Author: Devin Johnson

Computerized Maintenance Management Software Features

Posted on | by Devin Johnson

Features of GoFleet’s Computerized Maintenance Management Software

Businesses face many challenges trying to manage their fleet’s maintenance. Handling the process manually can prove time consuming and complicated. It is not difficult to overlook the scheduling of preventative maintenance. In addition, unexpected repair costs, scheduling issues and inefficient fuel usage can increase the operating costs for each vehicle and hurt the business’ bottom line.

Fleet managers can improve their operations with GoFleet’s computerized maintenance management software add-on. This software lets managers gain control of their operations and manage maintenance costs. GoFleet’s computerized maintenance management software is easy to use and fully customizable to meet each business’ individual needs.

Fleet managers are able to quickly resolve their fleet maintenance issues and anticipate maintenance requirements in the future. GoFleet provides a wide variety of computerized maintenance management software tools to handle vehicle service issues, preventative maintenance and scheduling repairs.

The computerized maintenance management software is fully integrated with GoFleet’s GPS fleet tracking system allowing managers to track, capture and analyze all of the fleet’s metrics including vehicle usage, engine hours, fuel consumption, vehicle data and fleet operation costs. This data allows fleet managers and business owners to make informed business decisions to optimize their fleet operations, reduce maintenance costs, and increase the bottom line.

Advantages of Computerized Maintenance Management System

Fleet managers can easily schedule maintenance activities and reminders for all necessary maintenance including oil changes, tune-ups, tire rotation, license renewal and lease expiry. Customized reminders can be set up for any other maintenance activities. Reminders can be set up as a one-time event or recurring events based on vehicle mileage, vehicle engine hours or a set time frame.

Fleet managers can define as many triggers for preventative maintenance as necessary. These triggers can automatically complete vehicle maintenance work orders and other maintenance tasks. Meter readings are also monitored automatically.

With GoFleet’s computerized maintenance management software, fleet managers will be able to manage their vehicle’s full life-cycle with a complete view of all mobile assets and equipment. For more information about the computerized maintenance management software, Contact Us.

Distracted Driving Is A Major Concern For Fleet Managers

Posted on | by Devin Johnson

A Major Concern For Fleet Managers: Distracted Driving

Distracted driving is one of the biggest problems fleet managers have to deal with. According to the Official US Government Website For Distracted Driving, distracted driving has become a dangerous epidemic. Each year, there are over 3,000 people killed in crashes caused by distracted driving. A driving distraction is any activity that takes the driver’s mind and attention off of the road or reduces the visual connection with the road, traffic and surrounding environment.

For fleet managers, drivers getting distracted while driving can turn into huge financial losses due to injuries and damages to the vehicles. In addition, it can cause reduced productivity when drivers are in an accident caused by distracted driving.

Visual distractions occur when the driver takes his eyes off the road. When a driver’s thinking process about driving is interrupted, it is known as a cognitive distraction. While visual distractions are more obvious, cognitive distractions are often less recognized. For example, although the driver many only be visually distracted for a couple of seconds when dialing a phone number, he is cognitively distracted for the entire length of a telephone call.

Sometimes the fleet managers are actually to blame. They could be assigning tasks for the driver to completed en route to job sites such as calling the office or calling a customer prior to arriving. Furthermore, a fleet manager may not provide their drivers with adequate training. Not all fleet managers are aware of some of the really great training programs available that will teach their drivers the skills they need to drive safe and efficiently. All drivers should receive basic skills driver training regardless of their experience level when they join your organization.

Types Of Distractions

When fleet managers are creating driving policies, promoting compliance and enforcing policies, it is critical they first identify the current distraction trends and their potential impact on their drivers.

Fleet managers must be aware of distracted driving behaviors such as:

– Visual and cognitive distractions

– Talking on the telephone (using both hands-free and handheld devices)

– Data entry (texting, dialing, GPS data entry, etc.)

– In-vehicle activities (drinking, eating, smoking, grooming, reaching for items, etc.)

– Roadside diversions (disabled vehicles, billboards, advertisements on vehicles, rubbernecking, etc.)

– Drowsiness

Distractions Caused By Mobile Devices

While there are many types of distractions drivers face, talking on a cell phones, using other mobile devices and texting while driving are a primary concerns for fleet managers. In fact, many studies uncovered that talking on a cell phone while driving (hands-free or handheld), increases the risk of accidents similar to the risk of accidents with drivers that have a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08. Fleet managers should focus on eliminating the use of these mobile devices while the vehicle is in motion or stopped briefly at traffic lights, stopped signs or in traffic. Drivers should be trained to pull over on the side of the road or into a parking lot if they need to use a mobile device.

Fleet managers should strongly consider implementing a policy banning the use of hands-free and handheld cell phones while the vehicle is in motion. Many companies are beginning to adopt no cell phone usage policies. Although there will be an adjustment period, companies have not reported any loss in productivity. In fact, 9% of fleet managers actually reported an increase in productivity after implementing this type of policy. All drivers will adapt. Before drivers leave their location, they will begin to stop and think if they have made all calls that need to be addressed right away.

For long-term results, the entire organization needs to be held accountable including the business owner and managers. To begin, fleet managers need to make all drivers understand that the policy has no exceptions. It is important that drivers are not just told “do not text or talk on the phone,” they must be told why the policy is so important and solutions must be provided. For example, make a suggestion that drivers keep their phone on silent while they are driving so they are not tempted to answer the call if it rings.

Strict policies need to be developed with clear consequences if a driver uses the phone while in the vehicle is in motion. Policy follow-through is extremely important. If fleet vehicles have an event data recorder installed for recording activities leading to a crash, make sure that the drivers are aware that the recorder will record their mobile device usage as well.

More and more companies are adopting distracted driving policies and no cell phone usage policies. However, a policy is not effective without having a well-developed strategy to back it up. Fleet managers need to step up the policy, allocate the budget and focus to ensure full compliance. Whether it is implementing compliance technology or employing consequences, drivers need to know your business takes distracted driving issues very seriously.

GPS Fleet Tracking Program – Constantly Strive To Improve Your Fleet

Posted on | by Devin Johnson

Constantly Strive To Improve Your Fleet With A GPS Fleet Tracking Program

A GPS fleet tracking program does more than just provide locational reporting for each of your drivers. It allows you to closely measure your gas efficiency, driver behavior, engine hours, seat belt usage, vehicle stop locations, driver working hours and job site location information, as well as many other things. The GPS fleet tracking program can be used to constantly improve fleet operations.

How To Constantly Improve Fleet Operations Using Your GPS Fleet Tracking Program

1. Select Core Issues That Impact Your Fleet Operation. Every fleet is different. Issues that occur in one fleet operation may not occur in yours. The key to improving your fleet is to select a manageable number of fleet measurements that you would like to focus on.

2. Any issues must be addressed immediately. For example, a fleet manager discovers that several employees are driving dangerously. The fleet manager discusses the issue with the drivers.

3. Take corrective action. For example, the fleet manager has the drivers complete a dangerous driving training program at the office before they are allowed to get back on the road. The customized training addresses the specific issues for the driver and, therefore, has a higher success rate.

4. Reassess the fleet operations and select new measurements. Once a fleet issue is under control, for the most part, it is time to select new issues to be addressed. Add new fleet measurements to your list of constantly measured performance indicators. Think of it as continually improving your fleet operations by tightening the belt and asking for more. Consider altering previous metrics to improve operations. For example, if you received a report for all drivers with idling times more than 10%, consider changing that report to notify you of drivers that idle more than 7% of driving time.

5. Involve the entire organization in making your fleet operation more efficient. Do not just measure and monitor your low level drivers behaviors, gas usage and stop locations using your GPS fleet tracking program. For fleet operations to successfully be improved, you must involve the entire organization including business owners and managers. Setting the tone from the top lets all drivers know how seriously the business is taking fleet improvements.

6. Post measurement data where all drivers can see it. Once you put a GPS fleet tracking program into action, presenting measurements where all drivers can see them creates friendly competition and positive peer pressure between the drivers. The numbers will begin to improve immediately because nobody wants to be at the bottom of the driver scorecard.

For more information on how you can use your GPS fleet tracking program to constantly improve your fleet operations, Contact Us.

Fleet Technology Can Improve Driver Safety

Posted on | by Devin Johnson

Improve Driver Safety with Fleet Technology

Safety should not be estimated or second guessed. Fleet managers cannot afford to skimp on training for their drivers. To improve driver safety, the first step is to make sure the entire business adopts a culture of safety. If the company owners and managers do not participate and support safe practices, the fleet safety improvements cannot be accomplished. Fleet managers are now turning to technology to help guarantee their drivers perform their jobs securely and safely.

Ongoing Safety Training

Fleet managers need to foster an environment of safety and a culture of personal responsibility promoted for all employees. This will ensure that the drivers are all performing safely and to the best of their abilities. Upon hiring, all drivers should participate in a training orientation program including requirements for driver fitness, the proper way to perform vehicle inspections, driver qualifications, driver wellness and company rules.

Using constantly evolving technology, drivers should comply with an ongoing safety regimen. Telematics can be used to closely monitor drivers’ behaviors on the road such as speeding, hard acceleration, hard breaking, and utilization of seat belts. There are limitless amounts of measurements GPS fleet tracking technology can be analyzed. Each company should choose the core behaviors that impact the safety of their drivers the most.

In order to continuously improve driver safety, keep the number of driver performance indicators to a manageable amount. If a driver is found to exhibit a red flag behavior, the driver should be required to complete additional driver training for that behavior. Red flag behaviors can include collision, speeding, usage of seat belts, or aggressive driving. The telematics measurements allow fleet managers to customize the driver training to the driver’s specific unsafe driving practices. Focusing on the specific behavior allows fleet managers to help improve driver safety when there is an opportunity for improvement.

Adding ongoing driver training does not have to be time consuming or complicated. The training can actually be done on a mobile device such as a tablet or in the office.

Use The Technology To Create Friendly Competition

By posting the telematics measurements in an area where all the drivers can see, the drivers will try to improve their own safety habits as a form of friendly competition. Recognizing the drivers with the lowest percentage of unsafe driving practices is also helpful in the promotion of safe driving. The driver scorecards should be posted for all levels of the company including the business owner, fleet managers, other management and all of the drivers. This will show that the entire organization holds safe driving practices to the highest standard.

Preventative Maintenance Programs Benefit Fleet Managers

Posted on | by Devin Johnson

Fleet Managers Find Many Benefits In Preventative Maintenance Programs

Fleet managers are turning to preventative maintenance programs to help them get a handle on fleet maintenance, reduce breakdowns, and improve vehicle safety. These programs consist of various maintenance activities such as vehicle inspections, servicing, repairs, adjustment, replacement of worn parts, testing, and oil changes.

There are many reasons fleet managers are concerned about keeping up with the preventative maintenance schedule for their fleet. One major reason is that preventative maintenance maximizes the availability of all of the vehicles. If employees do not have access to the company’s vehicles when they need them, productivity is drastically reduced because they are unable to do their job. In addition, if a vehicle does not receive regular preventative servicing, the vehicle’s lifespan can be greatly reduced.

From a safety standpoint, adhering to a preventative maintenance program improves drivers’ safety and helps prevent litigation. If vehicles are unsafe due to repairs not getting done or lack of maintenance, the fleet manager and business can be held liable for negligence entrustment. Vehicular negligence occurs when an employee is provided with a dangerous vehicle while the manager either knowingly or should have reasonably known that using the vehicle could cause harm or unreasonable risk to others.

Preventative maintenance previously had to be manually scheduled, which was a tedious and time consuming task for fleet managers. Their schedules are already hectic with many important issues on their mind like lowering fuel costs, trying to stay in budget and managing drivers while they are on the roads. It is easy to understand how preventative maintenance schedules often got forgotten or pushed to the side. Although many fleet managers had good intentions with strictly sticking to their preventative maintenance schedules, vehicle maintenance was more of a reactive occurrence than a proactive occurrence.

With many advances in technology, especially in the fleet management industry, fleet management software provides an affordable, efficient option for fleets of all sizes. These systems allow fleet managers to set up vehicle maintenance schedules easily based on the maintenance activity, engine hours, miles driven or time frame. Reminders can be sent directly to the user’s computer or email when the vehicle is due for maintenance. Customized reports can be printed out to detail maintenance histories, work orders, fuel usage, and accident claims. Fleet managers are now better able to manage their fleet and maintain fleet vehicles on a more efficient, proactive basis.

Global Tracking System: Food & Beverage Service Industry

Posted on | by Devin Johnson

Food & Beverage Service Industry: Global Tracking System

Businesses in the food and beverage service industry have many different distribution points spread over a wide area. Their fleet vehicles are constantly traveling all over the map to distribute food and beverage products. These companies need a system to keep track of their vehicles, manage their drivers and provide efficient product delivery to their customers. In addition to helping companies in the food and beverage service industry run smoother fleet operations, a global tracking system can ensure the security of the vehicles and products. GoFleet’s global tracking system is the optimal solution.

Know Your Specific Business Needs

Before you implement a global tracking system, it is important that you know what your business needs are specifically. Consider the following questions:

– How are you currently ensuring the security of your food and beverage service distribution vehicles?

– How often do your delivery and pickup locations change?

– What type of information do you need to collect about your distribution points?

– Do you need remote temperature monitoring for your food and beverage refrigerated trucks?

– Do you need truck routing software to improve your dispatching and routing?

– Do you find it difficult to keep track of your vehicles’ maintenance?

GoFleet’s global tracking system can be used to keep your assets secure and ensure they are being used properly. MyGeotab is GoFleet’s web-based fleet management software. Custom reports can be used to improve driver behavior, increase productivity, organize vehicle maintenance, drastically reduce fuel costs and improve customer satisfaction.

GoFleet’s global tracking system provides the ultimate solution for businesses in the food and beverage service industry. GoFleet offers many add-ons that are fully integrated with their global tracking system and can be used to enhance food and beverage distribution services. For example, a remote temperature sensor can be installed in your refrigerated trucks. Every 4 seconds, the real-time temperature monitor sends the current temperature wirelessly to the fleet management software. If the temperature goes over or under the set threshold, an immediate email alert will be sent to the fleet manager. This will ensure the food and beverage products being distributed do not spoil during transportation and the product quality remains high.

For more information about GoFleet’s global tracking system, Contact Us.

Businesses Use New Technology To Improve Road Safety

Posted on | by Devin Johnson

Fleet Management Technology Is Being Used By Businesses To Improve Road Safety

Businesses with fleet operations must be proactive in improving road safety. They have an obligation to protect the drivers whom they employ and other drivers on the roadways. That is why many businesses are turning to new technology to help the improve road safety. Many business owners and fleet managers are working hard to cultivate a workplace culture that promotes safe driving practices. While businesses are striving to stay competitive in these hard economic times, many are finding it equally as important to stay dedicated to supporting their community and encouraging their employees to improve their driving practices.

Reducing Speed

Driving at an increased speed increases the likelihood of a crash and its consequences. If a driver gets into an accident driving 35 miles per hour, it is twice as likely that someone will be killed in that crash than if the driver was only going 30 miles per hour.

There are many ways to reduce vehicle speeds including stricter speed enforcement, road design and legislation. Businesses with fleet operations are using their GPS based fleet management system’s automatic notifications and management reports to reduce speed violations while drivers are on the job. If a driver’s speed goes over a set threshold, an alert will automatically be sent to the fleet manager’s email or be posted in the web-based software’s dashboard. In addition, custom management reports can be created to inform the fleet manager of the drivers speed violations and other dangerous driving violations.

Wearing Seat Belts

The seatbelt is, perhaps, the best safety device that was ever developed for the automobile. Wearing this simple strap can reduce the risk of a car crash related death by up to 60%. If all drivers drive according to the posted speed limits and wear their seat belts, each year approximately 12,000 lives could be saved and 180,000 injuries could be prevented in the United States. While seat belt laws have increased the use of seat belts, some drivers still choose not to wear it. This does not have to be the case when a driver is on the job. Fleet managers can use their GPS fleet management system software to receive alerts and management reports informing them of whether or not the drivers and/or their passengers are wearing their seat belt.

Fleet Management Tracking System: Security Services Industry

Posted on | by Devin Johnson

Security Services Industry: Fleet Management Tracking System

When you are in the security services industry, you are responsible for protecting your clients, property, vehicles and other valuable assets. Your clients put their trust in you to protect the people, places and things that matter most to them. Monitoring those assets with a GoFleet fleet management tracking system is a cost-effective way to guarantee protection for your clients.

Security services companies are dedicated to providing protection for their clients. A fleet management tracking system is an important tool for your business’ operations. It provides an easy and quick way to monitor assigned assets with a minimum amount of hassle.

Know Your Business Needs

When you are considering implementing a fleet management tracking system in your security services company, you first need to determine your specific business needs. GoFleet uses a flexible software platform that can be used to increase your security fleet’s visibility, provide increased security for your clients, improve staff management and reduce operating costs.
Questions to consider include:

– How do you monitor the location of the assets that you have been hired to secure?

– What types of assets is your company hired to secure?

– Do you need to separate and share assets that you are monitoring?

– Do you provide constant monitoring and security services for your clients?

GoFleet fleet management tracking system was constructed with security in mind. The web-based software is not only secure, it is easy to implement and it can be accessed anywhere there is an internet connection. Automatic alerts can be sent to your email even when you are offline. For example, if your security professional providing protection services to a client and their vehicle goes off the authorized route, you can get an instant notification. That will give you time to make sure your client is safe and secure. GoFleet offers security services companies a wide range of software customization options that can increase the ways companies can protect their clients and their assets.

In addition, GoFleet has many add-on features that can enhance a security company’s operations. For example, a car dash camera can be fully integrated with the fleet management tracking system. Cameras can record and live stream events that are occurring inside and outside of the vehicle. GoFleet’s man down system provides lone worker protection. If your security team is sent out for a dangerous assignment, the manual panic button can be used to alert your office if they are in trouble.

For more information on how GoFleet can be used to ensure the security and safety of the assets you have been hired to protect, Contact Us.

Business Tracking Software Is Essential For Medium & Large Fleets

Posted on | by Devin Johnson

Medium & Large Fleets Find Business Tracking Software A Necessity

Businesses with large and intermediate size fleet operations are finding business tracking software an essential component of fleet management. With many vehicles and drivers, it is virtually impossible to keep up, provide routing and dispatching without it. Many fleet management companies are tailoring their software for these businesses to give fleet managers the relevant information they need to run a smooth fleet operation.

Large Fleets

Large fleets contain many moving parts that are usually spread over a wide geographical area. All vehicles must be accounted for and properly monitored at all times. Business tracking software can be customized for the business by department, geographical area or vehicle type to mimic the business’ internal structure.

When you have a large fleet, it is extremely important to find a business tracking software and fleet management solution with the capability of supporting a large amount of data and be able to interpret that data into information that you can use. The software solution needs to be able to help your fleet manager easily manage the entire fleet and all of your drivers. The software you select must be able to compile unlimited historical data within a reasonable amount of time.

Intermediate Size Fleets

Medium size fleets might not have thousands of vehicles but they still need to have GPS business tracking software to handle a large amount of vehicles easily. Customized tracking software can be integrated with their back office software to improve dispatching capabilities, productivity and vehicle maintenance management and much more.

Customized dashboards, alerts and reports can be created for different departments and people throughout your business. Business tracking software can help you stay in control of your medium sized fleet and prevent you from overlooking important issues. Automatic vehicle maintenance reminders can help fleet managers ensure all vehicles receive service in addition to extending the fleet’s lifespan.

GPS Fleet Solutions Are Proving Valuable For Small Fleets

Posted on | by Devin Johnson

Small Fleets Are Finding Major Value In GPS Fleet Solutions

Regardless of the size of your fleet, business tracking software using GPS will provide extremely valuable tools and data that will improve your fleet operations. Many business owners think that their fleet is too small to use business tracking software; however, even small fleets with only a few vehicles find that this fleet management tool improves customer services, reduces costs and improves driver productivity.

Small businesses need to be able to monitor their fleet closely to save money and run their operations more efficiently. GPS fleet solutions can be used to update older fleet management methods to improve their operations and automate many time consuming processes. It also helps fleet managers monitor their drivers’ behaviors to eliminate unsafe driving habits.

Businesses with manual processes find that they have more mistakes, increased labor costs, and encounter more vehicle, fuel and labor theft issues. GPS fleet solutions provide a system for small businesses to monitor these metrics so they do not slip by without being noticed. In addition, it improves theft recovery. Having to replace a stolen vehicle is expensive and could break a small business.

GPS fleet solutions are now affordable for all business sizes so small fleets have access to tools that can automate their fleet operations. In addition, many businesses see reduced costs and a return on their investment within a matter of months. These tools can be used to improve customer service and give the business a competitive advantage.

Small businesses need to investigate possible GPS fleet solutions based their individual needs, industry and budget. The company the select should be selected based on their ability to prevent theft, increase efficiency, increase productivity, save costs. Furthermore, the solution they chose must be able to be scaled as their business grows.