutions to help them better use and maintain these expensive assets.
A WIRELESS CONNECTIONA wireless fleet management system takes location tracking to a new level by combining it with the ability to remotely monitor and collect data on vehicle speed, fuel consumption, mileage, stops, hours in service, idle time, engine diagnostics and more. This gives fleet managers the ability to identify issues, be proactive and fix problems early.
Wireless fleet management systems collect and transmit data directly from a vehicle’s engine computer and from a global positioning system (GPS). Fleet managers typically access and view specific vehicle performance data and monitor vehicle activity through a secure, easy-to-use Web application.
Wireless fleet management systems can also notify fleet managers via e-mail when an exception occurs within the fleet, such as when a vehicle has an engine problem. By identifying issues in near real time, managers can fix vehicle concerns before they escalate into larger problems. This helps ensure vehicles are running and, therefore, being productive.
TRACKING THE BENEFITSWireless systems that track vehicle location use GPS technology to locate any vehicle at any time. A small device with an antenna is installed on the vehicle to transmit the exact location at regular intervals. This gives managers the ability to improve vehicle management, driver management and vehicle maintenance.
GPS location systems offer the ability to verify the current location, historical location and route of an individual vehicle as well as an entire fleet of vehicles from any computer, via the Internet. This enables the streamlining of dispatching, differentiation between business usage and personal usage and improved customer service by giving the ability to view where vehicles are at all times. It also helps managers to improve driver management by enforcing policies that encourage business-only use of vehicles and safer vehicle operations.
Some of the benefits of wireless fleet management with GPS location tracking include:
• Optimized Vehicle Routing—By analyzing driving patterns and historical location information, managers can choose routes that optimize workers’ schedules. This means workers can perform more jobs daily, resulting in increased revenues.
• Improved Customer Response Time—Using a Web-based map that displays landmarks, dispatchers can quickly see which driver is closest to a customer location. This allows for better routing, decreased fuel costs and more efficient use of resources. It also improves customer service.
• Accurate Driving Directions—Fleet managers or dispatchers can use the system to get driving directions to and from a vehicle’s current location by simply entering a street address. Dispatchers can e-mail turn-by-turn directions to a field worker’s cell phone, PDA or pager.
• Reduction of Unauthorized Vehicle Usage—GPS location information can be used to verify daily routes and stop locations as well as to check hours of vehicle usage. This information can be used to reduce any unauthorized or unnecessary vehicle usage, which can contribute to vehicle wear and tear. According to Consumer Reports, wear and tear often accounts for nearly 25 cents per mile.
• Setting Parameters with Geofencing—Managers can establish a virtual fence, called geofencing, on Web-based maps to pinpoint vehicles that venture into or out of unauthorized areas. To set up a circular geofence, you simply enter the address of a location or landmark and the radius parameters. When a vehicle enters or exits the area, the system records the date and time it crossed the geofence. Managers can also run a historical report to identify vehicles that have crossed a geofence and schedule reports to be delivered via e-mail daily, weekly and/or monthly.
The integration of remote vehicle diagnostics with vehicle location tracking not only provides additional value in vehicle management and driver management, but also improves vehicle maintenance. Without wireless fleet management, fleet managers may have to wait days or even weeks for drivers to report that a vehicle’s check-engine light is on. However, with wireless fleet management, managers are notified automatically by e-mail when a vehicle registers a check-engine light in the form of a specific diagnostic trouble code (DTC). This information can be provided to technicians so that they can begin their repairs immediately instead of spending time trying to diagnose the problem.
Here are just a few examples of how wireless fleet management with diagnostic monitoring helps to lower fleet operating costs:
• Reduced Fuel Consumption—Monitoring unauthorized vehicle use, excessive speeding, miles per gallon and engine idle time can greatly reduce fuel usage/expenses. For example, if a mobile shredder burns 1.5 gallons of fuel per hour of idle time, a reduction of a few minutes per day can add up to big savings. The system can also be used to monitor idle-time by vehicle to determine which vehicles exceed a certain idle threshold. In addition, reports provide the ability to compare idle-time and fuel consumption between similarly operated vehicles.
• Reduced Maintenance Costs—Monitoring engine diagnostics remotely can help fix vehicle problems before they escalate into larger issues. By identifying maintenance issues early, wireless fleet management helps you avoid larger repair bills and keep vehicles running longer.
• Automated Maintenance—Access to accurate mileage information is essential to a good preventive maintenance program. This allows for the scheduling of regular maintenance using odometer e-mail alerts when vehicles reach predetermined maintenance intervals. The system can also be used to maintain a complete online service history including recall notices, to improve your vehicle’s resale value.
• Reduced Emissions: Many states are instituting stiff requirements to reduce vehicle emissions. Wireless fleet management systems can continuously monitor vehicle emissions and ensure compliance while reducing repair costs by uncovering faulty emissions systems, reducing engine idle time, unnecessary vehicle use and speeding. In California, fleets equipped with a wireless fleet management system are not required to be physically smog checked once they are enrolled in the state’s free program.
For document storage and shredding operations, nothing is more important than keeping vehicles in top condition to support customer needs. Maintaining vehicles, including repair, upkeep and downtime, can have a huge impact on a company’s bottom line. A wireless fleet management system that includes both GPS location and diagnostic monitoring can help businesses reduce operating costs and keep vehicle downtime to a minimum. n
The author is vice president of marketing for Networkcar, www.networkcar.com, based in San Diego, Calif.
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