Fleet tracking offers many benefits to the drivers. (The one we hear about most often is that drivers are not having their routines or days interrupted by numerous phone calls asking ETA’s for customers that called in.) With the integration of GPS Fleet tracking, many companies have increased profit and reduced costs so much that they can now reward and incentivize their drivers to continue to drive even better. Now that they can track fleet related actions, companies can measure and reward actions that are beneficial to the company’s bottom line.
Whether using our custom dashboard or having automate reports providing the data, here are three ways to incorporate incentive ideas to the backbone of your fleet- the driver.

Examples of Fleet Driver Incentive Programs

1) Institute an objective based activity.
An objective based activity can be anything. The Virtual Fleet Supervisor application tracks speeding, idle time average trip time, total trips and so many other things. Define the objective and timeframe and have a contest. For example, the driver with the lowest average idle time this month wins….The reward doesn’t have to be much, just a symbol of appreciation. A gift card somewhere, small cash, a half day off, small plaque- how much does wanting to win that make every driver reduce costs through following best driving habits?

2) Draw game
Every driver who is qualified gets name in hat. Pull name, person gets reward. To be eligible to put name in hat, the driver had to be above certain criteria set by the fleet manager. ( no speeding events that month, at least 20 trips, etc, ) Some people like the randomness of this game and others think it doesn’t reward the best person- that decision is up to you.

3) Customer Recognition
Your fleet drivers are your brand ambassador. With the integration of GPS fleet tracking, customer service can be enhanced and there are more opportunities for drivers to arrive at houses or service calls with a happy customer than an angry anxious one. Set forth a policy that if any calls or comments made about a specific person from a customer call in and are positive then there is a small reward. Including customers in employee recognition programs also allows your business to gather valuable customer feedback as well.

The Ultimate Benefit of GPS Fleet Tracking
The best of all benefits to the drivers is that through GPS fleet tracking costs have been reduced and profits maximized so there is a company for them to be employed at. Over and above any knickknack or swag, this is the best thing that you can give a driver- company stability and still having a job tomorrow.

Have you considered encouraging positive driving habits, but had no way of knowing what really goes on when they leave your warehouse or shop? Well, now you can.

Contact InTouchGPS today to learn more.

Think You Are Too Busy For Fleet Tracking?

At InTouchGPS we understand that as a fleet manager you have a ton of responsibilities.  The purpose of our application is to make your life easier by making a more efficient use of your time while increasing your bottom line.

Let’s look at just a few of the many ways our fleet tracking system saves you time.

Driver Communication

Instead of calling drivers to find out their locations a simple glance at our application will tell you where your drivers are at and how long they have been there.  You don’t have to waste your driver’s time or your time with unnecessary phone calls.

Automated Reporting

With our automated reporting functionality you can schedule reports to be sent to you automatically-You chose what report and the frequency at which it is to be sent. You save time by not having to go into the system every time you want to find certain data and pulling data that is constant.

IFTA Reporting

Our system reports mileage by driver by state and provides the information that you will need to provide for IFTA.

Maintenance Scheduling and Tracking

Create and schedule maintenance tasks through our system. Once the tasks are created you will see a color coded screen that shows all of the created tasks. You can also choose to receive alerts via text or email when a maintenance task is coming due.

Dispatch Tool

With a simple click of the button on a map you can see how far all of your drivers are from a certain location (or a landmark or an address you input) . You can then choose to dispatch that vehicle to that location. Our system will send the driver a message through text or email with the address, directions and any other notes you may want to include.

With these and many other features, the GPS fleet tracking application from InTouchGPS was built with you in mind.

To find out how InTouchGPS can help you maximize your time contact us today to schedule a demo of our software and see how we can maximize your output while minimizing your time.

Managing By Exception

This is a management philosophy that focuses on dealing with issues that deviate from the expectation or the norm. The advantages of this style of management are numerous, however the one that stands out most in regard to fleet management is how much time it saves you.

Historically a manager would have to go through tons of data. He or she would have to look through every bit of driver data looking for any anomalies and even then there is still the opportunity for to miss something due to human error.

The InTouchGPS application has multiple real time alerts. These alerts are sent to the user based on driver behavior. The user can determine which alerts to receive and whether they want them delivered via email or text.

There are six real time alerts. Find them and their definitions below.

Idling- Our system will send an email if the vehicle has been idling greater than 10 minutes or later if you choose. You can select to receive it once or continue to receive the notice as the vehicle continues to idle.

Working Hours- You can define the times that are authorized for that vehicle to be moving. If it is operated outside of that window the user can get an alert. This helps with preventing theft and with moonlighting.

Maintenance- Our system allows you to create, assign and track maintenance tasks and you can be made aware when those tasks are coming due.

Speed- This is not related to the posted speed limits but rather speeding thresholds you define. If a vehicle goes above what you authorize you will be notified.

Offline- This is about the device itself. If for some reason it stops reporting you will receive and alert.

First Movement- Our system can notify you the very first time that vehicles moves. You can choose to have this sent every day or only if the first movement occurs after a certain time ( denoting they were late)

Our application is specifically designed to save you time through automation and multiple exception management methods.

To learn more, please contact us today by calling us or filling out the form on the right to schedule a no pressure quick demonstration of our software.

Even though fuel prices have come down slightly over the last year, it is still a huge concern for companies that operate a fleet of vehicles.  Fuel is in the top three expenditures of fleet-centric companies ( the other two items  are vehicle cost and personnel). While fleet tracking can’t completely eliminate fuel costs there are four areas in which fleet tracking can help with fuel management.

Four Ways Fleet Tracking Reduces Fuel Costs

Let’s first list the problem and then how fleet tracking can solve the issue. 

1) Excessive Idling

Idling is defined as when a vehicle is in use, but is not moving. Fleet tracking can reduce fuel costs by notifying you when a vehicle is idling for greater than a threshold you define. Especially as we approach winter and the vehicle is potentially used as climate control, it is imperative to know if the idles are legit or not.

2) Dispatch

The fleet tracking application that InTouchGPS provides includes a dispatch feature. You can enter any address in the system and it will tell you how far a vehicle is from that location. You can take this a step further by sending a dispatch to include the fastest directions to the driver of your choice. This makes sure that fuel lost during routing inefficiencies or human error is taken out.

3) Weather

A relatively new feature to the fleet tracking party is the Weather Feature. With a click of a button you can see current weather status for any location. This visibility allows you to dispatch accurately, avoiding dangerous weather and increasing safety and fuel efficiency.

4) Traffic

Our easy to use traffic feature shows a color coded overlay – green things are going pretty smooth, yellow- slight congestion and red/black- significant traffic or a serious traffic event. Once again allows you to dispatch more effectively and to see trends that you can plan around- saving valuable money and time. Can you think of other ways that fleet tracking has helped you save money? To discover how much you can save and learn about other benefits of fleet tracking , contact us today.

The term “the cloud” or “cloud based software” has been around for a while. So what does it mean and why is it beneficial to you? Simply put, in the cloud means that there is nothing to install, nothing to load- all of your data is accessed using a network of remote servers hosted on the Internet to store, manage, and process data, rather than a local server…

This means that your company does not need computers in your office to run software programs. Instead of installing a cd or downloading a program authorized users go to a secure website that has a username and password and run the program through your web browser. This means you can access Virtual Fleet Supervisor from ANY web enabled device.

Three Benefits of Using A Cloud Based Fleet Tracking Software

1) No installation is necessary

You start off with one or two authorized users and from there, you can create unlimited user accounts -even with different access levels if you would like. There is no cost in adding additional users.

2) Automatic Updates

When it’s time to update traditional software, every computer needs to be touched again.  Every single rollout, new feature, even bug fixes would require man hours to fix every single device. When the application is hosted by your vendor, the updates just happen. InTouchGPS has built a framework with the thought in mind that it would always continue to be upgraded as new technology and design builds became available.This adds up to frequent improvements and leading edge features. While we believe we have the best GPS tracking system on the market, we still love making it better.

3) Accessibility 

Want an update on your fleet? You no longer have to go to the office to get the data from a software siloed computer. Access the data from any web enabled device to include your mobile device- we have built a simple to use, yet powerful app for that. Once again-no extra charge.

There are numerous more benefits to using cloud based fleet tracing, but at the end of the day, it all boil down to one main element- It makes you more efficient by saving you time and money.

To learn more about fleet tracking and what InTouchGPS can do for you, please contact us today.

What Is The Difference Between Fleet Management & Fleet Tracking?

When we talk with clients this question often comes up. Fleet Tracking is a subset of fleet management. Fleet management is the complete system of  management of a company’s vehicle fleet. Fleet management can include a range of functions which includes vehicle fleet tracking (and diagnostics), driver management and fuel management. Fleet tracking is an important and valuable tool to any fleet management program.

What are the benefits of fleet tracking to a company looking for complete fleet management?

There are numerous benefits of fleet tracking and each company has different aspects they see as most important relative to the pain point they are trying to solve. (For example, a company with high fuel cost may appreciate the fact that they can now track speed and routes someone took)

1) Driver Safety

Not only will drivers be more responsible because they are aware of the GPS monitoring, but fleet managers will know exactly where a vehicle is if it requires any assistance. Whether it’s a broken down engine or any emergency situation, fleet managers can send roadside assistance to help their driver.

2) Minimize Fuel Cosrs

While no company can completely cut fuel cost, GPS fleet tracking allows a fleet manger to observe a vehicle’s fuel consumption. The monitoring software will cut down on the amount of money spent on fuel by eliminating vehicle idling, driver speeding, any unauthorized usage, and gives dispatch the ability to optimize driving routes.

3)  Increase Productivity

Because of the ability to track drivers’ hours worked and routes taken, fleet managers can now make better use of an employee’s time. The GPS tracking software shows exactly where your drivers are at all times and keeps record of what work they are doing at that time.

The benefits of GPS fleet tracking are numerous.  Get a better grasp of how employees are performing and find better ways to manage workloads with a comprehensive fleet tracking system. Not only will you save time and money, but your drivers will be safer and perform to their full potential. All of which adds up to a smoother business operation and improved customer service that each of your customer’s will love.

If you are responsible for the fleet management and are looking for your fleet tracking partner to fill that component, contact us today and learn what we can do for you today.

8 Tips to Prepare Your Fleet For Winter.

An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure. Anyone in the service industry knows that idiom is as true today as when Benjamin Franklin wrote it. How many times have you seen a disaster at a customer’s house that could have been avoided if they performed a little preventive maintenance? The same can be said for service fleet vehicles in the winter. Preparing your fleet before winter arrives is an important part of avoiding emergency repairs and keeping downtime to an absolute minimum. Whether you have a service fleet of one vehicles or several hundred, here are eight tips to make sure your vehicles are ready for winter.

Below are eight maintenance tips that you can conduct to ensure optimum performance for your fleet:

• Tires- Make sure your tires are at the full and accurate pressure. Also, confirm that you have the right tires for your geography and conditions. Other than vehicle safety, the correct tire pressure also helps reduce fuel costs. Lastly, check to make sure the tires have sufficient tread, especially since your vehicles might be driving over rain, sleet and snow.

• Top Off Fluids- The best time to check and top off your vehicle’s fluids is before the harsh winter weather hits. Check and top off engine coolants, power steering, brake, windshield washer and other fluids.

• Gas– Keep your gas tank at least half full (especially larger trucks). Water vapor can collect in the bottom of the tank and be drawn into your engine’s fuel line: if it’s cold enough it can freeze and prevent your engine from starting.

• Battery- The low temperatures also have a negative impact on your vehicle’s batteries. When you need that extra cranking power, your battery may not be up to the task. Have your batteries checked and consider replacing your battery if it’s more than three years old. Keep the contacts free of corrosion with a terminal cleaner.

• Oil– When driving in cold weather, it’s important to make sure you are using the right viscosity of motor oil. Check your owner’s manual for the recommended proper viscosity for freezing temperatures.

• Belts, Hoses, Lines- Inspect vehicles belts, hoses and lines for wear and tear. A worn belt could spell disaster for you and your vehicle, especially when driving in extreme conditions. You don’t want a driver stuck by the wayside in the cold. Make a belt inspection and check for signs of fraying or cracking. Change any belts with even a hint of being worn to help avoid a breakdown during the worst of winter.

• Heater- Check heater elements and defrost to ensure they work accurately

•  Utilize GPS Fleet Tracking –Manage your entire workforce without having to physically be in the vehicle with them with InTouchGPS fleet tracking. For an incredibly low monthly cost you can track your vehicles in real time. Reduce costs while increasing profits with the aid of idling or speeding alerts, real-time location tracking, automated reporting and so many more features that our cloud based easy to use software provides. At any given moment, from any web enabled device, you can see where all of your vehicles are, where they are headed and fast they are going. With InTouchGPS you can even create maintenance scheduling and have automated timecard reporting.

These are just a few tips to keep your fleet optimized during the colder months. A last thing to consider is to be very clear about your policy on idling- Are you expecting your drivers to turn off the vehicle in any specific occasion or is using your car as climate control and keeping running to stay warm okay with you. (You can track this with GPS fleet tracking from InTouchGPS.) This idling can have a significant impact on the bottom line by allowing fuel costs to soar.

As we enter the winter months, be safe out there. For more information on other cost saving tips, contact InTouchGPS today.

Protect Against Vehicle Theft With GPS Fleet Tracking

Winter is coming and as the heat index decreases the number of fleet vehicles stolen increases. What is the correlation? While not always the case, fleet drivers using the vehicle as climate control means they keep it in idle and on during a quick stop, making the vehicle prime for the picking.

GPS fleet tracking can help you address this and other issues that encourage vehicle theft.

Vehicle theft can lead to unexpected replacement expenses and higher insurance costs for your fleet. While we can’t completely eliminate theft, we can help deter it these ways.

1) Immediately alert you of unauthorized movement. You can do this a couple different ways. You can set up landmarks and know when a vehicle enters or exits a landmark. You can set off/on alerts and know when an engine is being started.  (This can also prevent internal theft- moonlighting with your vehicle, its gas and your serviceman.) you to suspicious vehicle movement.

2) Set up idling boundaries. Another report/alert you can set is idling. Should a vehicle be idling is only something you can answer. You can always contact the driver and ask what is going on if you have any questions and implement policies and standards against excessive idling.

While GPS fleet tracking does help prevent theft, it is not failproof. However it can (and in three specific cases with us the last three years)it also help to retrieve stolen vehicles by enabling a user to provide a police department with a van or truck’s precise location the moment you realize it’s been stolen.

To discuss how fleet tracking can help prevent vehicle theft or to learn the other benefits of fleet tracking, contact us today.

Fleet Tracking Increases Safety

Driver safety and responsible driving are paramount of importance to any company that manages a fleet. It is a serious responsibility regardless of what industry you are in- from construction, to service to HVAC- across the board it matters. Companies are always looking for a way to increase safety and prevent and minimize incidents regarding their vehicles. Without attention and regard to safety measures, you can incur incredible costs, a tarnished reputation and most importantly, can jeopardize the  health and life of your driver or someone else on the road is at stake.
Safety is a matter for everyone on the team.

While it can’t stop all accidents, GPS fleet tracking increases safety while not hindering customer satisfaction or productivity. It does this in a myriad of ways, but the 3 most easily recognized is speeding alerts, dispatch and maintenance.

1) Speeding Alerts – While you can see historic data and speeds for any of your fleets for up to a year, you can always set thresholds and alerts in real time. You can be alerted if a vehicle is exceeding speeds that you deem as allowable. You can choose for these alerts to be received via email or text. Many managers choose to also have their drivers notified real time if they are speeding as to stop the problem immediately instead of an after action.

2) Dispatching Efficiency – Many drivers are speeding to get to a job on time or because they are trying to assuage an angry customer in an emergency. Our system has the capability to choose closest driver to any location and route them in the most most efficient way. This is effective in controlling speeding by preventing the environment in which speeding is “necessary” in the first place.

3) Maintenance Control Our system allows you to set up tasks and maintenance items to make sure that tire, brakes and the rest of the vehicles preventive maintenance is up to date and that the driver is operating a safe as vehicle as possible.

These are just three ways GPS fleet tracking can help improve safety. Contact us today to learn more about what other benefits fleet tracking can provide for your company.