Category Archives: GPS Fleet Tracking Benefits

How to respond to employees about your decision to use GPS Fleet Tracking

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When informing employees about installing GPS systems into your fleet, it is very important that they understand why you are doing it, in order to alleviate any anxieties. Some employees may feel they are not trusted, which can lead to fear and paranoia that is not necessary. Taking the time to explain how GPS fleet tracking will benefit them and the company as a whole, will drive different results and attitudes about the decision. Below is a list outlining how businesses and employees will benefit from a GPS fleet tracking system that can guide you while presenting the idea to your employees:

Improved Customer Retention: For drivers, it is essential that they retain their customers. Having a GPS system will allow businesses to provide their customers with real-time information about the status of shipments. It will also provide detailed reports that can serve as proof that service was completed on time. As well, customers can get accurate information about where a vehicle is and how long it will take for the vehicle to arrive at their location.

False Claim Protection: Vehicle tracking systems provides information about where a vehicle traveled, the speed of the vehicle, the direction of the vehicle, and weather conditions. This information can be helpful if there is an accident and the other driver claims the employee is at fault. It can also provide proof of a delivery at a scheduled time if someone claims the vehicle arrived late.

Accurate Mileage Log: The GPS vehicle tracking system provides an accurate mileage log, which saves drivers the hassle of manually logging mileage.

Improved Driver Safety: Having a GPS tracking device will help improve driver safety. Driver safety can be monitored for such practices as speeding, excessive idling, and excessive braking. This data is automatically reported so driver safety can be monitored to help a driver improve their driving skills. This will help reduce the chance of being involved in an accident, and possibly reduce insurance rates.

An Improved Business is Financially Beneficial for Employees: When a company improves business efficiency, boosts productivity, and saves money, they will increase their profits. This means there is more chance of employees receiving raises and other bonuses for doing good work. The company can even create incentives based on productivity.

GPS Fleet Tracking offers numerous benefits to a business that deploys a vehicle tracking system, and it is important to alleviate any employ anxieties about the system by informing them of what GPS Fleet Management can do for them. Here is one last tip that may bring about a change in your employees opinion of the use of GPS tracking:

FMCSA to Propose Changes in (HOS) Rules

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This is certainly a topic that will be getting attention by fleet companies and drivers alike over the next couple months. The often delayed changes by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to the trucking industry’s hours-of-service (HOS) rules are again causing controversy with yet another proposal that would revise hours-of-service (HOS) requirements for commercial truck drivers.

The FMCSA has set out to amend the rules governing the working conditions of commercial drivers with a reduction of an hour from the 11-hour drive time limit in effect under the current rules.

Driving hours are regulated by federal HOS rules, which are designed to prevent commercial vehicle-related crashes and fatalities by prescribing on-duty and rest periods for drivers.

Commercial truck drivers who violate this proposed rule would face civil penalties of up to $2,750 for each offense. Trucking companies that allow their drivers to violate the proposal’s driving limits would face penalties of up to $11,000 for each offense.

Fleet management solutions such as Vehiclepath play a vital role in asset management with a variety of powerful management tools that can be used to accurately control and monitor fleet vehicles. With features such as the driver history playback, record of driving hours, excessive idle hours, and the drive fatigue alert.

The agency is not making any final decision until it receives all the comments from the ongoing “listening sessions” it is currently conducting, and is proposed to reach a decision by July 2011.

A copy of the rulemaking proposal is available on FMCSA’s Web site at http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/HOS.

Blizzard in the Midwest

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A snowstorm hit the Midwest last night leaving approximately 15 inches of snow. The strong winds and heavy snow made driving conditions nearly impossible. Authorities even required that snow plows be off the roads until conditions improved.

Virtually everything in eastern Iowa is shut down. As of this morning (February 2) Iowa Transportation Department reported several closed highways, including Interstate 80. In addition, U.S. Highway 218 was closed in both directions from Iowa City south to the Missouri line.

Although, the snow has tapered off into flurries the main concern now is the 30 mph wind that is expected to continue throughout the day, causing more snow into drifts that had previously been cleared away. Many trucks have been sitting at truck stops all across Iowa, waiting for the weather to clear to continue towards their final destination.

On the bright side though, the groundhog did not see his shadow. Hope Punxsutawney Phil is right and spring comes early. Happy Groundhog Day!

Update on EOBR Rule

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As of Monday, January 31 the Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) passed the electronic onboard recorder (EOBR) rule. The rule will mandate almost all motor carriers install EOBRs to monitor the drivers hours of service (HOS).

According to an article in FleetOwner, the proposal states, “All motor carriers are currently required to maintain Records of Duty Status (RODS) for HOS recordkeeping would be required to use EOBRs to systematically and effectively monitor their drivers’ compliance with HOS requirements.” Additionally, drivers will still need to retain some documents in order to verify driving time. It was noted in the article that toll receipts would be a way to monitor time.

The FMCSA explains that the approach will place an appropriate balance between promoting highway safety and minimizing cost. Therefore, this proposal is an important step to increase the safety bar for commercial carriers and drivers (FleetOwner).

Do you think this is a good idea? Yes? No?

Huge Trucking Firm Migrating to GPS Fleet Tracking From Logbooks

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When one of the nation’s largest trucking firms decides to switch to GPS fleet tracking to log the work hours of its 13,000-plus drivers, you know it must have pretty good faith in the technology.

Schneider National Inc. is making the switch to GPS fleet tracking before, they predict, a government entity mandates one. The type of system Schneider is going with could spell the end of easily falsified logbooks, since it keeps a real-time record of a vehicle’s whereabouts.

Schneider’s move seems well-timed because in December 2008, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, which regulates the industry, gave a new tool to its enforcement officers: checking logbook entries against information from carriers’ GPS fleet tracking systems.

We think the company and its drivers will be more convinced about the cost savings they can achieve with GPS fleet tracking once they learn how it can be used to modify driving habits—excess engine idling, for example.

A GPS fleet tracking system tells fleet managers exactly how long a vehicle has been idling—in real time or via minute-by-minute reports. Once you determine that a driver is leaving the engine idling longer than you require, it’s easy to implement a “no idling on surface streets” rule because drivers know you can enforce it. But to make it a more positive experience, some fleet managers offer bonus incentives to drivers who meet their fuel-saving standards.

We hear excuses all the time about why it’s hard to break drivers of habits like excessive engine idling. But fleet managers who do the math will be very pleasantly surprised.

One of our newest customers reduced idle-time costs by 53% after their 35-truck fleet idled away $97,720.70 in just one year. The company used idle-time reports to save more than half that amount, $51,791.97, in their first year using our service.

We love to hear success stories like that because it tells us fleet operators really have no excuse for not installing a GPS fleet tracking system if they’re truly serious about reducing fuel costs. Such a system will give you an ROI in just a few months. Not only that, but a GPS tracking system also can help you recover a stolen or missing vehicle in just seconds. You’ll be able to track it immediately on a PC to find out where it is or its last known location—really helpful information for law enforcement.

Those are just a few benefits Schneider and you can expect from GPS fleet tracking. View some sample GPS Fleet Tracking Reports on our homepage.