4 Ways Fleet Tracking & Management Software Helps Control Operational Costs

Public sector fleet managers across the country are being asked to keep tight budgets in check while working to track vehicles, keep up with maintenance, monitor performance, and promote safe driving habits.

For municipal fleets running with limited available resources, this juggling act can mean that things get missed. Vehicles might not get the repairs they need. Some drivers might not get the coaching they need. Technicians might not be able to get the training they need. As these issues pile up, it is usually only a matter of time before problems arise, ultimately costing a strained department more in the long run.

It’s why investing in fleet tracking and management tools can pay for themselves in cost savings. The right software and equipment can help public fleet managers monitor multiple fleets at once, track maintenance schedules and budgets, coach drivers in real time, and help reduce safety risks and liability.

Here’s a breakdown of how advanced fleet tracking and management software can positively impact public shops operating on tight budgets.

1)    Improve Efficiency and Reduce Overtime with Fleet Tracking

Take control of your fleet with advanced tracking technology to make it easy to pinpoint a vehicle or piece of equipment in an instant. When you invest in fleet tracking, you regain the time you used to spend trying to locate trucks or find field assets, while also ensuring that your equipment is being properly used. You’re able to make decisions in real-time, letting you and your team get back on track faster than ever before.

Fleet tracking technology can organize important information into one spot and tell you exactly where the vehicle is, whether or not the engine is on, how fast it is going, and when it is estimated to arrive at its scheduled destination. Dispatching and messaging features makes it easy to schedule jobs and communicate with drivers. Real-time tracking helps answer questions about arrival times or possible delays.

By, you can help reduce the need for overtime hours when you improve communication and accurate scheduling. That means you can free up parts of your budget for other projects or improvements you want to prioritize or avoid painful cuts you don’t want to have to make.

2)    Improve Driver Behavior with Cameras and In-Cab Alerts

Driving behavior is difficult to monitor from the office unless you’re using a video telematics system. Driving habits are easy to monitor and improve with the help of advanced sensors, AI cameras, built-in coaching systems, instant alerts, and driver scorecards.

Advanced fleet vehicle video telematics systems can make a world of difference when it comes to improving driver behavior and reducing unsafe and unwanted driving habits. HD cameras with AI technology can monitor and alert drivers when dangerous behavior or distractions interfere with the driver’s performance.

Real-time in-cab alerts can notify drivers when sensors determine that they are falling asleep, using their phones, smoking, drifting out of their lanes, approaching a vehicle too quickly, speeding, or braking too harshly. The alerts act as a real-time coach while recording and sorting event clips into a web portal. There, managers can watch back clips, rank their importance, leave notes, and use videos for coaching purposes later.  

Real-time video clips can help you determine your organization’s level of responsibility and let you make the best decisions possible for your agency. Cameras and tracking technology also help agencies fight against false claims. These video clips give you the hard evidence you would need to show that your driver wasn’t at fault and prevent frivolous lawsuits from going through.

Driver scorecards let you spot which of your drivers are doing a good job and which ones need more coaching over time. That lets you focus your resources on the people that need the most while enabling you to reward the drivers who are doing well. Improved driving skills means less wear and tear on vehicles, better fuel use, and a reduced liability risk too.

3)    Easily Monitor Maintenance Needs with Schedules and Alerts

Don’t let a dead battery ruin your plans for the day. Keep track of your fleet’s maintenance needs using automated reminders, detailed repair notes, and digital vehicle inspections.

Plan out shop time with detailed maintenance schedules that keep your fleet running smoothly. Reduce the need for overtime pay with repairs that are laid out and budgeted for ahead of time. Prevent breakdowns with regular maintenance that keeps vehicles on the road.

Use digital driver vehicle inspection reports (DVIRs) to ensure that vehicles are being looked over before leaving the lot. The reports can even be set to be timed out so the inspections can’t just be skimmed through. Drivers can leave notes and take pictures when they spot something wrong with the vehicle. That way you and shop mechanics can prepare to get the vehicle in for repairs – ordering any needed parts ahead of time and scheduling out shop time without seriously impacting other projects.

4)    Reduce Time Spent on Troubleshooting, Paperwork, and Office Duties

Using a single web portal to manage your entire fleet makes it easy to track and monitor your fleet operation, your staff, and the accompanying paperwork. Tracking everything through one intuitive computer program lets you focus on your actual fleet operation instead of worrying about gathering up information needed for filing purposes.

Good fleet tracking and management software programs keep everything in one portal that can be accessed either on a desktop or a mobile phone. Managers can collect important files, signatures, and documents, or even create customized forms to help organize their specific informational needs.

Fuel cards can also be integrated into a good fleet management system. Easily monitor fuel purchase data by keeping fuel and location information together in one system. You would no longer have to deal with the hassle of manually creating reports, saving you hours of time usually spent on administrative duties.

24/7 access to technical support means that you and your staff can get the answers you need no matter what time a problem might arise instead of having to wait for business hours. Less time spent tracking down answers means more time that you can focus on doing things that move your department’s mission forward.

Take Control of Your Operation and Budget

Good fleet management technology is designed to make your job easier. It takes out the guesswork, automates a host of time-consuming tasks, and provides you with as much information as possible so you can quickly make decisions as issues arise.

Make sure you’re taking advantage of the tools that will help you and your organization thrive. If you’re ready to see exactly what is happening on the road while streamlining vital business procedures, please contact us so we can get a better sense of your needs. From there we will set you up with a free demo and review the services we offer that best pair with your current solutions.