September 24, 2021

Solution for Truck Driver Shortage

Solution for Truck Driver Shortage -18-21 Year Olds Driving Heavy Trucks

In recent years several ideas have been discussed to encourage more people to become Over The Road (OTR) truck drivers. Raising pay. Increasing mileage rates. Scheduling more time at home. But despite these efforts to broaden the labor pool, there remains a significant shortage of drivers, some 160,000 according to consulting firm Deloitte. The latest strategy is to allow 18-21 year olds to drive heavy trucks across state lines.

Current Truck Driver Laws

According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, “A person must be at least 21 years old to drive a CMV in interstate commerce.” There is a precedent for younger drivers though, in the military. The Military Commercial Driver Pilot Program allows drivers as young as 18 to drive in long-haul trucking. But civilian truck driving is now limited to those 21-plus.

Size of the US Trucking Industry

Driving a truck is the largest source of employment in 29 states of the United States. There are some 7.7 million people employed in the trucking industry, which includes 3.5 million drivers. Heavy and tractor-trailer drivers number around 1.7 million.

Over the years efforts have been made to pass national legislation which would legalize truck drivers under the age of 21, the current starting age for drivers in interstate commerce. 49 states and the District of Columbia allow 18-year-olds to obtain CDL (Commercial Driver’s License), but they cannot drive across state lines.

New Law to Allow Younger Fleet Truck Drivers

This summer a new law has been proposed to allow younger fleet truck drivers. In the Senate – the Developing Responsible Individuals for a Vibrant Economy, or DRIVE-Safe Act – has had some success. The DRIVE-Safe Act provisions are included in the current Senate infrastructure bill – the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act – despite reported criticism.

Sponsored by Indiana Senator Todd Young (R-Indiana) and Jon Tester (D-Montana) in March 2021, the “DRIVE Safe Act” requests that “… the Secretary of Transportation to promulgate regulations relating to commercial motor vehicle drivers under the age of 21, and for other purposes.”

The bill has had additional support from U.S. Senators Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), Jim Inhofe (R-Oklahoma), Angus King (I-Maine), Joe Manchin (D-West Virginia), Jerry Moran (R-Kansas), and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Arizona.) U.S. Representative Trey Hollingsworth (R-Indiana) has introduced a companion bill in the House.
 
“DRIVE-Safe creates more career opportunities for hard-working Hoosiers to get involved in a growing, 21st century economy workforce,” said Rep. Hollingsworth in a press release. “This bill also breaks down barriers for small businesses who want to grow and hire qualified employees.”

“Today, 18-year-olds can drive more than 200 miles from New Albany to Gary and back, but they aren’t allowed to drive two miles from New Albany to Louisville,” says Senator Young. “The DRIVE-Safe Act will eliminate this ridiculous regulation and in doing so address the driver shortage while providing new career opportunities for young Hoosiers.”

New Driver Apprentice Program Proposed

The bill also requires that an apprenticeship program of 120 hours of instruction be established by trucking companies to train 18-21 year olds as heavy truck drivers. An additional 280 probationary period supervises the new drivers while on the road. The bill forbids any under-21 year old from driving a truck across state lines unless in an apprenticeship program.

“After completing the 120-hour probationary period under paragraph (1), an apprentice shall complete 280 hours of on-duty time, of which not fewer than 160 hours shall be driving time in a commercial motor vehicle.” The apprentice must be accompanied in the cab of the commercial motor vehicle by an experienced driver.
During the training benchmarks would be established for the young drivers requiring “Interstate, city traffic, rural 2-lane, and evening driving”. The Act also requires that, “… all commercial motor vehicles used in the program for training to be equipped with safety technology such as active braking collision mitigation systems and video event capturing systems.”

Referring to a previous House bill, American Trucking Associations President Chris Spear told Transport Topics, “This is a common-sense proposal that will open enormous opportunities for the 18- to 21 year-old population, giving them access to a high-paying profession free of the debt burden that comes with a four-year degree,” he said. “Moreover, this bill would strengthen training programs beyond current requirements to ensure safety and that drivers are best prepared.”

“The industry is vital to our everyday life, but driver shortages threaten its future,” says Senator King. “The DRIVE Safe Act addresses these challenges by creating an apprenticeship program that works across state lines, enhances the skills of our workforce, and helps train the next generation of safe drivers.”

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration created a similar program in 2016 that has been slowed down by bureaucratic delays. The plan proposes a test program of a few hundred young drivers. They would be accompanied by trainers and monitored by video telematics and GPS tracking.

Do Younger Fleet Truck Drivers Have the Maturity to Drive Safely?

Robert L. Sumwalt, chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board, believes that the design of the program is flawed, “The NTSB does not believe that allowing an age group of drivers who are consistently overrepresented in crash involvement and who might not yet have the cognitive maturity to safely operate commercial vehicles on the interstate is the right solution to these problems.”

4 Reasons Why Allowing 18-21 Year Olds To Drive Heavy Trucks Is Beneficial

1) With the on-going serious shortage of truck drivers in the United States, allowing 18-21 year olds to drive heavy trucks across state lines would help.

2) Young drivers are easily trained in today’s modern trucks with new technology here and on the way.

3) The average trucker in America is 42-45 years old. Retirements are hurting the trucking industry’s ability to move goods across the country. Younger truck drivers can easily be hired to replace the retirees.

4) According to a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration study male drivers from age 16-20 have a lower fatal accident rate than drivers from 21-24.

4 Reasons Why Allowing 18-21 Year Olds To Drive Heavy Trucks Is Not Beneficial

1.   Insurance rates are already high for 18-21 year olds who drive cars. Allowing them to  
    drive heavy truck could possibly increase insurance rates for trucking companies  
    employing them.

2.   The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reports  
     18-20 year olds have a 2.3 times higher incidence of  
     fatal crashes. A 1998 Georgia study found the  
     accident rate to be twice as high as drivers older than
     24.

3.  Mental and emotional immaturity can interfere with  
    the discipline needed for the complex job of driving a  
    heavy truck for long hours.

4. Can a generation weaned on the near-constant exposure
   to mobile phones, Instagram, and video games maintain
   the attention needed in truck driving?

Comments from Reddit truck drivers regarding 18-21 year olds driving heavy trucks vary:

“This isn’t going to solve the driver shortage. Even if you do find 18-year-olds who are perfectly capable of doing this work (and they do exist) they’re not going to want to do it because of the regulations. And besides that, most of these folks are more interested in socializing and getting laid than they are at driving a truck, even if it appeals to them. You can legalize it to hell and back, but it isn’t gonna change a thing.”

“The company I work for trains and hires “kids” to drive their tomato trucks. … We haul tomatoes from the fields to the plant, we drop and hook about 12 trailers in a 12-16 hour shift and 90% of these young drivers (18-25) don’t do any inspection on the trailers before pulling 85k-90k pounds down back country roads. It’s to the point that I don’t even wanna finish the season (1-2 more months) because somebody is going to get killed, passing you on the right shoulder, trying to drift loaded doubles around corners, doing donuts in the fields, 45-50 MPH down curvy washboard dirt roads…”

With all of the disagreements over what is in the 2,700-page Biden infrastructure bill, the DRIVE-Safe Act may not have a chance. It is all up to Congress.

SOURCES:
www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/federal-pilot-program-would-open-long-distance-trucking-to-18-year-olds/
www.caranddriver.com/news/a37543951/congress-considers-teen-long-haul-truckers/
Senate Bill 659 -www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/659
www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/federal-pilot-program-would-open-long-distance-trucking-to-18-year-olds/
www.caranddriver.com/news/a37543951/congress-considers-teen-long-haul-truckers/

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Joe KinneyFleet
Military technology in the home
October 5, 2018

4 Military Inventions You Probably Have in Your Home

Functionality is a key attribute in the items we use in our daily lives, and what better resource to obtain highly functional items than from the military? While you may not see many tanks on local roads, there are many items we use on a regular basis that have military origins. Here are 4 household objects civilians acquired from standard military equipment.

Duct Tape

Duct tape was invented in 1942 by a concerned mother named Vesta Stoudt, whose two sons served in the United States Navy during World War II. Originally invented as a low cost, durable way to prevent moisture from entering ammunition cases, Duct tape had the double advantage of being easy to grab and tear open when soldiers were under duress. The old tape soldiers used was paper-thin and flimsy, causing the tabs to tear when soldiers frantically attempted to open the ammo boxes in battle. When her original idea stalled at the upper levels of the military factory in which she worked, Stoudt proceeded to do what any concerned mother would do: she wrote a letter directly to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt outlining her idea. Several weeks later, her invention was in production. Soon soldiers in the field had access to duct tape, and being the clever humans they were, began using this fantastic new substance for other minor equipment repairs as well as water-proofing their ammo. Today we’ve adopted this technology, and use it far beyond its original purpose. Need a way to repair a broken pipe? Try duct tape. Brake light out and waiting for a fix? Try red duct tape (temporarily, of course).

Microwave Ovens

Like many articles of human convenience, microwave ovens were invented by accident. In 1939, the U.S. government contracted a company called Raytheon to produce combat radar equipment for the military. One day, an employee of the company named Percy Spencer was working with an active radar set when he noticed that a candy bar he had in his pocket had melted. Interested, and quite possibly a little hungry, Spencer and his colleagues began to experiment with these ‘micro-waves’, heating up different food items and noting the effectiveness these waves had on cooking. And, as things are wont to do, experimentation stalled when an egg exploded in his colleague’s face, but Spencer did not give up. Raytheon filed a patent for this technology in October 1945, but microwave ovens as we know them today were not commonly used until about 1967. In the modern world, microwaves can be found in most homes and businesses, making popped popcorn possible whenever your heart desires. Thank the military for our access to quickly-heated instant food.

Internet

If you are reading this article, you can thank a teacher AND the internet. Originally dubbed the ‘Advanced Research Projects Agency Network’ or ARPANET, this network was developed during the Cold War to bring computing to the front lines, metaphorically speaking. The problem was, ARPANET was not mobile. Yes, it could transfer info between equally large and immobile computers, but it needed a network that could talk to another network deep in the heart of enemy territory. In 1974, two ARPANET researchers developed a universal rule book that set how computers should communicate, which supplied strict regulations to reliably transmit data, but was flexible enough to cover all different forms of data being sent. The network also had to be future-proof, allowing it to adapt and change as needed and as technology improved. In 1976, researchers successfully stitched two different networks together, and got them communicating. In 1977, they added a third. The internet as we know it today was born in 1989 after decades of work by some of the smartest minds in the world. This code lets humans interact with one another across the globe, transmitting ideas and experiences to other equally curious minds. The internet is designed to go anywhere the military goes, so when you are stuck in the middle of nowhere and need directions to the nearest gas station, thank the forward thinking of the military for your ability to look it up.

GPS

Humans have been navigating the globe for centuries, using the stars and sky as their guide. However, in the last 100 years, knowing exactly where you are has gotten a lot easier. GPS technology originated as a frequency-hopping system designed to hide Allied torpedoes from Nazi detectors. Invented by Hollywood beauty icon Hedy Lamarr, who donated her frequency system to the war effort, the navy didn’t actually use this predecessor to GPS until the 1960s. During this time, technicians experimented with the Doppler Effect, and were able to precisely locate satellites in space, thus beginning the development of this technology in the reverse: to use satellites as a means of locating exactly where you are on Earth.

In 1989, the first official GPS satellite was launched into space under the guidance of Navy engineer Roger Easton. That same year, after a passenger plane was destroyed for accidentally drifting into unauthorized airspace, President Ronald Reagan decreed that access to this technology was no longer fully classified. In fact, civilians could use GPS units with precision of up to 100 meters all around the world to prevent a tragedy like this from every happening again.

Today we have access to the full spectrum of GPS technology, and its applications are as variable as the humans who use it. Still at work in military operations, GPS tech is also used by business to track fleets, by search and rescue teams to assist in emergency circumstances, and as a tool for outdoorsy folks to find their way through the wilds. Thanks to the focus and efforts of our military, the only way we will lose our way is if we forget to bring our oh-so-useful GPS.

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Joe KinneyFleet
How to stay relevant as the internet of things grows.
September 28, 2018

Keeping Your Fleet Business Relevant in the IoT Age

In the age of the Internet of Things (IoT), we live in a world where many of our devices are smarter than we are. You can turn off your house lights from miles away with the right phone, your watch can tell you how many steps you’ve walked today, and your Google Home Assistant can help you set up appointments. As the world grows increasingly connected, businesses must learn to adapt or else vanish into the dreaded abyss of irrelevance. Here are six ways you can keep your fleet management business relevant in the modern age of connectivity.

Car Sharing

Rideshare companies equip their vehicles with GPS tracking technology and specialized equipment that allows them to pick up and drop off their rented car at a variety of locations around a city, giving others access to available cars as needed. Look for ways your fleet management company can keep this community spirit alive by, say, allowing companies to share space in a delivery truck heading to the same area by booking space options on a space-sharing app. Or, if you transport passengers, apps are an easy and convenient way for customers to book seats in your vehicles for their travels. Customers want the most convenient and beneficial option available and apps make accessing these options easier than ever before.

Smart Roads and Traffic Control

Norway’s Road Authority is working on a smart road that can tell drivers exactly how much traffic is passing through–and precisely what the road conditions are–by using vibration detection wires and computer algorithms that analyze the piles of data collected. Business access to this technology, alongside coordination with GPS tracking units, would allow companies to optimize routes and limit the amount of time drivers spend moving from location to location.

Smart Parking

This hit new service is working toward becoming the next big thing in joint transportation. Using Internet of Things apps and technologies, your drivers can find and reserve parking spaces close to their delivery locations, saving their time and your money! Not to mention making the stress of finding parking mid-city during rush hour obsolete.

Electronic Toll Collection Systems

Electronic Toll Collection Systems aim to eliminate delays and congestion around toll booths and bridges by allowing drivers to pay tolls via a connected IoT device in their vehicle. Now drivers can save time and gas by maintaining their course without having to worry about stopping and paying tolls manually. This also streamlines the validation process by monitoring financial data on a computer system rather than relying on employees to track payments manually.

Fleet Management

IoT technology, like that used in GPS vehicle tracking units, continuously monitors the location and conditions of delivery and can send alerts regarding delays, damages, and the safety of sent products. With real-time data, companies can keep better track of delivery locations, providing customers with the most up-to-date information possible to increase customer satisfaction.

Safety and Roadside Assistance

Nobody wants their employees to suffer damage on the job, but accidents are bound to happen no matter how many trainings you offer. With IoT technology, your business can monitor the location and condition of each of your vehicles, no matter where they are, allowing you to quickly send assistance if an accident occurs. Other IoT technologies can monitor vehicle maintenance, informing your company when certain parts need to be replaced, and other routine maintenance needs to be done. This lowers the risk of catastrophic mechanical failure while in transit.

With a network of devices collecting and organizing your data, your business will keep up with the modern turning of technology. As the world grows more and more connected, data sharing becomes necessary to increase profitability and maximize customer satisfaction. For a business to truly flourish, you must focus on the luxury of total convenience to make your company stand out from the competition.

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Joe KinneyFleet
Protect your investments with GPS tracking software.
September 21, 2018

How Your GPS Can Protect Your Investments

GPS technology has changed the security of fleet management in the transportation industry. Fleets are now equipped with GPS anti-theft features such as location tracking and real-time unauthorized use alerts, providing better access to physical security measures. But as the world grows more connected, a new enemy of streamlined business emerges the hacker. Here are a few ways your GPS tracking software can protect your investments, and keep your business, and data, safe from modern hackers.

Try the New “Over-The-Air” Programming Method

The “over-the-air” system of security updates is specifically designed for smart vehicles. This system allows fleets to push updates remotely rather than forcing vehicles to stop at a central hub to receive them manually. Imagine the time saved and earning potential of a fleet that updates on the job. With your GPS unit working constantly to deliver you the most up-to-date information available, OTA programming can take over the responsibility of security updating.

Involve your GPS in Your Incident Response Plan

Allow your telematic technology to track the who, what, and when of vehicle and equipment usage. If there are any unauthorized individuals attempting to access your vehicles or equipment, your GPS can alert your fleet managers and any other personnel designated to receive alerts.

Real-Time Coverage and Data Monitoring

A GPS unit is more than a device you use to get lost in the country. It’s easy to set-up, 24/7 coverage of your fleet with driving reports, custom alerts, and data history built right in. The amount of data collected makes your GPS both vulnerable and protected all at once. Massive amounts of unmonitored data can be hacked and used for personal gain, but this invasion also leaves traces in the data whenever non-authorized personnel gains access. Hackers leave digital fingerprints, causing issues in equipment function. In the transportation industry, telematics software is used so regularly that any hiccup in GPS software can be scrutinized immediately and compared with prior data, highlighting differences that could indicate malicious interference.

Use a Strong Firewall to Prevent Data Tampering

As tempting as it may be to the technologically savvy, resist modifying your GPS vehicle tracking software. Modifying manufactured software leaves your device vulnerable to digital hackers, but if you are looking to upgrade your business’ digital security, consider implementing a firewall. Anti-virus protects your devices and computers, keeping your data safe from cyber threats. These will monitor the computer’s health and function to let you know if there are any threats to your system. Be smart with your data by giving it the protection it needs to remain private in a world that is increasingly public.

A last word of warning: protecting your fleet and vehicles is very important for your business’ reputation, but don’t allow physical safety to distract your business from digital theft. Insurance may cover vehicles and products stolen by a savvy car thief, but a digital attack by a cunning hacker allows private, and potentially dangerous, information out into the black market of information brokering.

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Joe KinneyFleet
GPS Tracking for Emergency Response
September 3, 2018

From Rescue to Recovery: GPS Tracking in Emergency Response

In today’s world, location technology has made modern conveniences much easier to access. Not only can we order food on our phone and have it arrive within minutes, but we can track shipments down to the very second they arrive at our door. But did you know that GPS units are also used to facilitate recovery during emergency disaster situations? The following are a few ways GPS tracking devices help bring life back to normal in extreme circumstances.

Communication For Collaboration

When disaster strikes, it may seem like life will never revert to normal. But with access to GPS Tracking data, emergency response vehicles can optimize their time by collaborating with other recovery vehicles and sharing necessary details such as road conditions, needed supplies, and the best routes to access recovery zones. This collaboration can also occur between fleets from different clean-up companies. Some cities offer multiple sanitation collection companies for customers to choose from and, if these fleets worked together to accelerate the clean-up process by assigning zones rather than sticking to their assigned houses, they could expedite the recovery process substantially. This same method could apply to tree-cutting fleets and heavy construction equipment companies used to move debris. Through this collaboration via GPS data, fleets can more efficiently and effectively return life to some semblance of normal.

Locating Needed Services

Access to necessary services can be scarce during an emergency situation. Access to health care, food, water, shelter, and even power grids can be compromised. With GPS systems mapping the locations of these resources, victims of disaster can contact their local law enforcement agencies and get the information they need to outlast the tumultuous recovery process. Tracking healthcare fleets can be extremely advantageous, as crews can map ideal routes for multiple stops in a small area. Not only that, but with collected GPS data, emergency services are also able to better handle distribution of supplies, helping drivers deliver goods to where they are needed the most.

Variable Situations: Nature and Coordinated Attacks

Disasters don’t have to be natural to be dangerous. During the tragic bombing of the Boston Marathon in April 2015, companies were able to locate their vehicles closest to the damaged zone and safely move them away from the affected area, providing more space for emergency aid workers to function. This of course preserved the driver’s safety by sending them away from any potential fallout that might occur due to the nature of the disaster. Emergency crews themselves were able to utilize their fleets effectively by managing the various vehicles and their locations, only sending them in once areas had been cleared of potential hazards. With confusion as one of the most dangerous and detrimental setbacks to rescue and recovery, it can be helpful for rescue crews to have consistent GPS data throughout the recovery process.

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Joe KinneyFleet
How Fleet Managers are Embracing Sustainability
August 23, 2018

How Fleet Managers are Embracing Sustainability

Of all the items fleet managers have on their proverbial plates, preserving the habitats of the bald eagle should be one of the top ten. Why? Because concern for the eagles can save your company tens of thousands of dollars (besides, they’re just neat). While your fleet will not be directly involved in any particular eagle’s life, the actions you take as an environmentally-sensible inhabitant of this planet will not only help preserve their diminishing habitats, but also usher your fleet business into the modern age of sustainability.

Data-Based Decisions

Not sure where to start? GPS trackers can help you determine which methods of ‘greening’ are right for you and your company. Tracking data allows you to focus on the needs of the business without being distracted by short-term technological trends. This data can help you create short and long term goals for your company’s sustainability measures, and assist your creation of a sustainability action plan. Your long-term goal may be determining an acceptable length of payback time for the adoption of new types of fuel and green technologies, while your short-term goals could be as simple as lowering CO2 emissions and educating your drivers on the importance of careful driving.

Getting Everyone on Board

While you may have the ultimate power to make greener changes to your company, try to get your employees involved too by forming a green partnership that promotes gentle driving. That means slowing acceleration and braking, turning the engine off at opportune moments instead of idling, and maintaining awareness of the vehicle’s mechanical health. Bring them into the discussion! Speak with your drivers and talk about what works and what doesn’t, and ask them for suggestions on your company’s sustainability plan.

Cutting Costs

Did you know that choosing a hybrid or electric vehicle could save you over $10,000 in fuel and maintenance costs in just 4 to 5 years? The more time your fleet spends on the road and out of the shop, the more money you can make. With GPS tracking software, you can keep your trucks up to date on repairs and smoothly transition them in and out of commission. Not just that, but your telematics equipment may prove a valuable resource for government credits and incentives for companies that choose the greener option. Inquire with your local and federal governments as to how they are helping companies that promote sustainability.

Is your business ready to take the leap into sustainable fleet management? If so, you can expect to enjoy the benefits of lower fuel costs, improved operational efficiency, and maybe even a few government incentives. Consider taking a few steps to green your fleet this coming year…the eagles—and your bank account—will thank you!

Want to learn more about how GPS fleet software can help you green your fleet? Schedule your free fleet demo!

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Joe KinneyFleet
What can GPS tracking do for trucking companies?
July 10, 2018

10 Benefits of GPS Fleet Tracking for Trucking

Building and managing a successful trucking company is no mean feat, especially in today’s competitive market. Truck fleet management is made all the more difficult by the mobile nature of its most essential assets–the trucks themselves. Not knowing where your trucks and drivers are at all times can make fleet optimization, cargo coordination, and fuel cost minimization a living nightmare.

To save themselves the headache of a poorly-managed trucking company, many fleet managers have turned to GPS tracking systems to keep their vehicles visible and productive. The following are just a few of the benefits they are experiencing:

More Hours in the Day

In the transportation business, the saying “time is money” rings as true as it ever has. With a GPS tracking system, fleet managers can identify potential traffic hold-ups and reroute accordingly, reducing time spent in traffic jams.

Better Data

A good GPS fleet tracking system will deliver detailed reports that fleet-owning businesses can use to make data-based decisions for their operation.

Safer Drivers

Fleet managers who monitor their drivers’ behavior through GPS tracking software get valuable insight into the day-to-day activities of those drivers. This information can be used to improve driver training methods, reward safe drivers, and correct undesirable driving behaviors.

Efficient Organizing

GPS-enhanced workforce management gives fleet managers and dispatchers the ability to make informed decisions as needed to optimize their staff’s workday.

Lower Operation Cost

Using a GPS tracking system in conjunction with fleet management best practices gives fleet managers the insight they need to identify areas of excessive spend and cut costs in the right places.

Less Downtime

While some downtime is inevitable in most operations, too much can have disastrous consequences for a fleet’s productivity and profitability. GPS vehicle tracking works to reduce downtime by helping fleet managers and dispatchers optimize their routes, stops, and schedules.

Lower Payroll Cost

Driver and PTO event data can be used to verify timecards, discouraging time theft and keeping payroll costs down.

Better Insurance Rates

Some insurance providers will offer discounted rates for fleet-owning businesses that use GPS fleet tracking to keep an eye on their vehicles.

Improved Customer Service

GPS fleet tracking enables truck fleets to respond to and fulfill assignments with increased efficiency and punctuality, keeping customers and partners satisfied.

Theft Protection

An unsupervised truck is a tempting target for thieves and vandals. With GPS vehicle tracking, trucks are protected with unauthorized use and movement alerts.

Ready to experience some of these benefits for yourself? Give us a call at 800-881-6343 or schedule a demo today!.

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Joe KinneyFleet
gps fleet tracking
December 12, 2016

GPS Fleet Tracking – More Relevant Than Ever

GPS Fleet Tracking is no longer something that business owners and managers are unaware of. It is tool that has become the industry standard, not the outlier. This is great because it provides a safer environment for all of us. The decision is now which GPS fleet tracking company is best for your business? InTouch works with thousands of companies throughout the United States in many different verticals.  Let’s look at 3 reasons why so many companies have chosen us and stick with us.

Three Reasons Companies Choose InTouch GPS as their GPS Fleet Tracking Provider

1) No Contracts….Ever

We believe in a simple philosophy- if they are happy and seeing ROI the customer will stay. We have one of the highest year over year retention rates in the industry, all without a contract. We don’t want to hold someone accountable for something they aren’t making use of or especially keep them giving us money, simply because a sheet of paper tells them they have to. We want our customers to be ecstatic and realize our worth and value and feel like a priority. You are never a number on a list to us- we take your company’s business personally. A secondary reason to never have contracts is that fleet sizes are often in constant flux. Whether it is seasonal, mechanical, business case or some other reason i you aren’t using something you shouldn’t have to continue to be paying for it. Just call us and let us know and we can pause and or unpause any device as necessary.

2) Affordable

We offer top of the line devices and an in-house custom built application. We have been in business for many years and with the sheer volume of customers and products we work with we have negotiated special rates between us and our suppliers and pass those savings onto you. We believe in the value of a long relationship, both professionally and financially and would rather have a low margin over many years than a one time big hit. We now offer FREE hardware and a low monthly cost of $23.95 in most situations. There ae no hidden data fees or user subscription restrictions per account or anything else complicated. One easy, affordable price.

3) We are Fanatical About Customer Service

We have a dedicated onboarding team and library. They will test devices remotely to make sure everything was installed correctly, train you on best practices and ALWAYS be there if you have a question about our application. No matter whether you have one device with us or thousands you are treated equally and we do everything in our power to make your fleet tracking experience an incredible one.

To discover what fleet tracking can do for your company, contact us today with any question or to schedule a no pressure demonstration of our system.

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Joe KinneyFleet
Truck tracking
November 17, 2016

Truck Tracking From InTouch GPS

Trucking has had an important impact on society- economically and politically.

Trucks were first used extensively by the military during World War I. With the increased construction of paved roads, trucking began to achieve significant foothold in the 1930s. During the late 1950s and 1960s, trucking was accelerated by the construction of the Interstate Highway System, but it was in the 60’s and 70’s that pop culture brought the trucking industry to the forefront of America. Trucking has come to dominate the freight industry and is as important, (if not more) as ever.

InTouch GPS understands the rigors involved in truck tracking. Whether it is short haul, long haul, local, Over The Road, or cross national we have the right solution to help you become more efficient in managing the fleet and reducing costs and increasing profits. Whether it is one old reliable pick-up truck or a crew of million dollar rigs- the benefits can be quickly realized.  The supply chain and logistics necessary to run a large fleet is complex, but smaller organizations have their own specific issues as well. GPS truck tracking from InTouch GPS provides an affordable, easy to use solution for any size fleet in every kind of business niche. Here are some of the challenges that truck tracking can help reduce and/or solve.

Truck Tracking Challenges

  • Fuel Usage- Anytime that windshield time is a major factor of your business, so is fuel usage. Use GPS fleet tracking to eliminate excess fuel consumption by monitoring speeding through automated real time alerts and  route optimization.
  • Long hours- with NTSB regulations being strictly enforced, time management is crucial. While we don’t do EOBR , we do offer Ifta reports that can be a good baseline to let you know how to manage a driver or vehicle.
  • Efficient Management- Managing your fleet becomes much easier with the use of numerous detailed reports, playbacks, dashboards and automated alerts. Set it and forget it.
    Maximize vehicle utilization – Eliminate unnecessary idle time and vehicle misuse to get the most from your fleet.
  • Lot of Moving Parts  Geographically-Separate your groups by role, territory, manager or some other aspect that differentiates one from another. Create very specific user authorizations and permission levels.

Contact us to get any questions you have answered about truck tracking or to schedule a no-pressure quick demo of our system in action.

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Joe KinneyFleet
GPS fleet tracking for the construction industry
November 3, 2016

3 Ways GPS Fleet Tracking Helps The Construction Industry

The housing market seems to have recovered and new construction for new homes and commercial properties is on the rise. Add to that we are starting October with a Category 5 brewing in the Atlantic and a (hopefully inaccurate) forecast of a busy hurricane season in front of us.  So if you are in the construction industry, there will be an even greater need for efficiency responmding to any damage and making repairs as needed as well as maintaining the workload for existing and upcoming projects.  This is where GPS fleet tracking with InTouchGPS comes in. We offer affordable product and service that help construction companies increase profits and reduce costs in a myriad of ways.

Here are three:

Scalable Fleet Tracking

How large is a project? How many fleet vehicles will be needed to address those needs. Accurate reporting and historica and real time data allows you to make better business decisions. With increased business intelligence and route and job behavior, you can make forecasts and predictions about your needs. We never require contracts so if you need to scale up for a project and then back down- we will always be the exact right size for your needs.

Cost

Some areas of the country are already starting to feel freezing temperatures. Is your vehicle being used as climate control according to your policy? How about fuel usage- the greatest cost besides the cost of vehicles themselves of your fleet? While no one can eliminate fuel costs completely, we can make sure that you can determine patterns by vehicle or driver in regards to idling and speed control. You can receive real time alerts if idling is over a certain time you determine as well as receive reports at the frequenecy you determine showing total idle times. The same hold true for speeding- who is speeding, where are they speeding, patterns of behavior documented through reports or in real time through alerts.

 

Increase Safety

Our GPS fleet tracking offers reports and dashboards that allow you to have full situational awareness of any vehicle you are tracking. This not only includes their speed, but hard braking, hard accelaration and other customizable items on a scorecard. Moreso than this is the fact that drivers simply perform more to their leadership’s expectations when they know they are being monitored. This allows for a safer company all-around.

These are just three of the many ways GPS fleet tracking can help a construction company. We work with almost all types of companies across the United States and help them become more efficient. To learn what we can do for you specifically, contact us today so we can schedule a quick no pressure demonstration of our system or just to answer any questions you may have.

 

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Joe KinneyFleet
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