How Employers Should Introduce Fleet Tracking Plans To Workers

The global economy has been struggling, fuel prices have been rising and businesses have been left searching for methods to both reduce inefficiency and improve profitability. This is the reason why so many companies worldwide have adopted fleet tracking and vehicle management plans that call upon tracker devices to oversee employee driving activity. Although GPS monitoring systems are intended to reduce fuel consumption, vehicle idling, poor route selection and costly automotive maintenance, some employees simply feel GPS is solely used to invade their privacy. The employees may view satellite technology as intrusive Big Brother type behavior and look negatively upon it. This is why employers need to communicate with their employees about tracker devices and the benefits of GPS monitoring.

Being Honest With Employees

One of the first things some employees may think after hearing that a GPS vehicle tracker will monitor their driving activity is that they are being singled out. They might think that their boss wants to track everywhere they are going simply to catch them doing something wrong. This is something that businesses should address. One simple way to to solve this problem is to explain that all automotive assets held by the company will by under GPS monitoring to safeguard both equipment and personnel, and that not one person in particular is being singled out. The company can then reason with employees by stating that legally they have the authority to monitor drivers with GPS without the employees permission, but instead felt that all employees should be in the know about any program implemented to boost safety and efficiency. When an employee is told by the employer that they do not need to notify them in regards to a GPS monitoring plan but choose to do so it most often times creates more transparency in the worker/manager relationship. This trust and transparency is something that leads to long-term success and communication.

The Cost Of Doing Business

When discussing GPS tracking systems businesses should be quick to point out that reducing overhead spending is something that is universally beneficial to all people collecting paychecks. One small ambulance company located in South Carolina explained to staff that times were so difficult that they had no other option but to use real-time GPS monitoring devices to cut down on fuel consumption. They pointed out that the last thing they wanted to do was lay staff off and that calculations showed a more effective fuel management strategy would result in the company being able to keep all employees working.

Digital Supervision Is Everywhere

Technology to provide oversight and security is everywhere, but some employees may be quick to forget this. Businesses should remind workers that digital supervision and technology designed for safety is a positive thing and that is why it so abundantly found in today's world. For example, almost every major retail shopping center now has hidden camera systems decorating parking structures and camera devices watching consumers as they shop in stores. This video recording is found at gas stations, restaurants, banks and even fast food establishments. In some cities the same type of camera technology is even used to catch motorists committing traffic violations. Known as red light camera systems, these type of video camera devices are constantly watching drivers as they travel making certain that the rules of the road are being followed.

 Businesses that want to maintain success need to constantly focus on ways of improving efficiency, worker production and profit in the most effective methods possible. Tracker devices that use real-time GPS are one of the new tools giving businesses the oversight technology that can maximize driver production, safety and efficiency, but companies must never forget the vital role that the good employees play in business success. This is why it is always a good to openly discuss any new strategy involving workers even if that strategy is a GPS fleet tracking one that will require driver oversight.

City Of Columbus Invests In GPS Tracker Devices

Whoever said investigative journalism was dead surely never researched the work that a local television news station conducted in the city of Columbus, Ohio that focused on the misuse of city motor vehicles. This is because after a Watchdog 10 Investigation showed a significant level of incompetence when it came to fleet management of city vehicles funded by taxpayer dollars, the city of Columbus has now moved forward with a plan to install tracker devices on various city-owned and operated cars.

Officials for the city of Columbus stated publicly yesterday that they now have in place a plan designed to monitor vehicles at its fleet facility using real-time GPS technology. In fact, a Columbus Fleet Administrator has went on the record saying the city has already equipped over half of the city fleet with vehicle management systems. That means the process of having all city vehicles installed with the latest real-time GPS units could be complete any day now, allowing fleet managers complete access to both live and historical driving activity.

Columbus was faced with an angry public demanding more accountability after a year long Watchdog 10 investigation uncovered city workers taking advantage of city vehicles and grossly misusing time and money. What the local news team investigation showed throughout the series was that city automobiles were left idling for lengthy periods of time resulting in excessive and unnecessary use of fuel consumption. Even worse was the documentation of one particular city worker who was caught leaving the job to buy donuts on a daily basis while on the clock. The public outrage resulted in a demand for more accountability, and that is why a representative for the mayor explained installing GPS tracking systems would help the city better manage fuel consumption and overall fleet activity as a method of reducing fuel usage while also boosting worker safety.

After evaluating the cost of the GPS hardware against the cost of excess fuel consumption, Columbus city officials believe the tracker devices will essentially pay for themselves in only a year and a half from the in increase in both vehicle and fuel management.

OBD Tracker Provides Tow Truck Businesses Real-Time Data

When a motorist is placed in the unfortunate situation where their automobile runs into mechanical failure one of the first phone calls placed is to a tow truck company. Tow truck companies are often the savior for stranded motorists in need of a lift home, but in order to assist those in need, tow truck companies need to be operating at a very high level of efficiency. One particular device that is helping tow truck companies reach that optimum level of efficiency is the Sync vehicle tracking device, a real-time device that connects directly into the OBD port of any tow truck.

Widely described as one of the best GPS units for tow trucks, the Sync tracker provides live locational information, unlimited access to historical driving data and a number of features designed for total evaluation of tow truck activity. These automotive monitoring features include things such as length of time a driver leaves a tow truck engine idling, how fast drivers are traveling throughout the day and whether drivers are riding the brakes of the tow truck. With this information tow truck businesses are able to understand if drivers are over-using fuel, wasting time while on the clock or simply not being as efficient as they should.

Sync GPS For Fleet Oversight

Most tow truck operations are small businesses running on fairly thin margins. With every dollar counting and customer service always being at the forefront, tow truck companies have to take advantage of every tool available to reduce overhead costs while helping stranded motorists in the shortest amount of time possible. When asked about the role real-time trackers play in their tow truck business, a representative for California Towing stated, "GPS tracking devices are critical in helping us quickly route our tow truck drivers to motorists broke down, better manage fuel consumption and most importantly provide the highest level of response time possible. The reason our towing business made the decision to invest in the Sync was because the tracker device easily plugged into the diagnostics computer so the unit did not need professional installation, and of course the truck tracking unit was highly rated on a number of independent review websites."

Tow truck companies have many of the same logistics and monitoring needs of taxi cab operations, public bus systems and limo services (companies that are routinely involved in fleet oversight). GPS monitoring systems are continuing to meet the needs of all these service related businesses, but it is the Sync tracker that continues to receive praise from tow truck companies when it comes to tracking their service trucks.

Companies Call Upon GPS Trackers

Any motorist that has passed by the gas station recently cannot help but to notice the surge in gasoline prices over the past year. Fuel prices have been hitting record highs in many states, causing the presidential candidates to address the topic on nearly a daily basis. Thankfully, with the Summer travel months now in the rear view mirror, motorists are feeling some relief at the pump. This is because the trend has been a slow steady decline in gas prices in the past couple weeks. Although it appears fuel costs will be falling as demand tends to fall during the cool months of Winter, many businesses are still not taking any chances. That is why companies with small and large automobile fleets are investing in real-time GPS trackers to assist in oversight of fuel consumption.

Sadly, gas prices around and over four dollars a gallon appears to be the new normal. Well at least until fuel prices eventually reach five, six and who knows how many dollars per gallon. Understanding that even a short-term fall in gas prices will only postpone the inevitable long-term rise in fuel costs, companies with mobile assets are taking advantage of technologically efficient ways to reducing fuel consumption. And one of the best ways to cut fuel consumption is through improved management of vehicle assets and driver activity with the use of tracker devices.