Benefits of Using Telematics for Fleet Management

What is Telematics?

The term ‘telematics’ covers a broad spectrum. For the vehicular industry, it refers to the integrated use of telecommunications and informatics in order create a network where all vehicles can be communicated with and subsequently managed remotely on the road. The word Telematics has a French origin and is derived from the combination of two French words, which mean telecommunications and data/information.

It gives us the avenue to indulge in sharing data and analytics for long-distance transmission.

However, what people don’t realize is the massive change due to blend of telematics in Fleet Management. How? Let’s have a look at life before telematics.

• GPS – Let’s assume it is an unfamiliar area, and the driver is not aware of the roads. Either he would depend on a physical map or take outside help, both of which are laborious and time-consuming processes.
• Mechanical Diagnostics – Factors such as Fuel Consumption, Mileage, and other real-time components are determined by Mechanical Diagnostics. But with the absence of telematics, the driver would have either no idea or would solely rely on his assumptions and understanding of the vehicle.
• Fleet Security and Control – The rise of an industry depends primarily on the management. Along with that, one of the most essential parts of management is providing security. Without telematics, however, this process was just manual, tiresome and way more complicated, along with being slow and definitely less effective.

Fleet Management Software

Coming on to what Fleet Management Software is, it is the most advanced feature of Fleet Management. Implementation of a software system into a vehicle for effective Vehicle Management exponentially improves the management of:

• Vehicles, Assets, and Equipment
• Maintenance and Repair
• Fuel and Emissions
• Drivers including driver license checks
• Workshops and Scheduling – Inspections, defect reporting and audits
• Parts and Inventory
• Accident and Risk Management
• Regulatory and Legal Compliance
• Budget and Forecasting

With a steep rise in the freight industry, along with other disciplines that utilise the freight industry, such as the construction business, the need for telematics in India is at a high priority.

If we go by facts,

• An average fleet spends around 20-40% of its time doing nothing i.e. being idle.
• Remember paper works? Each driver spends more than 100 hours annually at it and,
• The industry uses up almost 51 million hours each year, reviewing them.

But it is because of telematics that the fleet industry can now give paperwork a miss and utilize their time in increasing their productivity and expanding their business.

Fleet Management for Trucks

Fleets come in different shapes and sizes. From trucks, buses to cars, they vary in cost and utility. For a fleet owner with a large number of trucks, there is a huge difference when it comes to fleet management for trucks. The bottlenecks in the management of a fleet of trucks are also different. Here is how:

• More resource consumption, which includes fuel, time, fortune as well as security.
• Larger space to maintain the trucks and cargos.
• The requirement of highly skilled drivers as well as trucking fleet manager.
• In a developing country like India, where the roads are not very polished, the need for Telematics solutions is higher.

Even the uses of the trucking industry are different from the usual fleets.

• The assets transported are way heavier in Trucking Fleets.
• People prefer trucking for long distance transportations, in contrast to smaller transportation vehicles.
• The security of assets is higher in Trucking fleet.

Also read: A-Z of Telematics

Also read: 5 Things About Telematics You May Not Have Known

The Major Benefits of Using Telematics Devices in Fleet Management

Now we answer the main question, why telematics?

• Increased Efficiency

Due to the organized performance of vehicle telematics solutions, the efficiency of the fleet increases.

1. Telematics allows the fleet manager to have real-time communication with the driver. Apart from building a relationship of trust and mutual honesty between the driver and the fleet owner, it also provides the driver with the assurance that in case of trouble, the fleet manager will be there to help him out.
2. Optimized routes and mapping system help the driver to avoid long roads and being stuck in unnecessary traffic, ultimately reducing the time taken to reach the destination. Due to the completion of the task, this will also allow the driver to add a few minutes of driving hours in his daily hours of service (HOS). This will act as a reward system for well-performing drivers.

• Safety

With the advanced features of Fleet Management Software, coupled with telematics solutions, the safety of both the driver as well the assets increases. This is very crucial as it is common knowledge about how dangerous and unpredictable the roads can be.

1. The Weather Update feature helps the driver keeping a track of the climate and conditions of the area. This allows him to avoid being stuck in bad conditions which may be dangerous for him as well as the cargo he may be carrying.
2. Also, being aware of the Driver Behaviour update and knowing that the movements are being tracked, this keeps the drivers in check making sure that they are on schedule and are driving efficiently. This considerably reduces the risks on road.

This improvement in security is one of the major reasons why there is a massive need for the telematics industry in India.

• Job Satisfaction

What is the most important factor to ensure that your business blooms? It is ensuring that your employees are satisfied with their work.

1. Their updated schedules and proper facilities will help them to deliver the carriage in time.
2. This will not only improve their driver behavior status but will also make them appreciate their work.
3. And facts suggest that if a person is happy with their job, they tend to perform better. This will ultimately be beneficial for the fleet industry.

• Reduction in Operation Cost

1. Since operations are carried out in large numbers, saving even a few idle minutes can mean preventing wastage of large amount of fuel and resources which will not only save your investment but will also help in utilizing the resource properly.
2. Routing system updates the driver in real-time situations which helps him to avoid getting stuck in traffic. This is very helpful in preventing excessive fuel consumption as well.

• Monitoring Performance

1. Every movement of the driver, including how fast the vehicle is going, acceleration rate, braking time and other factors are being measured. This helps in evaluating the driver with the standard requirements of the company.
2. Thus, based on the result, the driver is rewarded if he is performing well or counseled if he lacks in some aspects.
3. Finally, this helps in improving the performance of the company as certainly, the drivers are considered the backbone.

• Optimising Vehicle Performance

1. Making sure that the vehicle is well maintained and is subject to regular checks and refurbishments subsequently improve the vehicle performance.
2. Saving unnecessary expenditure by optimizing routing and fuel consumption also leads to an optimized performance delivered by the fleet.

• Scheduled Alerts for Repair

1. The FMS, using IoT can detect and inform the driver as well as the manager if the vehicle needs attention.
2. This helps them to plan and schedule routine check-ups in advance rather than reaching the point where the truck is no longer functional.

• Streamlining Compliance

1. Telematics provides the needful support to help fleet management, which is a wide-spread industry, to be in real-time contact and thus work accordingly.
2. Thus, compliance is maintained with the aid of this technology.

• Retention/Attraction of Drivers

1. There is no doubt that drivers are the carriers of business in the fleet industry. But it’s also true that their contribution is largely limited only on the outside i.e., on the roads.
2. But due to the telematics, it is now possible for the driver to be virtually present in a meeting. Now only this, he can have many frequent conversations with the manager and the rest of his crew. This helps them feel connected and consequently enables better communication and clarity.

• Superior Driver User Experience

1. Due to the involvement of UI/UX, drivers can now participate in a rewarding system. This is a noteworthy recognition for the drivers who have a good delivery time and exceed safety goals.
2. Enhanced UI/UX also allows the driver to navigate through the vehicle management and tracking systems in a much easier fashion, thus reducing time lost in confusion and incomprehension.

• Enhanced Security

1. The use of telematics enables managers and drivers to store data on clouds. This not only saves time from the paperwork but also enhances the security of the documents in case of emergency.
2. Also, the tech allows the drivers to have some entertainment or communicate with family in the relaxation period without compromising the security of the fleet.

Actually, the pros are endless. Consider these as the major scenes if the fleet industry coupled with telematics was a movie.

It’s very important to move ahead. It doesn’t matter if one is slow, what matters is they are moving. Telematics allows the fleet industry to march at an efficient pace, therefore leading it all the way to success.

LocoNav offers your business solutions for Vehicle Tracking, Fleet Monitoring and Telematics, along with FASTag. LocoNav helps you in optimising your operations and business while you focus on the growth of your enterprise!

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