To understand fleet management and telematics, a thorough knowledge of each individual subject must be understood.
Fleet management is the process of managing a company’s vehicle fleet, including cars, trucks, buses, and other types of vehicles. Fleet management makes it possible for;
- Increased efficiency of vehicles
- Driver behavior to be monitored.
- Enhanced safety and compliance with regulations.
- Cost reduction
- Vehicle maintenance which increases the lifespan
Telematics on the other hand is the use of information and communication technology to monitor a vehicle’s location, speed, performance, and other data.
It stores sends and receives information that helps control vehicles through GPS technology and onboard diagnostics (OBD).
HOW TELEMATICS TECHNOLOGY IS USED IN FLEET MANAGEMENT
Telematics provides valuable data that give actionable insights on how to improve a company’s operations. Here’s how fleet managers use telematics:
Telematics technology is used to track and monitor the location, movement, and behavior of a fleet of vehicles. This technology allows fleet managers to gain valuable insights into the performance of their vehicles and drivers, which can help to optimize routes, reduce fuel costs, and improve overall efficiency.
- Driver monitoring
It is also used for driver monitoring. This involves monitoring things like braking, rapid acceleration, and idling, which can indicate unsafe or inefficient driving. This information can be used to identify drivers who may need additional training and to improve overall safety on the road.
- Remote control and management of vehicles
Telematics technology can be used to remotely lock and unlock vehicles, and control other functions like the engine. This feature comes in handy when a vehicle needs to be secured or recovered from theft and unauthorized use.
- Helps vehicle maintenance
Telematics technology can also provide data on vehicle maintenance and repairs, including monitoring of the vehicle’s engine, transmission, and other systems. This helps to identify issues before they become serious problems, reduce downtime, and costly repairs and improve overall vehicle lifespan.
Importance in business
For years, the benefits of telematics have helped businesses reduce operations costs and increase the efficiency of their fleet. Some of them are listed below:
- Improve customer service:
With telematics, organizations can provide real-time information on delivery times and vehicle locations.
- Reduced fuel cost
One of the most essential needs of a fleet is fuel. By tracking speed, routes, and driver behaviors such as idling and unauthorized use of vehicles, the fleet manager can identify ways to cut down on fuel consumption thereby saving money.
- Maintenance
Telematics technology helps fleet managers to spot issues needing quick fixes and maintenance before they escalate into pressing issues (complete breakdown of vehicles or downtime).
- Improved safety
With this live tracking and report, organizations can identify driver behaviors not following compliance, and organize training programs to help those drivers. It also tracks vehicle performance and when irregularities are noted, it calls for quick action to be taken.
- Theft prevention
Telematics allows an organization to access the location of its fleet 24/7 and when one is missing, it helps them swing in immediately. With remote control options, organizations can also lock their vehicles to prevent access.
- Payroll management;
With telematics, you can know shorter routes to use, how long a trip will take, and when a driver is idling thus helping you calculate wages and salaries.
Technology has made managing business operations easier. Just as the usage of CCTV can improve performance in a workplace, integrating fleet management and telematics into business operations can help companies manage time, money, and human resources efficiently.
Get in touch with experts to learn how telematics can be used to improve your business operations.
