Busting the Myths About GPS Fleet Tracking

There are some common myths about GPS tracking today that can impede a company’s progress and success. We are here to officially bust them.

Myth #1: I trust all my people, so I don’t need this

GPS fleet tracking isn’t about having Big Brother always watching the drivers. It’s about reducing operating costs and increasing efficiencies. The drivers you want working for you – the ones who do everything right and don’t have anything to worry about – will understand this, especially once the benefits to them are outlined, like more efficient routing and dispatching and improved driver security. 

Myth #2: My drivers won’t want to work for me if I use it

Once field workers gain some experience with GPS fleet tracking, they come to expect and even rely on it for real-time routing info and updated traffic maps, roadside assistance, verification of jobsite arrival/departure times, and increased safety and efficiency. It also can help eliminate a lot of the dreary paperwork that nobody likes by keeping job orders and customer info digitally.

Myth #3: It’s hard to install and understand

So here’s the thing: Anything new can seem hard to understand at first, but most GPS tracking devices are intuitive to install and use, with easy-to-read interfaces. A single training session will likely be enough to get you and your employees up to speed, and the more everyone uses it, the more second nature it will become.

Myth #4: It’s too expensive

Yes, there is an initial investment, but there is also a pretty serious return on that investment, in the form of money saved on fuel, excessive idling, side trips, reckless driving, overtime/timesheet fraud and unnecessary maintenance as well as greater efficiencies and improved safety – meaning there may be fewer insurance claims and thus lower insurance premiums. Some insurance companies also offer discounts if a company uses GPS tracking.

Or think of it this way: You’re already shelling out the money – you’re just doing it by paying for inefficiencies or wastes instead of a service that eliminates them and lets everyone be more productive, meaning more job orders get filled and the business brings in more money.

Myth #5: We have other ways to manage our fleet

Of course you do – how else would you be in business? But though you might think you’re doing just fine keeping track of employees and vehicles via cell phone, there’s room for improvement. 

GPS fleet tracking isn’t just about the tracking (although as far as that goes, it makes it much easier and faster for dispatchers and fleet managers to see on a digital dashboard where all drivers are instead of playing phone tag). It’s also about near real-time information like time spent at jobs and during stops, traffic updates, engine ‘on’ hours, maintenance alerts, driver behavior, fuel usage, idle times, etc. – none of which cell phones can provide. Remember, you aren’t just keeping track of your human assets – you’re also managing your vehicles.

Myth #6: My fleet is too small to merit it

Newsflash: Any company that depends on vehicles to run the business needs to know where vehicles and drivers are at all times, where they’ve been, what they’re doing and how safely they’re driving. 

Fleet tracking helps you respond to customer requests faster because you always know where everyone is, lets you quickly locate any broken-down vehicles and reroutes around traffic jams – so whether you have 3 vehicles, 30 or 300, you’re improving the way the business is run. 

And it’s customizable, so you can make changes based on your individual business by simply checking boxes or selecting options on a drop-down menu, including controls on who can see which information.