According to studies, the ability for management to actually see where their vehicles are located versus where they need to be can decrease miles driven by 10 to 30 percent. Once a vehicle's position has been determined, either through triangulation - using three cell phone towers to acquire a position that is accurate within approximately 1 square mile – or by using as many as fourteen satellites to determine an exact location that is accurate to approximately 3 square feet, it can be transmitted wirelessly to a central server that can be used to display the location via a Web browser.

 

Tracking devices range from units imbedded in cell phones to hard-wired devices made specifically for monitoring a vehicle's position such as Verizon's Networkfleet 5000 Series (inset), an under-dash unit that contains a GPS chip and a cellular modem.

Fleet management systems continue to grow in popularity in the landscape industry for good reason. The ability to locate, route, dispatch and track trucks and equipment; monitor their physical conditions; communicate with the operators and keep an eye on their driving behavior can pay big dividends. These include reducing fuel costs, overtime, idling time and the risks of road breakdowns; improving safety; recording "proof-of-service;" accurately tracking hours for billing purposes; eliminating manual timesheets; making better arrival estimates; keeping equipment more secure; even reducing your company's carbon footprint.

All of which can lead to a more productive and efficient operation, and importantly, cost savings. Here is a look at some of the various solutions available.

Verizon Networkfleet
This system combines Web-based software and GPS fleet management hardware that includes a small box under the dash that holds a GPS chip and a cellular modem, and a cellular antenna outside the box. The box transmits vehicle data, including location, speed and engine diagnostics via the Verizon cellular network when in range, and via satellite when not in range. Management receives the data on a monitoring dashboard. For two-way communication, the system integrates with on-board GPS devices from Garmin. Third-party software can also be integrated to assist with data management, real-time routing, vehicle maintenance, fuel purchase optimization, and more.
networkfleet.com

Fleetmatics
Incorporating in-vehicle GPS units, this system provides a suite of driver and vehicle activity reports that give a comprehensive view of what's happening in the field. One company reported that among the benefits they experienced with this system was being able to schedule more jobs per day without adding work hours, and to identify employees who clocked out improperly.
fleetmatics.com

Xora StreetSmart
This is a suite of configurable cloud-based apps that turn any mobile device into a data collection tool, which integrates with back-office systems and other applications. One snow removal company gave all their drivers iPhones. All the jobs for a given day, and the route directions for each job, are sent to these phones. The details of each job goes onto a spreadsheet that is used for job costing, billing and job status.
clicksoftware.com

Azuga G2•
These under-the-dashboard tracking units read engine data every second and send that data to the cloud, which then transmits these real-time updates to fleet administrators' desktops. One landscape company states that it cut unnecessary overtime within days and that on average, overtime is down by two hours per week per crewmember. Engine monitoring includes diagnostic trouble codes. The "Drive Safe," feature locks down the calling and texting functions of the drivers cell phone once the vehicle is in motion.
azuga.com

Teletrac Fleet Director???(R)???AE????
A cloud-based fleet tracking platform equipped with GPS navigation, the manufacturer reports that their software currently processes over 25 billion data transactions daily, and tracks more than 200,000 vehicles in 87 countries. The system can be scaled for the needs of price-sensitive customers looking for basic GPS vehicle tracking, to enterprise customers looking for hours of service solutions, third-party data integrations or native business intelligence. A recent customer survey found fuel consumption reduced by up to 30 percent, overtime reduced by an average of 15 percent, unauthorized vehicle use reduced by 12 percent, and productivity increased by 12 percent.
teletrac.com

Besides lowering travel time and miles driven to jobs, fleet tracking systems can provide accurate reimbursement to employees of miles driven, monitor personal use of company owned vehicles, and significantly improve field service operational efficiencies, which can lead to better customer retention and increased profits.

Assets such as trailered equipment can also be outfitted with GPS tracking units like the Asset Guard device (inset) to help recover the equipment if stolen, and alert management to unauthorized use of them.

Global Tracking Group UBI-5000E
At 2.5 inches by 1.5 inches by .75 of an inch thick, this is reportedly the smallest GPS tracking device on the market today. It requires no external battery or antenna, and lets companies monitor results online. Each unit sells for $224.95 each and service plans start at $19.99 per month. At Global Tracking Group???(R)???AE???(R)'?N??s Website, users can view or print driving reports, and receive location alerts via e-mail or cell phone. Besides vehicles and equipment, the devices are also marketed for tracking employees for safety and security reasons.
globaltrackinggroup.com

US Fleet Tracking
This GPS tracking solution provides Internet-based access to live vehicle tracking and asset management in a single package without surcharges, extra wireless plans, extra ping packages or contracts. The Maintenance Module is within its live GPS tracking software, which can integrate directly with popular pest control dispatching software such as PestPac.
usfleettracking.com

Master Route
A distributor and dealer of commercial- and industrial-grade GPS fleet tracking and monitoring solutions, and machine to machine (M2M) monitoring solutions, their products track and manage assets through secure, scalable, Web-based platforms on "White Label" portals with company name and logo. Cell- and satellite-based systems are available, are customizable, and built on the IndusTrack configurable iTracker software, which integrates with back-office CRM or accounting software such as QuickBooks. The system is hardware agnostic and sensors can be added.
masterroute.com