With fuel prices at an all time high, labor and insurance costs rising and the demands for worker productivity in a competitive world, today's businesses need all the help they can find to meet the challenges of the market.
A company which tracks its vehicle fleet has an advantage over its competition. But understanding how commercial vehicle tracking works and what it is must be understood before any decisions are made.
Commercial vehicle tracking means tracking and monitoring vehicles used by companies as part of their delivery of goods and services. Companies which track their vehicles report better use of fuel and time, lower labor and delivery costs and improved security.
What is involved with commercial vehicle tracking?
Application - A software application which collects and collates data received from devices installed in vehicles. The application should provide an easy to understand interface for monitoring devices, but should also make it easy to add additional devices and delete non-active ones as well. Further, the application should be secure and should prevent unauthorized access. Finally, it should be robust as the application will become "mission critical" in short order.
Tracking devices - Hardware which is installed in the vehicle and which will monitor the vehicle's location and status. This device can be as simple as a GPS-enabled cellular phone or as complex as a customized, rugged terminal with multiple capabilities. Typically, the tracking device will contain a GPS receiver, a wireless radio, an onboard processor, input/outputs, connections for power and external outputs for antennas.
Wireless access - Wireless networks, such as cellular or satellite provide the communications network for the tracking device to communicate with the application. The wireless network will transport data from the vehicle using IP-based wireless networks or short message services (SMS) available from many satellite and ground based operators.
The vehicle tracking devices must be installed in the vehicles which are to be monitored. Prior to installation, they must be programmed for the functions they are expected to carry out and have their communications information programmed in as well.
The application must be programmed to recognize and accept data from the devices in the field. Identification for each device should be devised and implemented. Operators with access to different features must be trained with the application.
With data from a commercial vehicle tracking deployment, the smart company will be able to make educated decisions about how best to deploy and use their vehicle resources in the field.
Commercial Vehicle Tracking
