US fleet tracking practices differs greatly from fleet tracking practices in other countries. The United States is a melting pot of cultures, customs and traditions. Some of the traditions or practices

we see in other countries seem strange to us, just as ours would seem strange to them. For example, In Greece when a child loses a tooth, it gets thrown on the roof for luck instead of here where the tooth gets tucked under the pillow where a fairy enters your home and trades it for money…okay maybe some of our traditions seems a little strange as well. While there are not a lot of traditions associated with fleet tracking, it is interesting to compare and contrast the practices in US fleet tracking and companies elsewhere around the world. Let’s look at three of those differences. 

US Fleet Tracking

Vehicles

In US fleets most service vehicles are four wheeled- primarily trucks and vans. In Europe and Asia over half of the registered business service vehicles are two wheeled- motorbikes fitted with large baskets or pull-along trailers carrying the goods.

Green Initiative

Since the mid-90’s “going green” has become more and more important in the US. Going green is not as important to developing countries, however in other 1st world locations such as the European union it is important. While cost reduction and increase of profits is usually the main reason US fleet tracking is utilized, a greener fleet is a nice secondary benefit.
Service

US Fleet tracking uses the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) network. This network incorporates a range of satellites that use microwave signals that are transmitted to GPS devices to give information on location, vehicle speed, time and direction. While GPS fleet tracking is relatively new, the core technology framework it is built upon has been a staple infrastructure in North America for quite some time and is reliable and used in all almost every corner of the United States and other parts of North America. (InTouch GPS has a few clients in Canada and some that operate back and forth between the American and Canadian border- while this is a small percentage we are proud to offer incredible service to these companies.) In other parts of the world, there is not an established infrastructure and to even consider having fleet tracking similar to the US fleet tracking set-up is an impossibility.
There are many other aspects contrasting US fleet tracking practices against those in other countries, however wanting to run a successful business can be considered a universal idea. To learn about how the US fleet tracking that InTouch GPS provides can specifically help your organization, contact us today.

Usually the blog posts InTouch GPS create are about the benefits of fleet tracking to the companies we serve, best practices in GPS fleet tracking, developments in technology or other fleet related news. Today, we are taking a small detour of the norm and writing about one of our employees, David Walloch.

Read below to learn more.

Biography

Across the country, people are enjoying relaxing after a long day, having fun with the kids or simply cooling off from the heat. According to the CDC 

• There are 10.4 million residential and 309,000 public swimming pools in the United States

  

• In the United States during 2009, there were approximately 301 million swimming visits each year by persons over the age of six

That’s a lot of pools!! Over 40 percent of those are professionally cleaned or maintained by a pool cleaning service. There is huge market for pool cleaning.

How GPS Vehicle Tracking Can Help Your Swimming Pool Cleaning Company

When you mention vehicle tracking

When many people think of fleet tracking they think of fleet vehicles -a legion of small white trucks ready to go out and service customers. While this is accurate, we define a fleet as any assemblage of vehicles that a company uses. Often pool companies have vans and trucks-usually wrapped with their logos. Read about many of the benefits that we offer to our current pool cleaning companies and what we can offer to you.

Pool Cleaning companies have two main service offerings

1) Maintaining and Cleaning

2) Emergency Repair of any Pool

Regardless of which service the company is being utilized for the benefits of GPS fleet tracking run the gamut for them all.

Improving Efficiency 

GPS Vehicle Tracking allows you to gain valuable data on driver behavior. An authorized user can pull historic reports as well as see real time activity and gather business intelligence.

• How long is a person at any respective job site?
• Is their an average time among your drivers?
• Are the going directly from jobsite to jobsite?
• What is an acceptable time in which someone can do the job efficiently?
• Are your drivers timecards an accurate representation of their work?

GPS fleet tracking gives you these answer and insights about so much more.

When a person knows that the boss has the ability to monitor their activities they are much more likely to be doing what they are supposed to be doing.

Speed Control 

As discussed many of the vehicles in pool companies are often branded. Ambassadors of your company as they drive through residential neighborhoods. Are they speeding?

Caustic chemicals and high speeds don’t mix…

You can use the system to see how fast people are going- of course safety is paramount, but the potential damage to your reputation of unsafe drivers is also a key factor in being able to tracking this (and many other) aspects of their driving. Not only can you easily pull a dashboard and see current and historic data, you can also choose to be sent real time alerts to immediately be able to correct the problem.

Idling Control

In climates with large pool communities it can often be blazing hot summers- are your drivers using vehicles for climate control? Are they keeping the vehicle on when they shouldn’t be. You can see how long a vehicle is idling to learn the answers to these questions and ultimately save money on fuel costs. We suggest having a driver policy meeting to set expectations about each of these events and what is authorized and what is not. Sometimes it may not seem like much- a few dollars saved here or there, but when you multiply it across the total

Customer Validation

Occasionally work is done when no one is home. If you receive a complaint that no one showed up or work wasn’t done you can verify or refute the accuracy of that statement through tracking. Many customers set up frequent recurring job sites as landmarks and send customers reports to show them the times they were there in advance. GPS Fleet Tracking allows you to verify exactly when the vehicle arrived at the site and when it left.

With these and many more benefits, pool cleaning companies have increased their bottom line and stay with us. If you would like to be the next pool company (or any service company) to start increasing ROI while reducing costs, contact us today for a quick no pressure 10 minute demo about what we can do for you.

It is hard to believe it is already the month of May. While some places like Orlando, Florida or San Diego, California have a never ending summer, for most of us, May is when we start making our summer plans. That includes vacations, what to do with the kids with school being out and if you are in the fleet business-how to prepare your fleet for the heat. Here is a valuable checklist of best practices that IntouchGPS recommends you follow to make sure that your fleet is ready for the summer.

I. Get Rid Of Winter’s Changes

In an earlier blog, we discussed best winterizing practices for your fleet. Now that Winter is over, the first step in getting ready for the new season is to revert back to your summer vehicle persona.

• For places with harsh winters remove snow chains from your tires or swap out from snow tires to summer tires if applicable.
• Conduct a thorough inspection of windshield wipers, (especially since with the heat often comes more rain.)
• Complete a full interior and exterior cleaning, including under the vehicle where salt and snow may have lodged from the roads.

II. Summer-ize Your Fleet 

Now that your vehicle no longer has winter’s remnants, let’s perform some basic maintenance. Here are some tips from the National Institute For Automotive Excellence:

• Air Conditioning

  A marginally operating system will fail in hot weather. Have the system examined by a qualified technician. Newer models have cabin air filters that clean the air entering the heating and air conditioning system. Check your owner’s manual for location and replacement interval

• Cooling System

  The greatest cause of summer breakdowns is overheating. The cooling system should be completely flushed and refilled about every 24 months. The level, condition, and concentration of the coolant should be checked periodically. (A 50/50 mix of antifreeze and water is usually recommended.) DIYers, never remove the radiator cap until the engine has thoroughly cooled! The tightness and condition of drive belts, clamps, and hoses should be checked by a pro.

• Oil

  Change your oil and oil filter as specified in your manual more often (every 3,000 miles) if you make frequent short jaunts, extended trips with lots of luggage, or tow a trailer.

• Engine Performance

  Replace other filters (air, fuel, PCV, etc.) as recommended more often in dusty conditions. Get engine drive-ability problems (hard starts, rough idling, stalling, diminished power, etc.) corrected at a good shop.

• Windshield Wipers

  A dirty windshield causes eye fatigue and can pose a safety hazard. Replace worn blades and get plenty of windshield washer solvent.

• Lights

  Inspect all lights and bulbs; replace burned out bulbs; periodically clean dirt and insects from all lenses. To prevent scratching, never use a dry rag.

• Tires

  Have your tires rotated about every 5,000 miles. Check tire pressures once a month; check them while they’re cold before driving for any distance. Don’t forget to check your spare as well and be sure the jack is in good condition. Examine tires for tread life, uneven wearing, and cupping; check the sidewalls for cuts and nicks. An alignment is warranted if there’s uneven tread wear or if your vehicle pulls to one side.

• Brakes

  Brakes should be inspected as recommended in your manual, or sooner if you notice pulsations, grabbing, noises, or longer stopping distance. Minor brake problems should be corrected promptly.

• Battery

  Batteries can fail any time of year. The only accurate way to detect a weak battery is with professional equipment. Routine care: Scrape away corrosion from posts and cable connections; clean all surfaces; re-tighten all connections. If battery caps are removable, check the fluid level monthly.Avoid contact with corrosive deposits and battery acid. Wear eye protection and rubber gloves.

Driver Policy Meeting

The last part of getting ready for the summer has to do with your fleet drivers. Make clear your expectations on what is allowed in regards to the heat and your driver. Are they allowed to use the vehicle for climate control and keep it on between jobs or while on break? IntouchGPS has made driver policy templates that may help you define and annotate your policies to the drivers. If interested in getting a FREE driver policy meeting template, simply call us and we would be more than happy to send you one.

Even without requiring a contract we have thousands of clients across the US who utilize our GPS fleet tracking products and services year over year. To discover the benefits of GPS fleet tracking that many others are taking advantage of, please contact us today to schedule a no pressure demo of our system.

GPS Fleet Tracking

GPS Fleet Tracking solves many problems that business owners and fleet managers face. In our experience, every company has a unique challenge that they are looking to solve, a particular piece of data that want or just to become more efficient in their fleet management overall. The two reason companies utilize and continue to use GPS fleet tracking is that is proves itself over and over again. GPS Fleet tracking reduces costs and increases profits. While there are a myriad of benefits, there are three that we see most often.  These are lower fuel costs, an increase in productivity and an increase in safety.

Lower Fuel Costs

• Fuel cost is one issue that never can be completely solved as long as we continue to rely on gasoline and oil to power our vehicles. However GPS fleet tracking can help mitigate the costs through many different ways. Now that an authorized user has the ability to monitor certain vehicle variables and driver behavior they can keep track of actions which use fuel. Some of the things the user can monitor include A) speeding B) times used C) route and dispatch control and D) idling.

1. A) You can set speed limits and be notified through text, email or automated reporting in real time when a speeding event occurs. You can create a speeding policy and allow the report to help gauge if drivers are following the policy or not.
2. B) You can set operating hours for any vehicle and alos be notified through text, email or automated report if that vehicle is being used outside of authorized times. This prevents moonlighting and fuel being used for purposes other than your business. We have also seen these alerts help companies lessen the severity of theft since you are able to track when and where a vehicle is and be notified immediately if it is being used when it is not supposed to be.
3. C) Find the nearest available vehicle to a call and dispatch them by being able to monitor in real time their position. You can also send routes to drivers or help lost drivers with the most direct and efficient route possible.
4. D) Idling, especially used as climate control can not only burn fuel quickly but also harm your vehicle mechanically.  GPS Fleet tracking allows you to monitor idling per vehicle and determine if the reports seem excessive or not.

Increase Driver Productivity

When the cat is away the mouse will play. This adage is just a metaphor for typical human behavior. Even people who aren’t doing anything “wrong” often up the ante when the boss is around or they know they can be monitored at any given time. The driver’s also are now accountable for every minute of their day so there is no lollygagging or forays into places and events they are not supposed to be. With the aforementioned increase routing and dispatch through GPS fleet tracking there is also far less unnecessary windshield time and more time for clients and jobs.

Increase Driver Safety

A rushed job is often a poor job and can be a dangerous job. Your driver just got lost and is now rushing to get to the customer on time. The routing and dispatch from the GPS tracking give them the best route and allow someone to lotify the customer when they can expect the driver there. ( if it is business model to do so) Less speed, less danger. Less time on rode overall, less danger. Also if a driver ever needs assistance the dispatch knows they last reported and able to send help immediately.

These are just three of the many benefits of GPS fleet tracking.  Learn more about why so many people trust InTouchGPS to help solve their challenges.

What Does Fleet Tracking Have To Do With Social Responsibility?

Actually, a lot.

Going green, a practice where companies do their best to reduce their environmental impact, is only a part of “the social contract”. In today’s world people expect businesses to operate a certain way. GPS Fleet tracking from InTouchGPS can help ANY company be more environmentally ethical and at the same time, reducing expenses. It is a Win-Win for all parties.

Here are three of the ways GPS fleet tracking can help:

Reduce Fuel Usage

While no tool can completely eradicate fuel usage, GPS fleet tracking ensures that you are aware if a vehicle is being driven in a way that is not in line with your idea of best practices.  Excessive speeding, long term idling and unnecessary miles through inefficent route planning should all be things of the past. Less fuel being burnt is better for the environment, but think about how many gallons saved multiplied by how many vehicles you have, the savings really start to add up.

Customer Appeal

“Is this organic, locally sourced, GMO free?” – This is a real question I heard from a fellow customer at the grocery store to a clerk. In today’s age the customer has a lot of options in almost every purchase so they can be much more discerning. There are people that want to work with companies that care about the environment and their community. Merely acknowledging you utilize GPS fleet tracking can be the difference between a customer choosing you or your competition.

Reduction of Maintenance

The GPS Fleet tracking tool from INTouchGPS allows companies to schedule maintenance tasks and to see the status of these tasks. Keeping a close eye on when something is due and following that regimen means there should be much less unexpected maintenance costs. You can also do manpower and vehicle planning by forecasting when a vehicle is going to be out and how long.

Discover how GPS fleet tracking can benefit both you and the customers that you have and want to have, today.

The Ides of March-

Unless you are a Roman Emperor, this date may not mean much to you. However, now that clocks are forward, spring break is here and across most of the nation snow is melting and we are seeing our grass again, many lawn service companies are smiling. Time to get back to work.

InTouch GPS works with lawn service companies across the nation. Every company is unique in how they work, but typically as lawn service company grows, many vehicles and teams are dispatched at once. Jobs are all different because all lawns are a little different. This team is servicing a school, this team an entire golf course, this team just a quick home. Managing and dispatching multiple teams can be a challenge. That’s where GPS fleet tracking can come in and have a huge benefit.

3 Benefits of Fleet Tracking To The Lawn Service Industry

While there are numerous benefits of fleet tracking, there are two that are particularly strong to the lawn service industry.

1)Reporting- Timecards

You trust your person on the street to give accurate times about how long a job took. Timecards allow you to validate that time reported is true time at location. With experience you should be able to estimate how long a job may take. You can look at timecards and know that a vehicle didn’t take enough time at a particular location or that they took too much at a different one. While ensuring customer expectations are met, you also make sure that you are paying only for true time worked.

2)Route Replays

Where did your team go? What route did they take? Using route replays allows you to see where the various jobs were and to make sure that the dispatch and routing were as efficient as possible.

Proof of Service

Ever get that customer call saying “Your driver wasn’t here?” In hand with reporting above you can give accurate times of service to the client. We have a few customers hat proactively send these times in the monthly billing to show how monitored their teams are.

There are many other cost saving benefits to GPS fleet tracking for the lawn service industry. Dominate your competition through the help of our GPS fleet tracking.

To learn more about what InTouchGPS can do for you, please fill out the contact form to the right or call us at 1-800-746-5170.