GPS Cuts Transport Costs

(My Original Blog Post: http://ping.fm/e3MYO)

An Efficient Way for Transportation Companies to Save Money

As the economy continues to flounder, more and more companies that maintain a fleet of vehicles have started looking to GPS tracking to help them reduce expenditures. The cost of fuel, man hours worked, and wear and tear on the vehicle all add up over time, and most managers feel the squeeze as prices continue to fluctuate. When it becomes possible to monitor the use of each vehicle closely (and make adjustments to routes and driver habits as needed), many managers report impressive cost savings.

GPS Reduces Fleet Tracking Costs

A GPS tracking device attached to a vehicle can monitor that vehicle in one of two ways. Active tracking involves sending a signal directly to the Internet, which enables someone to view information in real time. Passive tracking includes stored information that can be downloaded to a computer at a later time.

Either way, managers can use this information to determine where their drivers are at any given time. With GPS technology, it becomes possible to track:

• Routes: is a driver taking the most efficient route?


• Speed: how fast is a driver traveling?


• Stop Time: is a driver making unauthorized stops?


• Idle Time: is the engine running while a driver unloads or eats lunch?

With this information in hand, companies can teach employees how to make better use of a vehicle, and of company time, resulting in reduced fuel costs and a reduction in employee working hours.

GPS Tracking Devices Equal Efficiency

As the economic recession drags on, companies who use GPS  to monitor their fleet vehicles have been able to continue operating efficiently by reducing the amount of fuel they use and the miles they cover. Even after employees understand how to find the most efficient routes and how to conserve fuel while they’re out on the road, the devices can still make a difference by enabling the company as a whole to operate more efficiently.

For instance, if a driver contacts dispatch in need of a repair, a fleet manager can pinpoint a vehicle's exact location. This allows dispatch to send the nearest service person to a driver's location, which, in turn, can save a company time and money. The vast majority of fleet managers who have implemented GPS tracking have reported satisfaction with this decision --  as well as saving thousands of dollars.

As businesses large and small continue to recognize the need for efficiency wherever possible, tracking devices prove cost effective. Efficient personnel, vast reductions in company costs, and a decrease in employee overtime are all viable results of GPS tracking technology.

Article Written By Greg Bartlett for Rocky Mountain Tracking