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Compare the Best Vehicle GPS Tracking Systems For Your Business.

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What Is Vehicle Tracking and Why Do You Need It?

Whether your business relies on cars, lorries, vans, or bikes, fleet tracking systems can be a huge asset for your business. 

What Is Vehicle Tracking?

Welcome to our comprehensive guide to learn how business vehicle tracking works, its benefits, and how easy it is for your business to get equipped with them. Vehicle tracking is a type of GPS technology that lets you, well... track your vehicles. 

 

As well as location, it also records other important vehicle information, including driver behaviour, fuel consumption, and scheduled maintenance. By automating job dispatch, arranging the most fuel-efficient routes, and updating the current state of the roads in real time, vehicle tracking can help you to build a strategy that works for you. 

How Vehicle Tracking Works

Vehicle tracking devices come in two separate parts. 

 

Vehicle Tracking Hardware

These will usually attach to the vehicle's engine, giving it the ability to collect and report accurate information about the engine and the vehicle itself. 

 

Vehicle Tracking Software 

An easy-to-read dashboard that can connect to your computer, mobile, or tablet of choice and receive the transmitted data. 

 

Some dashboards are customisable to fit your specific needs, making them simple for everyone to use, no matter how tech-savvy you are. A range of systems are available; more comprehensive ones will update in real-time, while others may have a delay or require you to download the information for analysis later.

Five Benefits of Vehicle Tracking

1. Reduce Costs

Vehicle tracking systems can help you plan the most cost-effective routes, while also providing you with road accident updates. This ensures you are always on top of any potential issues.

Monitoring driver behaviour such as idling or speeding also helps to reduce needless expenditure on fuel wastage.

 

2. Increased Security 

Geofencing allows you to create a border that, if broken, will send alerts to you and your driver. 

 

In addition to helping your drivers stick to the agreed route, geofencing also helps to prevent any joyriders or thieves from making a quick getaway in one of your vehicles. Some systems may even be able to remotely turn off the engine, stopping any attempted theft in its tracks, and allowing you to inform the police of the vehicle's location. 

 

3. Boost Productivity 

The ability to automate jobs to the best-suited drivers could save you considerable time that can then be better used elsewhere. Using the system-recommended routes will also help to raise overall driving productivity across your business.

 

4. Enhance Vehicle Lifecycle 

By checking the vast amounts of easily accessible data, you will be able to keep on top of the overall health of your vehicles like never before. Mileage, total usage, and driver behaviour are just some of the metrics readily available that can inform any preemptive maintenance, preventing any potential issues from becoming serious problems. 

 

To ensure crucial repairs are never missed, routine maintenance dates are directly entered into the systems and notifications are sent out as and when they are needed.  

 

5. Improve Customer Satisfaction  

Real-time updates on deliveries can be shared with your customers, keeping them in the loop of everything that's going on. 

 

This includes the status of their shipments and the anticipated delivery time, so if there are issues or changes to the delivery, your customers can notified quickly and easily. 

Compare the Best Vehicle GPS Tracking Systems For Your Business.

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What size fleet do you want to track?
 
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Our Partners
  • CommercialExperts.com
  • Radius Payment Solutions Limited
  • Remote Asset Management Limited
  • Teletrac Navman (UK) Limited
Our Products
  • Business Accountancy
  • Business Epos Systems
  • Business Telephone Systems
  • Commercial Waste Collection
  • Digital Marketing
  • Fleet Tracking
  • Invoice Finance
  • Merchant Accounts
  • Website Design

FAQs

Your Questions Answered

Vehicle tracking hardware is attached to your vehicle's engine and uses GPS technology to report various information, including location, speed, and fuel consumption. 

 

This is then transmitted to the vehicle tracking software, which can be monitored and used to make the best decisions. 

This will mostly depend on how sophisticated you want your systems to be and the size of your fleet. 

 

Typically, they will range between £15 - £35 per vehicle, per month. Less advanced models may be available for £7, with more advanced models costing over £200. 

In a nutshell, both systems do the same thing. Active systems are more advanced in that they report everything in real-time, whereas passive systems store their information, which then has to be downloaded at the end of each journey.

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Read more about how to save your business money
RAM Tracking Review: The Fleet Tracking Software for Your Small Business?

What is RAM Fleet Tracking?RAM Tracking is a software solution for fleet management, enabling businesses to monitor their vehicles and drivers in real time. The software offers a variety of digital tools for fleet management, assisting fleet managers and business proprietors in efficiently overseeing their mobile workforce.RAM Tracking's FeaturesSimilar to other vehicle tracking software available, RAM Tracking offers a variety of features to businesses who want a firm grip on their vehicles.  The features it offers include real-time tracking and the ability to optimise daily routes. These features are helpful when it comes to knowing where your vehicles are, where they're going, and how they are getting there; allowing you to ensure the routes they take are safe and efficient.  One of the most useful features RAM Tracking offers is the ability to simplify driving licence checking with automated checks, reducing risks and meeting the duty of care responsibilities of your business. You can set these checks to be done annually, bi-annually, or quarterly. Please keep in mind that you can only access all of RAM Tracking's most useful features if you get a plan that includes them. Some of the features are locked if you choose to get a cheaper, more limited package. Is RAM Tracking Good for Small Businesses?In general, RAM Tracking is likely a good choice for small enterprises seeking to oversee their fleet operations. The software offers a range of features tailored towards fleet management of all sizes, so small businesses should be able to find a good balance of features that work for them.  There is a lite, core, and plus package available; with each one offering different access to features. Small businesses can choose the lite package, which is more suited to limited budgets, but doesn't come with any automated features. How Much Does RAM Tracking Cost?RAM Tracking offers bespoke pricing, which means that businesses can tailor the software to their specific needs and budget. Beyond the general levels of feature access mentioned above, the pricing structure changes based on factors such as contract duration and fleet size. While RAM Tracking doesn't offer a free trial, it does offer a demo so you can see exactly how its software works, meaning you can gain a good understanding of how each of the features would work within your business. 

Samsara Review: A Useful Tool For Fleet Managers?

What is Samsara Fleet Tracking?Samsara Fleet Tracking is a comprehensive fleet management platform that offers real-time GPS tracking, routing, and two-way dispatching to improve the operational efficiency of your business.  If you're seeking a fleet management system that consistently works for your business and enables you to use modern tracking methods, Samsara is likely a company you've heard of, which is probably what led you to this article.  This article forms an overview of what Samsara is, the features it offers, and how they could benefit your business. Samsara's FeaturesSamsara is one of the few companies that offer to-the-second updates and full visibility. The company's GPS fleet tracking solutions can also be customised to suit the needs of a variety of business types; with both small companies and large enterprises using their services.   Samsara's fleet management software provides a real-time GPS tracking solution for your entire fleet, no matter how many vehicles your business includes; custom fleet tracking plans, based on your business's specific needs, mean this feature can work to suit you. Other features include fuel consumption tracking, which allows you to track fuel consumption, idle time, and utilisation, and safety features, which include dash cameras, harsh event detection, and driver coaching to help improve driver safety. There's also an option for driver monitoring, which allows you to monitor your drivers' movements and keep track of traffic.Is Samsara Good For Small Businesses?Samsara offers a comprehensive fleet management solution that makes it a suitable and viable option for small businesses. Its advanced technology, real-time tracking, and scalability make it a good choice for businesses looking to improve their fleet management operations.  The 30-day free trial is a great way to test out how the features work for your business, taking off the pressure to commit to the required minimum contract length. Remember to make use of this, as it's the best way to try before you buy. How Much Does Samsara Cost?Samsara's pricing varies depending on the contract length, fleet size, and the features chosen and, unfortunately, It doesn't currently have a transparent pricing guide, so you will need to answer a questionnaire before you are given an accurate quote.  It does, however, offer a 30-day free trial so businesses can see how the features work for them before committing to a contract.

How Fleet Tracking Could Save Your Business Money

How Can Fleet Tracking Help You Save?In the dynamic world of business, where every penny counts and efficiency is a priority, the difference between success and stagnation lies in proper vehicle management. This is where fleet tracking comes in.  Read on to find out about just five ways in which fleet tracking could save you money. Each promises a unique route to maximising your resources and steering your business toward lower costs. 1. Improve Fuel EfficiencyThe negative impact of road congestion on fuel efficiency is evident: increased traffic, delays, diversions, and frequent stops elevate fuel consumption, resulting in unnecessary fuel expenses. Yet, with vehicle tracking, you gain access to a comprehensive array of tools, and insights that enable your business to boost its fuel efficiency.  By identifying inefficient vehicles, addressing drivers' bad habits, and rectifying routes with needlessly wasted miles, fleet tracking tools can have a dramatic and positive effect on your overall fuel efficiency.2. Protect Against Vehicle TheftVehicle theft will always be a concern for your business and its fleet managers. While the presence of CCTV and dashcams has deterred some incidents, vehicle break-ins and thefts persist.A vehicle tracking system can act as a deterrent for thieves. Since Criminals are generally put off attempting a crime if they think it is difficult to get away with, fleet tracking warnings can often mean a theft is stopped before it's even attempted. When theft is attempted, fleet tracking technology is able to track exactly where a vehicle is, making the police's job easier. 3. Cut Down On WasteVehicle tracking can aid fleet managers in reducing waste by ensuring timely, secure deliveries.Whether you're transporting food, medicine, or construction materials like concrete, vehicle tracking can often lead to fewer wasted shipments and immediate cost savings. It can also bolster your reputation as a dependable business, securing continued business opportunities in the future. 4. Reduce Insurance PremiumsFleet tracking systems serve as tools for coaching fleet managers. Such tools can teach drivers more responsible driving behaviours, and insurance companies sometimes extend discounts to businesses integrating fleet tracking technology. The data collected with telematics also means a deeper understanding can be gained when an accident occurs. Essentially, fleet tracking provides the transparency necessary for fleet managers to protect against unjust claims.5. Longer Vehicle LifespanWear and tear on fleet vehicles is a constant battle for businesses that rely heavily upon transporting goods. Fleet tracking offers a complete oversight of all fleet vehicles, recording essential data to monitor and rectify poor driving habits (which increases vehicle wear and tear) and ultimately has a knock-on effect on your bottom line.