Author: frank-content

A fleet tracking app can greatly improve the efficiency of your fleet. It allows fleet managers to keep an eye on every vehicle and driver, no matter the location. Mobile accessibility ensures that the managers are always notified of the fleet status and can quickly act accordingly.

Though solely relying on a mobile app will not guarantee perfect results, fleet tracking apps are a powerful tool when combined with telematics hardware. We’ve combined a list of the best benefits of using a fleet tracking app for your business.

You can quickly jump to each section of this blog post by clicking one of the links below. 

• Why Fleet Managers Should Track Their Fleets
• Choosing the right hardware
• Selecting the best Fleet Tracking App
• Must-Have Features of A Fleet Tracking App

Why Fleet Managers Should Track Their Fleets

This is certainly a no-brainer. Being able to track your fleet in real-time is a crucial element of fleet management. However, a fleet tracking app integrated with telematics hardware can do a lot more than just track the location of the vehicles in your fleet.

Some of the most critical benefits of fleet tracking in general include:

• Optimizing fuel usage, decreasing vehicle-related costs
• Access to the vehicle’s location in real-time
• Ability to remotely open the vehicle’s doors over Wi-Fi
• Preventing theft of fuel and equipment
• Keeping an eye on the maintenance and technical status of each vehicle in the fleet
• Improving the driving habits of your driver(s)
• Keeping track of fleet management costs

And many more!

Choosing The Right Fleet Tracking Hardware

Before downloading a fleet tracking app, you’ll first have to select the correct hardware. Integrating a high-quality telematics device is an absolute must in order to track the status of your vehicles and drivers.

There are plenty of telematics devices to choose from, though offer extremely limited functionality and a lack of compatibility. Movitronic offers a solution that’s compatible with virtually every make and model. The device can be integrated with any vehicle made in 1996 or later, as long as it has an OBD2 port and a remote.

In addition to real-time location tracking, Movitronic also provides its users with many more features. This includes digital car keys that allow you to access the vehicle from anywhere in the world, calculating a driving score and more.

Selecting The Best Fleet Tracking App

Once the hardware is set up and ready to go, it’s time to pick the fleet tracking app. You’ll obviously want to proceed with the one that suits your needs best. Determining the most useful features is a great starting point when choosing the right tracking app and software.

Must-Have Features of A Fleet Tracking App

• Location Tracking in Real-Time
• Geofencing 
• Vehicle and Driver Data
• Number of Users and Selecting Access Levels
• Easy Communication Between Users
• Hardware Compatibility

Location Tracking in Real-Time

Naturally, you want to be able to see where the vehicles are at any point in time. Integrating a fleet tracking app with a telematics device will let a fleet manager access all of the vehicle information, including its current location, in real-time. 

Geofencing

In theory, geofencing may not be required for every single fleet. It is, however, a practical feature that could come in handy when managing your fleet.

Geofencing allows the fleet manager to set digital boundaries around a pre-selected area. In effect, the manager will be notified as soon as any of the vehicles leave the area. While this may not be a must-have feature for cross-country freight companies, it could prove useful for fleets that operate in specific cities or districts, i.e. car-sharing companies.

Vehicle and Driver Data

It goes without saying that a fleet is only as good as its drivers. Every fleet manager needs to be sure that the drivers are always working in safe conditions, not surpassing the weekly hour limits, and driving safely.

A fleet tracking app allows you to ensure that every driver complies with legal regulations, such as Hours of Services. Integration with a telematics device such as Movitronic also lets you check the driving score of each driver, calculated based on their GPS data.

Integration with a telematics device also allows for real-time information regarding the vehicle’s condition. This means that a fleet manager can instantly be notified as soon as any DTC code is triggered, as opposed to waiting for a driver to report a technical issue. That way, both parties can focus on other tasks and save time.

Number of Users And Selecting Access Levels

Large fleets will require more than one individual to be properly taken care of. That’s why your fleet tracking app should let you pick the right number of users. Ideally, a fleet tracking app should allow for an unlimited number of users.

In many cases, you’ll also want to be able to select access levels for different users. That way, you can make sure that each employee can access the information that matters to them.

Easy Communication Between Users

Communication is key, and fleet management is no exception. A fleet manager always wants to ensure that the entire team is as efficient as possible. Seamless communication between users should be a fundamental feature of your fleet tracking app. 

Hardware & Software Compatibility

Ensuring your fleet tracking app is compatible with both your telematics hardware, as well as a centralized fleet tracking software, can easily be overlooked.

There is absolutely no doubt that a fleet tracking app can greatly improve managing your fleet. Afterall, a mobile app can be accessed anywhere, at any time. The fleet manager does not have to carry a computer around to always be informed on the status of each fleet vehicle and driver.

That said, it’s essential for your mobile app to be synchronized with the centralized desktop-based fleet management software, as well as the telematics hardware installed in the vehicles. When combined, the three tools enable you to manage your fleet as efficiently and effortlessly as possible.

As you can see, a fleet tracking app can be a powerful solution when combined with a telematics device. Learn more about Movitronic, a product that offers anything from real-time location tracking to digital car keys, remote vehicle access, and calculating driving behavior, right here.