GPS tracking devices interrogated with the best fleet management software are a boon to the fleet vehicle industry and an ideal way to track and monitor your fleet trucks and cars on the roads.
The advancement of fleet management technology helps you to check on driver behavior, deliver real-time advice about the routes to be followed, and find innovative ways to make profits.
The advanced features of GPS trackers and AI dashcam dramatically increase workplace efficiency, productivity, drivers’ performance, fuel management system, and also reduce vehicle theft and insurance cost.
Keeping your employees, customers and valuable assets safe in fleet cars and trucks, vehicle trackers, and related devices come with many benefits for your fleet business.
On the other hand, GPS tracking systems also share a fair amount of problems and downsides, some features and options can be inconvenient to use for illiterate people.
The tracking problems include signal jamming, employees’ privacy issues, cost, and power dependency.
Before investing in the tracking technology, a company has to audit the real-time problems related to GPS trackers and program the solutions to get uninterpreted services.
What are the dominant problems faced in the fleet tracking system?
Over the past decades, GPS tracking systems have become the backbone of the fleet driving business. The tracking feature is the core part of every fleet management software for vehicle and assets safety and protection purposes.
GPS trackers provide unlimited advantages and the benefits list can be endless. It assists operators in reducing paperwork and making efficient vehicle schedules through location tracker and improves customer service.
Starting with route mapping software, tracking location, fuel management to real-time traffic updates, vehicle tracking systems make wonders for drivers, and en route the journey a safe one.
However, there are some issues related to GPS – forgetting to address these negative issues can be a headache later and might result in you losing a few benefits. Some of the common impediments of vehicle tracking are:
- Inaccuracy of tracking device
The GPS mechanism relies on receiving and interpreting the signal from multiple (at least four ) satellites. If a tracking device receives signals only from three satellites, it can affect the positioning and signals.
The signals can also be weak and inaccurate due to physical obstacles such as natural calamities (storms, hurricanes, or heavy rain), tall buildings, trees, walls, and skyscrapers. Extreme environmental conditions and geomagnetic storms can also obstruct ever-reliable GPS signals.
On traveling to a new location, an inaccurate GPS signal creates havoc if the driver does not have the knowledge of roads, and may cause major accidents and problems in delivering assets.
The mapping technology integrated with the GPS tracking system may be not up to date at times and cause navigation problems.
- Battery failure or drainage
Modern GPS tracking devices rely on a heavy battery charge or solar powers to produce accurate and uninterpreted signals.
Some unfortunate cases such as the battery life expiring, dying battery due to heavy power consumption, or shutting GPS due to unnamed reasons can leave the driver in an unknown place without knowledge.
- Employee pushback or privacy issues
Despite the GPS tracker’s negative aspects, most employees will understand the benefits and needs of fleet management software and vehicle tracking.
Nonetheless, some employees are unaware of the tracker’s benefits and find it difficult to accept it and use it. Your driver may feel that the vehicle tracking system is an invasion of their autonomy or privacy and may raise trust issues with you.
- Lack of local knowledge or over-reliance on the tracking device
When traveling, local knowledge of the roads to an extent is important. If your driver entirely depends on GPS for scheduling and mapping for routes they may face difficulties in unexpected situations like floods and rainfall.
- Driver distraction
Drivers who use GPS receive audio instructions, see maps occasionally. Changing destinations or other settings may distract them while driving and cause accidents.
Solutions to resolve the above vehicle tracking system problems
Before investing in the fleet management software, you have to follow and implement the below solutions to avoid unnecessary accidents and delays in vehicle schedules.
- How to deal with GPS signal consistency and battery dies?
To get a clear line of sight GPS signal, additional checks have to be carried out with mobile infrastructure to avoid signal problems. Drivers can carry a manual road map to each journey to know the local route when the tracking signal is affected or the battery fails.
Pre-checking the routes before traveling to avoid the occasional mistakes of the GPS signal.
- To avoid privacy issues
To achieve their targeted performance and profits, it is imperative that your drivers are educated to use GPS devices effectively and to benefit from their features.
Be honest with your drivers about the installed vehicle tracking system along with dashcam to monitor their behavior while driving and location. Make sure to format a written policy with detailed information about the device installed in the vehicle.
Ensure that their private data and telematics are stored securely and will not be disclosed to unofficial employees.
Be clear that every standard fleet driver has to meet the schedules shown in the GPS on time.
- To avoid driver distraction
Select GPS tracking systems with hands-free feature operation and safety policy and install them in your fleet vehicles to reduce the risks due to distraction.
The problems coming with fleet tracking business vary from software to software and hence the solutions can vary too.
Any technology when incorporated in business involves many users and manipulators. With modern technology comes both benefits and disadvantages. As a good fleet managing enterprise, it is your prime responsibility to choose a technology that is both safe and secure for your employees. Do good research on the technology’s problems and promises before you onboard it to your enterprise.
