It is technically possible to run a fleet that is not GPS monitored, but is it wise to drive a highway with a blindfold on? With five vehicles or five hundred vehicles, every aspect of your operation is different when you know where your assets are at any given time. Fleet GPS monitoring monitors vehicle position. But leave it there that is but skin deep. The underlying value is what manifests itself in a manner that is not considered by the majority of the people until something goes amiss.
Take fuel costs. Drivers that use inefficient routes, spend more time in stagnation, or speed up excessively consume more fuel than is required. GPS systems indicate these behaviors. Other fleet managers claim to be saving 15-20 percent of their fuel costs simply by eliminating habits that they themselves were not even aware of. It is no trifle when compounded in dozens of vehicles in a year.
Another area that is quiet and where monitoring is rewarded is maintenance. The majority of systems automatically record mileage and engine hours and provide notifications when a car is in need of service. Neglect an oil change on a transportation truck that travels every day? You are not merely looking at a repair bill you are possibly looking at lost time, late deliveries and one very disgruntled customer at the other end of the phone.
Next is driver responsibility. No one would like to become a manager that micromanages all trips. However, there is a distinction between micromanaging and being aware of what goes on with company property. Habits can be improved automatically when the drivers are informed that their paths and actions are monitored. Speeding drops. Illegal detours are infrequent. It is not about being distrustful but is making good behavior the norm.
Efficiency of dispatch also enhances. In case of a last-minute job, you are not involved in phone tag to find out who is nearest. You draw the dashboard and know who is really there, and you give the job in less than one minute. Such a response time develops a reputation.
And, in case your fleet is still operating on gut instinct and phone calls, the difference between the place you are and where you might be is even bigger than you think.