Category: Heavy Machinery

Off-Road Fleet Tracking: Why Your Construction Business Needs It

Posted on | by Anna | Leave a Comment on Off-Road Fleet Tracking: Why Your Construction Business Needs It

Construction managers have many responsibilities that include not only caring for the well being of their team, but the productivity of their projects. Often this includes meeting worksite compliance, verifying that equipment is efficiently used and ensuring that costs are kept low. With so much to keep in mind, managers can’t overlook how IoT and telematics tools can help them stay successful. Specifically how off-road fleet tracking solutions could help them stay on track. 

Boosting Security 

Off-road fleet tracking allows site managers to better manage their equipment by ensuring that the location of equipment is always known. This helps to reduce the costs that arise if equipment is stolen or is misplaced on job sites. As some pieces cost thousands of dollars to rent, or hundreds of thousands of dollars to purchase, managers must always know where these investments are. Recently, it was brought to light how serious the issue of stolen construction equipment is during a press conference on Wednesday, January 8, 2020, when the OPP recovered a substantial amount of construction equipment worth over $600,000. While insurance is typically used to help reduce the financial burden of missing equipment, the stress and wasted time of relocating equipment is something that many site managers can agree that they can do without. 

 

Increasing Visibility 

Off-road fleet tracking does exactly what it sounds like it does, completes tracking off-road. While knowing the continual GPS location of equipment or tools has its own benefits, it also allows site managers to review their efforts. This is because the trackers and sensors used in off-road fleet tracking solutions can monitor whether there is excessive downtime or other inefficiencies that are costing businesses. 

Often, when a large project is being completed, some equipment will only be used for a small period of time, but will still remain on-site unnecessarily for days or even weeks. This is worrisome if the equipment is taking up critical space, is a rental, or could be used more efficiently at another site. When expensive equipment usage is tracked, managers can make better financial decisions about the equipment and their projects. This also goes one step further as off-road fleet tracking can ensure that the most work is being completed with the fewest resources. Meaning idling equipment is kept at a minimum and the proper equipment is being used so the job is completed effectively. 

 

More Informed Decisions 

Tracking off-road fleets also allows for processes to be streamlined. This speaks to the mass quantities of data that can be gathered from the IoT tools. Anything from location, to hourly use, or fuel-efficiency can be analyzed. This can then be translated into tangible benefits for businesses as better record keeping is possible, alert systems can be programmed, and more intuitive decision making can occur. Ultimately allowing for better preventative maintenance and improved monitoring of engine alerts. 

 

Using Off-Road Fleet Tracking in Your Business 

While discussing the benefits of off-road fleet tracking, it’s important to highlight that just having a telematics device will not guarantee success. Rather it’s important to know that you need to not only use the right solution but utilize it to its maximum potential. Using a reliable and durable solution like the GO RUGGED device is one way to do this. As it’s built to last in harsh conditions and is trusted to track your assets accurately, it’s something that construction teams can’t overlook. If you’re interested in learning more about how GO RUGGED could benefit your construction operations, contact us today! 

Is Your Commercial Contracting Business Maximizing Its Telematics Potential?

Posted on | by Anna | Leave a Comment on Is Your Commercial Contracting Business Maximizing Its Telematics Potential?

When it comes to moving a business forward, many look to implement new tools and strategies to accommodate changing processes and requirements. Recently, the focus for organizations is to streamline processes to not only ensure accuracy and employees responsibilities, but to boost finances. Within the commercial contracting field, telematics can accomplish this and more, specifically with the implementation of new and powerful management systems.

 

What Are Management Systems

A management system is a telematics solution that is used by numerous business owners and managers to grow their business and achieve their long term goals. Not only can these systems work to increase workflow, but these systems also allow for expandability while keeping costs low or reducing them even further. Although the features of management systems can vary, typically solutions can be adjusted to allow for custom mapping or GPS features, dispatching, maintenance, visibility and tracking. The focus is usually streamlining and automating data collection, complying to rules and regulations, as well as streamlining processes. Even though management systems can be applied to nearly any industry in one way or another, one industry that is seeing great potential from using it is commercial contracting or construction. 

 

Why Commercial Contracting Businesses Are Seeing Success

Increased Visibility 

Management systems are praised for visibility. When speaking about commercial contracting businesses, visibility from solutions allows managers to better supervise their teams, resulting in greater management of the overall business. 

For example, since management systems offer live vehicle tracking and equipment tracking integrations, the location of employees and available equipment are always known. So when a call comes in, a dispatching manager can properly dispatch the closest worker who has the right training. Or, managers can dispatch the employee who has the proper tools and equipment, ensuring that they are maximizing their teams efforts by sending someone who can complete the job.

 

Less Downtime 

In addition to live gps fleet tracking, these systems are able to conduct maintenance monitoring for connected vehicles so companies face less downtime and gain larger profits. Not only is this apparent in regards to deploying efforts (as the system will ensure that the right employee with the right skills or equipment will arrive), but in regards to asset quality. This concept speaks to the monitoring of tools, equipment and even the vehicles themselves to ensure they are in peak working performance. As management systems gather specific data that is applied to predetermined algorithms, it is possible to learn when to schedule maintenance.

For example, sensors and diagnostic devices can be installed to monitor vehicle performance. Prompting managers to determine when maintenance should be scheduled. This allows teams to stay productive as sudden breakdowns that cause vehicle downtime happen less often.

 

Boosted Safety 

Lastly, depending on the nature of your commercial contracting business, you may find that your team is frequently dispatched to rural job sites alone. With management systems, managers are able to integrate a number of safety solutions to better protect their lone workers. One to highlight is the Man Down System which offers remote location management. This is through the increased communication from a device that can sense when a worker is injured or falls, resulting in a triggered motion sensor and thus, transmitting a notification requesting the assistance of management and EMS services. 

Regardless of what your focus is for 2020, a management system is a tool that countless contracting businesses are seeing benefits from. Not only are managers and owners noticing that they are able to have more visibility on their team, but they can find ways to integrate maintenance and safety features. 

If you’re interested in learning more about the management features that are available, or what integrations could best fit your unique business needs, contact us today! We’ll be happy to speak with you to learn exactly what you may want to invest in so you can see success in the new year!

Taking Your Fleet Telematics to the Next Level

Posted on | by Anna | Leave a Comment on Taking Your Fleet Telematics to the Next Level

With basic telematics implemented into your fleet, you are now able to track the location, movement and speed of all of your vehicles, which helps your organization increase efficiencies, and effectively, reduce wasted time and improve costs.

So, what comes next?

Advanced Fleet Tracking
Once you have the basics in place, you can start to dive deeper into telematics technology in order to really fine tune and optimize your fleet operation.

Check out these major benefits your company can gain by implementing advanced fleet telematics solutions.

Increased Safety
By monitoring driver behaviour – things such as how fast your driver is driving and how aggressive their driving may be – you can use technology that allows you to talk to the driver and coach them through safer driving practices, thereby increasing safety for them and for your vehicle.

It has been shown that drivers who are aware that their driving habits are being monitored, are more apt to perform safer behaviour which not only increases their safety, but also reduces accidents and damage to vehicles and freight.

Increased Efficiencies
By using real time communication as an add-on to your basic telematics, and adding in some routing apps, you can manage driver routes more efficiently – if there is an accident, you would be able to re-route the driver and eliminate wasted time having them stuck in traffic with high priority loads on the vehicle.

By using some of these type of add-ons to your basic telematics, adding a few minutes more to your driver’s HOS (Hours of Service) can really increase your fleet efficiency and delivery rate.

Reduce Operating Costs
In being able to track even the smallest things, such as idling time and minimizing it, a fleet can increase savings by reducing fuel costs. Other things that can be looked at are tracking at a more granular level, such as live movements on a map, maps routing, stopping vehicles, accidents and who’s responsible, which allows for increased productivity thereby reducing costs.

Optimize Vehicle Performance
With advanced telematics, sensors can send out alerts about engine issues and other diagnostic problems. Further to that, the data can be used in a predictive manner to determine when service should happen on a vehicle and allow for advanced planning in order to ensure as much uptime for the fleet as possible and manage the expenses related to repairs.

Reduce your Carbon Footprint
It’s a hot topic these days more and more companies realize that not only is this good for business, it’s good for the planet as well. By reducing your fleet’s idling time and decreasing speeding (thereby reducing the amount of exhaust and CO2), not only are you increasing the safety of your fleet and drivers, increasing your efficiencies and reducing your costs, you are also helping to do your part in reducing emissions in the air for our future generation.

Streamline Compliance
With the Canadian ELD mandated for June 21st, 2020, it is imperative that fleets ensure they are compliant and implementing advanced telematics not only ensures this but provides many other benefits previously mentioned. In addition to the benefits, the cost of not being compliant is expensive and can be avoided with the correct telematics solutions in place.

Do you need to upgrade your telematics plan for advanced fleet tracking?
Some features are already built into your tracking device that collects the data and some solutions require you to step up to the next level of offered services and products.

In order to get the most out of your fleet telematics so that you can save your company time, money and increase efficiencies and safety, give GoFleet a call. We are here to help create a customized and fully integrated telematics solution that is specific to your needs and lets you get the most value for your money.

Advanced fleet tracking is much more than GPS services and with the telematics of the future, there are and will be so much more you can do in order to continually create the best fleet management company you can envision.

GoFleet – Connected Technology. Smarter Solutions.
Discover more about GoFleet and its Telematics Services

How to Track Equipment: Construction, Hospitals, Warehouses

Posted on | by Diana Savras | Leave a Comment on How to Track Equipment: Construction, Hospitals, Warehouses

Tracking your Assets Locations

 

Companies understand that knowing where their assets are at all times is crucial. Whether this includes small tools or large equipment, keeping track of these assets helps companies prevent theft, loss, and damage. More so, ensuring a company’s assets are monitored can help save time and money- resulting in a more optimized, organized system. So how do you track equipment?

 

In recent years, beacons have been introduced to multiple industries for what appears to be a limitless amount of ways to utilize them to their full potential. Today we will be focusing on how some industries such as construction sites, hospitals, and warehouses have taken advantage of these beacons to track their equipment locations.

 

 

 

Bluetooth & Cellular Beacons – What’s the Difference?

 

Firstly, it is important to understand which companies would benefit from either Bluetooth or Cellular beacons. Simply put, Bluetooth beacons are a good option for companies who want to track their equipment in close proximity (a warehouse for example). Bluetooth beacons have limitations when it comes to their connectivity over long distances as they are limited to a specific range, but their advantage is that they are typically more cost-effective.

 

Cellular beacons, on the other hand, have more capabilities in terms of tracking equipment which are traveling longer distances, they also do not require mobile gateways and mobile apps to work unlike Bluetooth powered beacons.

 

 

Problem VS Solution

 

Losing equipment due to poor inventory management? Beacons help manage your inventory efficiently while saving you money. Arrived at a site only to find that equipment was forgotten? Beacons help ensure the equipment you require is in the vehicle before you leave.

 

how to track equipment

 

Not only that, but they also have embedded sensors that can measure things like impact, battery life, temperature, light exposure, and proximity. These beacons can be attached to equipment, tools, controlled temperature environments, and personnel to track climate management, equipment inventory, parts inventory, and personnel tracking.

 

 

Equipment Tracking for Hospitals

 

how to track equipment - hospital

 

Beacons have become a popular choice for hospitals because they help paramedics focus on saving lives instead of worrying about tracking their assets and emergency vehicles. They do this by helping paramedics know the location of stretchers, defibrillators, heart monitors and other important equipment.

 

By using the beacons, paramedics are able to receive immediate notifications for forgotten, lost or misplaced equipment while helping to uncover them by knowing who used them last and where. It is important for hospitals to track medical equipment and their usage with beacons as they streamline the maintenance of the equipment while saving money by eliminating loss and theft.

 

 

Equipment Tracking for Construction Companies

 

how to track equipment - construction

 

Construction companies are another popular industry that uses beacons regularly as they have multiple assets to monitor at construction sites – mainly large equipment. Because beacons can have waterproof enclosures and a range of 250 meters, they are a popular choice for construction companies to invest in, in order to monitor their small to heavy equipment.

 

Further, a permanent gateway for 24/7 inventory management can be installed. This way, when inventory leaves facilities it can be tracked along with the vehicle that transported the goods by tracking vehicles as they enter and leave a property or designated area. Upon arrival, the arrival time and location can be confirmed. Beacons also help construction companies save money by accurately costing jobs, reducing labor costs and overtime while improving worksite compliance.

 

 

Equipment Tracking for Warehouses

 

how to track equipment - warehouse

 

Warehouses keep track of endless kinds of goods, so they need a way to monitor different aspects in order to ensure the goods arrive at their final destination on time and in great shape. With the use of beacons, warehouses can receive real-time information on location, temperature, impact and light exposure as previously mentioned. These sensory additions to the beacons are crucial for sensitive goods.

 

Beacons provide the ability to track pallets in real time, confirm deliveries, and receive alerts when pallets enter or exit customer locations. With so many ways to optimize warehouse operations, beacons ultimately help to reduce labor costs as well as overtime in warehouse industries.

 

Knowing the benefits of beacons and how they can help improve operations in different industries can help optimize almost any business. Applying devices that help to monitor assets in more ways than just location is just the beginning; with the world of technology constantly evolving we are so excited to see where we go from here!

 

 

Like this blog? Rate us and Check out our other blog on tracking equipment/assets!

 

FAQs – Asset Tracking Services

Protect Your Heavy Machinery With GPS Tracking Fleet Management

Posted on | by Devin Johnson

Protect Your Heavy Machinery With GPS Tracking Fleet Management

Installing a GoFleet GPS tracking fleet management system on your fleet of heavy machinery will help your company run at peak efficiency. Purchasing heavy machinery is a significant investment. Maintaining operation hours and mileage data can turn into an administrative nightmare. With a heavy equipment GPS tracking system, you can reduce the administrative stress, keep tabs on all of your heavy machinery and use the data to manage your fleet more effectively.

Your business runs good when your heavy equipment is in top condition. GoFleet’s GPS tracking fleet management system can send you alerts reminding you of vehicle maintenance. In addition, you can set alerts to let you know when your drivers have exceeded set speed limits or if they leave your machinery idling excessively. The GPS tracking fleet management system alerts are easy to setup. You can get alerts sent by text, email or displayed on your computer screen.

You are in the business of providing a service for your customers, not collecting data and filling out paperwork. The GoFleet GPS tracking fleet management system software will prepare reports, maintain operation hours and track mileage automatically. You will not have to call around to the drivers just to find out where your heavy machinery is. With GoFleet, you will have location information available at your fingertips, in real-time.

GoFleet’s GPS tracking fleet management system has devices that are easy to install in all of your fleet vehicles regardless of what type they are. You can have devices installed in your cars, trucks and heavy machinery so you always know where all of your vehicles are.

One of the best features of GoFleet’s GPS heavy equipment tracking system is the added security. Most business owners are worried that their heavy equipment will be stolen and there is little chance that it will be recovered. You will be able to sleep better at night with a GPS tracking fleet management system. GoFleet has helped many clients retrieve stolen equipment with real-time global positioning.

Top 8 Heavy Vehicle Driver Safety Tips

Posted on | by Courtney redwell

Heavy Vehicle Driver Safety Tips

There is nothing more important than safety on the road, and it is a two-way street. Most truck, logistics and haulage companies as well as their drivers take it quite seriously.

From the 1980’s to today overall heavy vehicle driver safety has improved. There are multiple reasons for this, including vehicle design and better roads, limiting speeds and many more, but a lot of it probably comes from the development of better safety policies and an increase in safety awareness.

Here are a few heavy vehicle driver safety tips:

  1. Safety is always priority number one
    Heavy haulage is significantly more dangerous than office work.
  2. Defensive driver training
    It is important to teach drivers how to deal with the unexpected and avoid problems before they happen. Our devices offer in-cabin driver feedback to help train your drivers to eliminate bad driving habits.
  3. Know what to do in the case of an accident
    It is crucial drivers are aware of their responsibilities and the safest way to deal with accidents
  4. Regular maintenance and inspections
    Keeping your haulage fleet in excellent working order is critical to staying safe. GoFleet offers many solutions to help ensure your fleet is always in top shape, check these out: Diagnostic Vehicle Data, Maintenance Assistant, Tire Monitoring.
  5. Engage drivers in keeping a safe workplace
    Encourage drivers to report any potentially dangerous situations they encounter. Discuss safety on a regular basis including driver input. If everyone works together and looks out for one another it will make it easy to ensure workplace safety.
  6. Conduct pre-trip inspections
    Make sure there are no leaks and lights, brakes, and steering are in working order.
  7. Avoid tiredness
    Driving while tired is often compared to driving while drunk. There is no cure for fatigue other than sleep, make sure your drivers are getting enough rest.
  8. Check the weather regularly
    Driving conditions can be greatly affected by weather conditions and being aware of the weather forecast before heading out on the road can come in handy.

For more information on GPS fleet tracking and/or information on how GoFleet can help with heavy vehicle driver safety, contact us today.

Source: Fleet Safety & Efficiency. Top 12 Heavy Vehicle Driver Safety Tips