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How GPS Tracking Helps The Trucking Business

Tracking trucks using GPS is accomplished either by installing a device in the truck which sends signals about its latest position or tracking the mobile phone of the driver which requires the driver to agree to the tracking.

In most cases, GPS tracking is inbuilt in a platform to manage the delivery fleet by the company.

The GPS has many parts like the master server, a geographical representation of the land, signal sender and receiver, etc.

GPS tracking can be of 2 types.

1st is what we have read above. Regular tracking is also known as active tracking which is used generally.

The other type of tracking is passive which means that the device gathers all kinds of data during a trip and once the vehicle returns to the warehouse or depot, the device is attached to a computer that downloads the data.

The remaining processing happens thereafter. Passive tracking too has its benefits and can find its application where the device loses connectivity to the internet and is unable to send data. In such scenarios passive tracking is a business saving option.

Let us go through the benefits of GPS tracking and understand how it helps the trucking business.

  1. Employees can be monitored using GPS to track the distance they have covered, the route they took, the amount of fuel they spend for work, the number of breaks they took, the length of the breaks, and similar performance data.

These data collected is sent to the master server to be stored. Later this data is used by the superiors to calculate payments, analyze performance, and make strategic changes in business policies to optimize the performance.

2. Efficient route planning is done based on the delivery address of the customers.

The software uses GPS to locate the area where the customers stay, arrange them in a serial order based on the distance and direction, and then decide the best route for the delivery person. This is called route optimization and aims to reduce travel time, fuel spent, and the number of stops a delivery person has to make.

3.GPS can also be used to gather data about the traffic along a particular route.

Once this data is gathered, the software can make changes in the route and can provide alternate roads if that helps to reduce the travel time. To do this, the GPS in the delivery person’s mobile connects to the master system and gets input from the GPS installed on mobile devices of the general public.

This is done continuously hence seems to be live traffic information.

4.GPS can be programmed to provide updates about the routes or notifications of changes in delivery along with the required changes to the route. This helps the driver to follow the necessary instruction provided by the fleet master.

These instructions could be changed in the delivery location, cancellation of delivery due to the unavailability of customers to receive the package, etc.

5. The GPS has another feature of accommodating updates on the go. That means the fleet master can send changes to the routes or the delivery addresses to the drivers while they are already on their way to the destination. This feature is very helpful in cases of the reverse pick up in which the customer wants to return the package.

6. The data about the driver’s performance is recorded in both types of tracking. This helps the business do the analysis and provide necessary changes. The analysis is another useful feature of GPS with which the organization can improve the performance of the assets. At the end of the day, all the necessary changes are done keeping the customer experience in mind.

7. There are many other unconventional ways GPS is being used by companies who only deal with last-mile deliveries like food, medicines from local sellers, groceries, etc.

The tracking system in vehicles can also be equipped to send an alert if the temperature of the refrigeration system in the vehicle (used to store cold storage food items or medicines) stops functioning.

With the alert, the driver can take preventive measures to ensure the functioning of the cooling system is restored to normal as soon as possible.

8. Using GPS a customer gets a live update about its package or parcel. This is a very beneficial feature for last-mile delivery in which the customer is expecting delivery of a package.

With this feature, the customer can be available to collect the package which results in improved customer experience. The update of the exact location of the delivery person depends on how properly GPS is merged with the business application.

In a normal scenario, the customer gets to know the driver’s exact location and how much time would it take for them to reach the destination.

9. Measurement of distance covered is mostly done in passive GPS tracking and once the vehicle returns to the depot, the GPS device is connected to the computer which downloads all the data and does all the necessary calculations.

The raw and the calculated data is then used by the business to make strategic decisions.

10. Vehicle security is easily managed by GPS.

A GPS enabled vehicle can be easily tracked as long as it is connected to the battery and is functioning.

The vehicle owner can take various actions including locking the controls of the car remotely to stop the theft. Many recently launched vehicles including passenger cars have this kind of security system and are liked by the buyers.

While GPS provides many benefits, it takes a good amount of effort to keep the system up and usable. Data security is one of the key risks associated with GPS tracking and organizations spend a substantial number of resources to ensure data security.

With so many benefits wouldn’t you like to apply GPS tracking in your logistics business?

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