With the business of logistics becoming more and more competitive, the use of GPS systems in trucks is increasingly common. A GPS system fitted to a truck will mean that the transportation company will be able to track all their loads throughout their journeys. This will ensure a clear picture of where their vehicles are and they will be able to track their progress as they deliver their goods. Customers waiting for deliveries can then be given a reliable report of progress and a definite expected time of delivery.
The technology which allows the use of GPS systems in trucks is now commonplace and the price of such equipment is decreasing all the time. In fact, you will now find many cars fitted with similar devices in an attempt to combat theft. Many logistics companies have now decided that the cost of the equipment is justifiable as the benefits are clear. These benefits go well beyond just knowing the whereabouts of their trucks. A GPS system will also feed information back to base regarding the speed that the vehicles are travelling. This can be important in reducing speeding and therefore reducing the risk of fines.
Another important benefit of fitting GPS systems in trucks is as an aid to navigation. As the information regarding the whereabouts of your fleet is fed to your central dispatch office, you will be able to give detailed directions to your drivers. This could be vital if you have information regarding road closures or traffic hold ups. Such details could be the difference between making a delivery on time and suffering the consequences of being late. If you are responsible for the long distance movement of perishable goods, for example, this could save your load being spoiled. Details on navigational systems are fed into the computer, including the size of the vehicles. Information such as this can be important as allowances can be made for manoeuvrability though small town. Details such as vehicle size are also important when it comes to narrow roads, low bridges or stretches of road with weight restrictions. A satellite navigation and positioning system will be of great help in the direction of vehicles in such circumstances.
Now that technology is moving on at such a rate, some companies are installing GPS systems in trucks that not only track the whereabouts of their fleet but are also letting the central dispatch office know of problems that the vehicles may be suffering. Some are fitted to the trucks main systems and will give a technical readout directly to the office or vehicle maintenance office. Although this is obviously more costly than a straightforward tracking system, it is considered to be a worthwhile investment for many of the larger companies.
Despite the initial outcry of the drivers to accept the use of GPS systems in trucks, due to the possible invasion of privacy, they are a natural step on from the old cardboard tacho systems that they replace. They are, however, a huge step when it comes to the efficient running of a logistics department.
By: Candis Reade
Posts Tagged ‘Trucks’
GPS Auto Tracker Technology Saves A Life
October 18th, 2009
The use of GPS auto tracker technology by business fleet managers and private citizens is growing daily. The savings in terms of maintenance, labor, insurance and fuel cost are enormous when applied correctly. Real time GPS more than pays for itself the first day it is employed. Some companies have even been able to reduce the size of their fleets to increased efficiency. Everyone knows that increased efficiency means a better bottom line. However there are additional benefits to using a real time GPS system.
Recently a large electrical contractor that operates more than 40 trucks over a 1000 square mile area contracted and installed a real time GPS auto tracker system in all of its vehicles. Most employees are allowed to take their work vehicles home after work. This saves the company both fuel and labor cost each day. Many of the employees felt that the company was playing big brother and invading their privacy. Some even suggested that they would leave once the system was installed.
Once the tracking system was activated and the fleet management staff trained in its use the company began to find ways to cut costs. Employees found that the system was not as intrusive as they had envisioned. The application of personnel and resources quickly began to make the company more efficient and contracts were being completed in less time. As a result the company was able to bid on additional work.
This past November found another benefit to using the GPS auto tracker technology that no one at the company expected. After a normal day of work one of the employees did not arrive home for dinner at the normal time. His wife at first passed this off as an extended work related delay. After a couple of hours she tried calling him on his cell phone but was told that the phone was not in service. Later being worried she called her husband’s supervisor to ask if he knew where her husband was and of course he did not stating that no one was working late.
Shortly after receiving the call the supervisor went on line and downloaded the location map provided by the GPS tracking Service Company. He quickly found the missing vehicle located along the Interstate highway. After calling the missing employees cell phone several times without an answer he went to investigate.
Using his laptop and GPS he drove to the exact location that the tracking system had indicated. However arriving on the scene no company truck was located. The supervisor checked the tracking information and even contacted the service company for assistance. It was suggested that the tracking device had become dislodged and fallen from the vehicle at that location. Where upon the supervisor took a flashlight and went to look for it. Instead of finding the device his flashlight reflected off the back of the company vehicle lying upside down in the roadside ditch. The missing man was trap inside and was still alive.
Emergency response personal arrived shortly thereafter extricating the injured man taking him to the hospital in serious condition. The employee survived the accident and is recovering at home. He hopes to return to work in the near future. According to law enforcement and emergency services personnel the employee probably would not have survived if he had not been found at the time he was discovered.
GPS auto tracker technology is designed to help businesses and private citizens in managing their vehicle resources. However as was discovered here there are additional benefits that this emerging technology provides. It can even save lives.
By: Jim Kesel
