Most common questions about GPS Tracking
Q. What is GPS tracking/ Navigation?
A. Navigation is a device that allows the driver to see where they are. GPS tracking is a technology that allows companies to supervise their employees and vehicles ensuring that they are more productive and efficient. GPS tracking is the electronic equivalent of having a supervisor driving with the employee all day long.
Q. Why do we need GPS Tracking?
A. For the same reason a shop has a foreman, an office has an office manager a factory has supervisor. If a company’s revenue is produced by a driver in a vehicle performing a service it would make sense to use GPS tracking to help them be more efficient. Using a Fleet Management System properly reduces costs and improves productivity. When implemented correctly the use of GPS tracking more than pays for itself.
Q. How does it make/save me money?
A. Simply put by implementing GPS tracking your employees will be more efficient, there will be less wastage of time and resources resulting in increased productivity.
Q. If I buy GPS tracking how do I recover the expense?
A. By implementing a Fleet management solution correctly you will see an increase in productivity and a reduction in costs.
Q. What are the kinds of thing that I will notice once I start using GPS tracking?
A. A dramatic reduction in fuel costs, reduction in overtime, accurate and verifiable billing for customers, increased operator efficiency, accurate payroll records, improved scheduling, better routing, reduced management costs, reduced insurance costs, increased customer satisfaction.
Q. Is this legal?
A. Yes
Q. Do we need to tell our employees we are installing GPS tracking?
A. No, however see below.
Q. We trust our employees we don’t want them to think that we are spying on them.
A. By explaining to employees that you are implementing this system to be more efficient as well as provide the tools to help in terms of routing, reducing fuel costs, improving customer satisfaction and accountability as well as reducing insurance costs they will understand that it is a companies’ responsibility be proactive in maintaining a competitive advantage in the marketplace. For more information on how to introduce GPS tracking to your employees please call our customer service.
Q. Can I access the information from any computer on the internet?
A. Yes.
Q. How often does it update?
A. Every 1-10 seconds depending on how the system is setup and your requirements.
Q. How many people can log in?
A. As many as you like.
Q. Is there an additional charge for doing an immediate update on the vehicle?
A. No our service is unlimited.
Q. How long is the information stored for?
A. One Year, however you can request a longer storage period if required archive the reports as excel files for longer.
Q. How accurate is GPS tracking?
A. It is accurate to within 25 feet.
Q. Can it be disabled?
A. Generally no, it is not mounted in an area that is accessible to anyone other than a technician. However should some one tamper with the system it is very easy to determine.
Q. Does it work when the vehicle is turned off?
A. Yes.
Q. Can any one else see where my vehicles are?
A. No, unless you give them the username and password.
Q. Is GPS tracking a “fad”?
A. No more than cellular phones.
Q. If GPS tracking is so “great” why doesn’t every one have it? A. When cellular phones were introduced to the market in 1985 not every one thought that they would be such an essential business tool. The use of GPS tracking for commercial vehicles for the specific purpose of management is growing every year. It does not make any sense to have such a valuable resource as ones employees, vehicles, tools, materials and most importantly time go unsupervised 95% of the time. The small cost of GPS tracking is easily recovered 10 times over by increased productivity and reduced costs. As this technology has become more affordable and available to small businesses so has its use.
Q. What happens if the vehicle goes out of cellular coverage? A. It will store the route it has traveled and will upload the information when it gets back in cellular coverage.
Q. How big is the device?
A. Approx 2.5”x 2.5”x1”
Q. Can we install the unit ourselves?
A. We recommend that this should be done by a professional technician, however many organizations with larger fleets maintain their own vehicles and have their own technicians.
Q. What kind of things will the system allow me to do?
A. You will be able to see where your vehicles are as well as immediately locate them with in 10 seconds. You will be able to see the whether the ignition is on or off the heading and speed where exactly they are on what road and the nearest address. You will be able to see where they have been, the routes they have traveled, speeding and excessive idling. You can also be notified if a vehicle enters or exits an area that it shouldn’t. The system can send you an email for all these things. The system allows you to generate numerous reports so that you can easily see where and how a vehicle was operated in a matter of moments.
Q. We only operate 5 vehicles, do we really need this?
A. The average cost of operating a small van or commercial vehicle on the road is upwards of $6K per month:
Wages @ 25.00/hour based on 40 hour work week= $1,000.00
CPP, EI, WSIB contributions generally are about 15%= $150.00
Total per month= $4,600.00
Vehicle lease= $600.00
Insurance= $200.00
Fuel= $500.00
Maintenance=$100.00
TOTAL $6,000.00
This is a fairly conservative figure not taking into account any overtime, and filling up only once a week. It costs approximately $30,000.00 per month to operate 5 vehicles. You would require an increased efficiency of only 1% to more than pay for GPS tracking. Most businesses that are implementing it are seeing returns of 10% to 20%. This comes from performing more service calls, installations, deliveries, better routing, less wastage of time, increased fuel efficiency, safety and overall improved customer satisfaction.