From app cabs and regular cabs to local delivery trucks and super heavy trailer trucks, optimum fleet management is critical to commercial success for everyone. That being said, there is no single, universal formula that can be applied to see improvements in fleet management in every company. In fact, that distinction and the need for customization is the first point of this post.
Choose a Customized Telematics Solution
There are several different sectors that can benefit from better fleet management, and even within the same sector, there are subsectors with different, unique requirements. Then there is the question of scale, which will often vary greatly from company to company, even if they are within the same segment. Check out some of the most important features that should be available for customization from your telematics service provider’s end.
- ELD, DVIR, and IFTA compliance assurance.
- Compare fuel cards maintenance and management.
- Assigning, dispatching, routing, rerouting, tracking, and monitoring drivers, vehicles, and cargo.
- Driver features: Alerts, reminders, safety reports, HOS exceeding prevention, advanced coaching, and on-the-wheel sleep prevention.
To avoid confusion and future problems, leading commercial telematics service providers will always work closely with the customers to create highly personalized fleet management solutions for each client.
Each system will be configured to meet the specific fleet management requirements of the client. Customized solutions also come with customized pricing, which ensures that even the smallest companies can afford the latest telematics solutions.
Invest in the Right Hardware
Most of the benefits mentioned above must be supported by an external piece of hardware on/in the vehicle as well. For example, the Geotab ELD is attached to a truck’s engine, so that the device can electronically log in the hours of driving during each run. This collected data would then be sent to the driver’s and the operator’s console in real-time, making it easy for the company to keep every one of their drivers compliant with the latest HOS regulations.
Their central system will automatically update the HOS regulations, as and when necessary. The system will then plan each vehicle’s journey, speed, route, etc. automatically for optimum results while maintaining compliance. The same goes for dashcams, GPS devices, and other sensors.
The software and the hardware must both be present and compatible to work in synchronization with each other. When possible, try to source your software and hardware from the same source to avoid compatibility issues.
Identify the Key Features Needed for Optimization
Reputed fleet management solutions come with a wide range of features, but you may not need everything they have to offer. Instead of leaving the customization of those features entirely in the hands of a vendor, it is recommended that you:
- Get to know all the relevant features which your telematics solution provider is offering.
- Identify and select features you believe would be most beneficial to your fleet’s current requirements.
Sometimes, you will come across new features that do hold great potential for optimizing fleet management, but you may not have any need for some of the others. When you are not sure, it’s always best to start small and then go from there.
