For years, fleet tracking and management solutions have helped governments and companies gain visibility into their car and truck fleets, making them safer and more efficient. Today, growing commercial and regulatory pressures are leading to the introduction of new standards that require fleet owners to do even more. Simple tachometers that report basic driving statistics after a journey are no longer enough. A growing emphasis on energy savings, emissions reduction and real-time driver behavior is raising the bar and sending fleet owners in search of new solutions that give them more actionable intelligence about their fleets in real time.
As both vehicle monitoring devices and cloud-based applications evolve, fleet owners need more reliable, high-speed connectivity to send critical driver and vehicle performance data to logistics managers and fleet operators – quickly, accurately and securely. Today’s commercial cars and trucks are not simply a mode of delivery and transportation for companies; they are Internet of Things (IoT)-connected vehicles in constant touch with the enterprises and government entities who own the fleets and manage their operations.
Benefits of IoT-Enabled Fleet Tracking
Fleet tracking offers many benefits, whether it’s being used for tractor-trailers, government vehicles, delivery trucks or commercial fleets, including:
- Driver behavior and safety. Tracking technology can help improve driver safety by alerting fleet managers to undesirable conduct on the road, such as speeding and rapid acceleration or deceleration.
- Fuel usage. Tracking fuel usage enables fleet owners to reduce their own costs, which is especially important given the volatile nature of gasoline prices. IoT-connected tracking solutions can detect excessive idling or unusual driving habits that increase fuel consumption.
- Loss and theft. Fleet owners can reduce the cost of ownership and minimize shipping charges by tracking and monitoring trucks that carry expensive or commonly stolen cargo, such as electronics or pharmaceuticals. Awareness of the status and location of the cargo lessens the likelihood of the cargo or vehicle being damaged or stolen.
Build vs. Buy for Fleet Tracking Solutions
Fleet operators should consider whether their business is best served by building their own fleet tracking solution or simply buying an off-the-shelf, managed service. Companies that require specific customization may choose to build their own solution, but many fleet operators don’t have the in-house technical expertise and support that this type of project requires and instead prefer to go to market quickly with a managed service.
For small and medium-sized enterprises that don’t require a customized solution, a pre-built managed service is the best option. Companies can buy a pre-packaged solution that contains all the elements of a market-ready fleet tracking solution, including the device, network connectivity and a cloud-based application. A managed service also removes the need for in-house development resources and lowers upfront costs, making fleet tracking solutions easier to own and implement. Such services come with the added benefit of quicker deployment times – with a managed service, fleet tracking applications can be up and running in as few as 30 days.
A Trusted Partner
Companies can deploy quickly, efficiently and with low up-front capital costs using a managed service from Sierra Wireless.
Sierra Wireless offers the following types of fleet tracking solutions:
- OBD devices for under the dashboard car and ‘in cab’ truck fleets to monitor driver behavior
- Wired solutions for tractor-trailers or trucking applications
- Satellite solutions for remote tracking where cellular is not available like disaster relief or transmodal shipping.
Our pre-packaged solutions include the following components:
- Wired, OBD or battery-powered device
- Network connectivity
- Cloud-based application
- Satellite solution if cellular not available
- AirVantage IoT Platform for device management
To learn more about fleet tracking applications and what to consider when selecting a solution, read our whitepaper, How to Get Connectivity for Fleet Tracking Right. The new generation of fleet tracking solutions present major business opportunities. Start with Sierra to find out how you can benefit from the competitive advantages offered by these cutting-edge technologies.
