Elimination of 2G Networks Approaching

AT&T announced 3 years ago it would be eliminating its 2G network in 2017, now that isn’t so far away.

“The Dallas telecommunications company said it plans on discontinuing its 2G network, also known as GSM or EDGE, by January 1st, 2017. It plans to take that 2G spectrum and re-use it to augment its 3G and 4G wireless services”, stated in a 2012 article by CNET.

That article may have been posted over 2 years ago, when AT&T broke the news in August of 2012, but it is now approaching fast. Customers could be effected prior to 2017 given AT&T has advised “AT&T may turn down to only one band of 2G service in some markets and may completely turn down the 2G network in some markets before the January 1, 2017 turndown nationwide”. To find out why this is happening and what should be done, keep reading.

The 2G footprint – if it’s so big why shut down?
As of Q3, 2013, 2G or second generation networks, still account for slightly under 70% of all connections worldwide. Many of the new cellular connections are in the developing world, and most of these are on 2G networks. 2G networks are more common in both Europe and Africa than 3G networks and there are no plans to shut down these 2G networks for the most part. In fact, in Europe because 2G networks have such a large footprint, as carriers move towards faster networks we are hearing that they will be shutting down 3G before 2G.

It’s quite the opposite in the United States – we have heard of no plans to shut down the 3G networks in the US as of today. While there is no doubt that 3G will be shut down one day, we certainly are not seeing that happen any time soon.

As for shutting down 2G networks, the story is once again different in North America and Australia than in Europe. The two notable carriers shutting down their 2G networks that impact Geotab and other Telematics provider’s customers are AT&T in the United States and Telstra in Australia. Both Telstra and AT&T are moving away from the 2G network by the end of 2016. Why is this? Basically, fewer networks to support, more efficient use of their networks resulting in lower operating costs, and by freeing up spectrum they can allocate it to the faster networks with more profitable services.

Some Telematics providers, Geotab included, have devices running on T-Mobile’s 2G network. While T-Mobile does have a 2G network it has not yet released any plans of shutting it down. But, if those 2G devices running on the T-Mobile network or one of its MVNOs are set up to roam onto the AT&T network, those are subject to darkness too when roaming onto the AT&T network.

2G in the M2M space
Telematics and M2M data needs are normally light compared to other consumer applications that require the bandwidth availability and faster speeds of 3G. Also, 2G modems are cheaper than 3G modems. These factors, paired with the fact that M2M and Telematics devices have a relatively long life, have contributed to 2G being so strong in the Telematics industry.

Historically, data costs from network providers have been the same regardless of the technology. Unfortunately, that will be changing in North America. To encourage customer migration from 2G in the US to 3G, AT&T and their Mobile Virtual Network Operators are increasing the monthly data costs of the 2G network.

If I have an older 2G device, what do I do?
Let’s face it, typically you do not just go out and swap out a modem. If you have an older Telematics device with a 2G modem, whether it’s an older Geotab GO device or a competitors *hint* see what you’re missing *hint* device, you’ll need to replace the 2G unit.

While this can seem like a pain, Geotab has added a lot of functionality to its latest GO device, the GO7 making the decision to upgrade much easier. Because Geotab designs and builds everything themselves, not only do you get more functionality with the GO7 but we have been able to drive the cost down making it well worth your while to upgrade.

What’s the difference if I upgrade to the Geotab GO7 device today?

There are many, but some of the notables include:

 

  • Get the latest capabilities in engine diagnostic from your GPS GO device.
    Vehicles send data from multiple sources, including the drivetrain, engine, and the instrument cluster. All of these sources transmit information using a communications protocol. There are many possible protocols used by the different manufacturers and component suppliers of vehicles. Different manufacturers produce vehicles that transmit data using many different protocols on many networks. Only the Geotab GO7 can support all these vehicles.

 

 

 

 

  • Ensure you take advantage of all GoFleet & Geotab has to offer.
    Some newly released features are not available on earlier devices. Make sure you can take advantage of ALL the new features available!

 

    1. Rely on an accelerometer with increased sensitivity for dangerous driving events and back up alerts.

 

  • Installations made easy.
    As you add vehicles to your fleet, the GO7 continues to minimize the need of a specific harness. Although no one harness fits all, the GO7 reduces the need for custom harnesses.

 

 

  • Future-proof your fleet vehicles with software programmable pins for connecting to the vehicle connector.
    Having all possible pins populated this way allows the firmware to remain in-sync with any improvements and future changes made by vehicle manufacturers to newer models and makes.

 

If you’re an existing GoFleet customer, speak with your account manager to review upgrade plans.

 

Original Article By: John Day, Product Manager at Geotab
http://www.geotab.com/blog/2g-migration-fleet-management-can/

 

crossroad with a car transmitting a signal

Iridium Satellite Solves Minimal Coverage Concerns

Our telematics devices are responsible for tracking vehicles and assets and managing data for fleet managers within your company. All the information recorded can be easily accessed and downloaded for further decision making and strategic use. Our devices are capable of pulling the necessary information when they have enough power and strong network coverage to record data regardless of where your assets are located such as downtown in the city or in more remote areas.

Sharing the responsibility of managing and tracking your fleet results in you wanting to know where your vehicles are at all times. However, there might be a few companies who seek for the same capabilities but operate in areas with minimal network coverage. In order to gain tracking information, we utilize this opportunity and provide an add-on solution by integrating both our Go Rugged and GO device, with the communication reliability of the Iridium Network. Although the device is still capable of recording and storing information when operating in an area with minimal/no network coverage, the Iridium satellite is capable of providing the data in real-time.

GoFleet’s Integration with Iridium

The Iridium Satellite solution is a third party system that integrates with our Go Rugged and GO devices. It’s an external modem that connects to the unit and provides a robust failover system that allows for assets to continue to record positional updates while operating in remote areas out of cellular coverage. The devices are preconfigured to efficiently continue logging all GPS data and save it to its internal memory so, when it does gain cellular coverage, the data can be automatically uploaded to the database to provide a full breadcrumb trail of the trips performed while the vehicle was out of cellular range.

Benefits of the Iridium Satellite Tracking Solution

There are significant benefits to having the add-on Iridium Satellite Tracking system:

  • Coverage Anywhere – Regardless of whether your assets are located in or out of cellular coverage, you’ll still be able to receive real-time updates on your asset whereabouts.
  • Man-Down Functionality – GoFleet has also integrated a “Panic” feature with the Iridium add-on. When triggered, the satellite sends a top-priority message over the Iridium network to our software solution. The device on the driver’s end will also start to beep indicating that the message has been sent. The solution then sends a reply back to the vehicle and the device stops beeping, letting the driver know that the database has received the message.
  • Cost Efficient Data – The Iridium solution is a failover system, meaning that the device will only send data over the Iridium network when the GO cannot send data through the cellular network. The add-on is strategically designed to only send certain data over the Iridium network in order to maintain manageable costs but still receive reliable data updates from assets.

For more information on the important features of GPS fleet tracking, and how it can help your business save thousands of dollars, contact one of our highly trained fleet consultants.

 

source: http://www.geotab.com/blog/benefits-of-iridium-satellite-tracking/

 

8 Efficiency Increasing Tips for a Small Business Owner

Tips for a Small Business Owner to Increase Efficiency

An efficient business owner is likely to automatically incorporate an efficiency culture in the team working with him or her. On the other hand, small businesses are often packed with efficiency issues simply because one person is relied on to make the majority of the decisions. To be a successful and efficiently running business it is important to make the most of what you have. Unfortunately, many small business owners under or overestimate their resources.

Small business owners all tend to face the same challenge: getting projects done within budget and on time. A lot of the time small business owners and employees become swamped with many deadlines quickly approaching; instead of creating high-quality work, they are left with only enough time to get the job done.

It is important for small business owners on a monthly or quarterly basis to do the following:

  1. Define a List of Priorities
  2. Identify Any Challenges
  3. Clearly Understand Available Resources and Any Limitations to be Efficient

This should help avoid employees becoming swamped and increase the quality of the work produced.

At the end of the day, it is most important the small business owner be efficient him or herself. Here are 8 efficiency increasing tips for any small business owner:

Find Strengths & Improve Them Further

The Pareto Principle states 80% of your profit comes from 20% of your services/products. Identify what makes up that 20% and work on strengthening them even further.

Focus on the Main Job at Hand

Many new business owners feel the need to grasp on to every single opportunity that comes their way. This often causes them to get off track on projects at hand or waste their time chasing down opportunities leading nowhere. This spreads you too thin and limits your productivity and efficiency; it can sometimes cause serious harm to the business as a whole. Make sure you know your limitations and take up only enough projects to keep your employees and other resources occupied. Deliver these projects to the highest of standards and only then start to move on to other things.

Work as a Team & Keep Everyone in the Loop

Effectively working as a team is key to being efficient. If you and your team lack regular communication then all the processes and strategies were put in place for nothing. Make sure all your employees are well aware of any strategies and processes you are trying to implement & the reason behind them. If clients are involved it is even more important to ensure everyone on your team has the same vision on what needs to be achieved. Implement tools to increase easy communication between everyone.

Know When to Say No

Small business owners are always being pulled in a ton of different directions and getting questions from peers, friends, and even clients wanting to learn from them. Sometimes employees could be getting information from their colleagues, instead of you. Always be sure to consider whether or not what you’re doing is a good use of your time.

If not respectfully decline. Make sure you set some boundaries with employees and clients so everyone will learn when to ask or when to ask someone else/handle it on their own.

Deadlines, Deadlines, Deadlines

Setting deadlines are so important; set a timeframe for your projects to make sure you are productive and efficient. Emails and phone calls often distract from tasks at hand, make sure the allotted time for projects is done with no distractions.

Most small business owners get an unbearable amount of emails per day, what can help is setting aside a dedicated time each day for checking emails and responding. This will eliminate emails from becoming a distraction and still allow you to respond in a timely manner.

Get Your Priorities Straight

Rank all the tasks you need to do in a day by importance. This way you can prioritize what should be done when you are most productive. If you tend to take an hour or two to get into the groove of things, maybe take the morning to respond to emails, then leave the afternoon to do more important and difficult tasks.

Don’t Forget About Downtime

So many business owners over work themselves, don’t forget to take breaks. Going at the same task for hours and hours is bound to make anyone tired and can lead to making silly mistakes. Take a break, go out for a walk, or grab a coffee; this way you will stay energized and sharp for the entire day.

Keep Your Amazing Team Happy!

A happy team is a motivated one. As their leader it is your responsibility to make sure everyone on your team is happy. Don’t forget to have a smart balance between work and play inside the workplace. Happy employees are much less likely to complain about being poorly managed or overworked. If the workplace environment feels more like a home environment it will work in the businesses favor.

Efficient Leader = Efficient Team = Efficient Organization



Article Source:
Tips and Tricks for a Small Business Owner to Get High on Efficiency in Business2Community

Customized-reporting

Power of Custom Reports

Customize your company reports to gain tailored fleet information

Organizations are constantly looking for new ways to improve their yearly profits. With growing competition and rapid technological advancements, countless companies are turning to telematics for vehicle cost savings, driver management and improved insurance rates. Fleets posses the ability to extract an enormous amount of valuable data from their vehicles. This data when turned into meaningful information can help management make smarter fleet choices as well as improve their ROI.

With GoFleet, understanding your fleet behaviour can be further made simple with custom reporting. Reports within the database can be easily accessed and generated for decision making and driver behaviour analysis. With over 30 standard reports to choose from and the ability to create limitless custom reports using excel; information on driver events can be downloaded, customized and scheduled to be emailed on a daily, weekly or monthly basis.

Understanding your Reports

Using excel to create custom reports allows for limitless options when analyzing your fleet data and driver behavior. Variables that best align your business objectives can be included to create graphical reports that match your organizations requirements and can also be placed on your dashboard for a summary view. Below is an example of a safety report that can be enabled on the dashboard.

The Driver Score Card Report: Data concerning risky driver behaviours based on accelerometer data and rules created around sensitivity is used to generate the report.

This report can help:

  • Management understand driver performance and measure how their habits affect fuel efficiency and safety
  • Easily measure driver behaviour trends and take any appropriate action to improve performance
  • Compare individual drivers against organizational targets and recognize employees for good driver behaviour

Driver Score Card

Customizing Reports

Customizing reports within the software solution is fairly easy. You would select the specific report and customize either of the following options.

Custom Reports Fleet

  • Report View: allows you to decide who can view the report
  • DashBoard: allows you to display the report on the dashboard. Select the date range of the information (This week, Last week etc) and who can view the report on the dashboard
  • Email Report: allows you to add email receivers, select the date range of the information to be sent and the type of report to be sent

Custom reports progress and provide you with a means of comparing data withing certain periods of time and also measure company growth. The numbers can help your company formulate your budget and implement strategies to improve vehicle costs. In addition to helping you make decisions about the company and it’s future, reports help keep a trail of vehicle history which can be used for so many purposes such as maintenance records, employee behaviour trends, insurance purposes and more.

For more information on the important features of GPS fleet tracking, and how it could help your business save thousands of dollars, contact one of our highly trained fleet consultants today!

 

[email protected] | 1-888-998-1122

Measure Fleet Standards with Exception Reporting

Generate reports based on Exception Rules

Understanding where and when an issue arises with your vehicle can be made simple by creating rules within your solution. Fleet managers are capable of setting specific fleet standards (rules) within the database, these standards can then act as a benchmark to effectively manage and improve on road driver behaviours. Therefore, when a vehicle event occurs around the rule set, an exception is recorded which can then optionally notify one or more people, alert the responsible driver in their vehicle, or easily log the event in your account.

Our solution offers a robust suite of built in exception rules separated into easy to understand categories. In addition to these, you can create an unlimited number of custom rules which combine different various conditions to suit your needs.

The types of built in exceptions offered are available in three categories:

Safety:
Enables fleet wide safety, driver safety, and changes to driver behavior which increases accident risk such as harsh braking, seat belt use, speed violations, accident detection and more.

Productivity:
Driver measurements related to time spent performing specific actions such as excessive idling, late arrivals, early departures and more.

Fleet:
Responsive vehicle monitoring Engine issues, battery drain, tracking device tamper detection and more.

Generating Exception Reports

Exception rules can also be accessed within the database by running reports at any time to review the history of exceptions and to understand the trending behaviors of your drivers. In other words a report based solely on speeding can be generated if requested by management within a specific time period. This report will contain information of the incident, the time period and the date of the incident.

The importance of generating such reports are limitless. It can act a benchmark for decision making, help understand how your drivers are performing through data analysis and implement strategies using numbers gained from the report. As drivers often do not see the expenditure side of running a business causing them to make hasty decisions while on the road. Therefore, the whole idea of setting rules within the solution identify who those drivers are and what what hasty decisions are being made.

Exception Reporting

Along with the default reports already available, advanced reports containing more information can be downloaded. Downloading an Excel file allows for the most flexibility in analyzing the data, while PDF files are most portable. These reports also contain more information as displayed and can help fleet managers review data/driver behaviours based on such rules.

For more information on the important features of GPS fleet tracking, and how it could help your business save thousands of dollars, contact one of our highly trained fleet consultants today!

 

1-888-998-1122 | [email protected]

 

real-time-alerts

Receive Real-Time Alerts & Monitor Driver Behaviour on the Go!

Real-Time Alerts Monitor Driver Behaviour on the Job

GPS systems offer fleets an abundance of data for managers to better monitor their vehicles and engine diagnostics. To make the process even more accessible, GoFleet offers the ability to send events recorded in real time to effectively monitor driver behaviours and stay on top of business needs. This poses as an advantage over some of the other driver behaviour monitoring systems that do not allow for updated real-time alerts.

Receiving alerts in real-time translates into being able to monitor driver behaviours while on the job. Alerts are generated when a rule set within the database is broken. GoFleet driver behaviour monitoring systems is designed with default rules that can be customized based on your company preference by selecting appropriate conditions. When the condition set is broken by a driver only then will a notification be sent out. These notifications can be sent to management or selective users via email, popup’s within the database or the device can be set to beep (within the vehicle) to fix the driver behaviour immediately.

Below is an example of a rule set around speeding. As per the condition set, if the driver drives over the set speed limit a notification will be sent out containing information about the speeding incident. These notifications generated can be customized based on what data your company would like to gain.

Creating a rule

Create a driver rule

Setting Conditions

1. Select “Add speed”

2. Set the speed limit you would like the drivers to remain within

3. Choose how to notify someone when a rule is broken

driver behaviour monitoring systems

Notifications are important, if a vehicle is spending too much time speeding/idling it leads to an increase in fuel consumption. The more money wasted on excessive fuel costs, the more your business bottom line suffers. By monitoring driver behaviours through alerts you can ensure that behaviours are fixed easily. You can also generate a report based on the number of times the driver broke the same rule set, allowing you to take corrective measures and keep a record for legality purposes.

Other example of alerts include programmed off-hour alerts. This means that managers can ensure that their vehicles are not being driven during non-working hours. Moreover, there are tons of other expenses that come along as a result of over-using the company vehicle or driving recklessly. There will be an increase in vehicle part replacements and more overall maintenance costs due to more wear and tear. To avoid further expenses take advantage of our solution; let GoFleet’s real-time alerts help for you.

For more information on the important features of GPS real-time alerts, and how it could help your business save thousands of dollars, contact one of our highly trained fleet consultants today!

 

1-888-998-1122 | [email protected]

 

Geo Fences: Set Boundaries for a Better Business

Increase Employee Productivity Using Geofencing Technology

A geofence, also known as a zone, is a virtual fence around a real-world area of interest. You can use zones to denote where places are such as your office, customers, workplaces, airports, gas stations, entire states and provinces or people’s homes. When combined with exception reporting, zones become a critical component for analyzing the behavior of your fleet.

Zones can be easily added into the solution by clicking on the map to add each point. Each geofence can be differentiated by colour as well as a unique description. Along with the other customizable features, there are unique benefits to utilizing zones. Geofences are flexible and can be set at nearly any distance surrounding an entire city or even around a single house. They help reduce administration time spent analyzing information concerning customer visits and also maintain employee accountability.

Geo Fences

GEOFENCING TUTORIAL

Defining a Zone

To define the boundary of your new geofence, first select a starting point on the map. Continue creating the boundary by selecting points along its perimeter. A line will connect the points, showing the perimeter in the order you add them. To finish, close the zone by re-selecting the beginning point. Note that the perimeter lines can be moved while the zone is being created and a point can be removed by dragging it off the map.

Geo Fences

Modifying an Existing Zone

To change the shape of a zone, find the zone on the map or search for it in the zones list. Selecting a zone on the map and the menu below will be shown. Select change zone shape to modify the boundary by moving or removing individual points. To add a new point to the boundary, select along the zone boundary.

Geofences

The benefits of adding geofences vary among industries, and if making consistent customer visits is a promising feature of your business then gaining push notifications when a driver enters a customer zone might just be what you’re looking for! Also it is important to remember that geofences can be created around any area of interest such as, your corporate office to monitor when drivers arrive to work and when they leave.

By using zones in combination with real time location tracking, reporting becomes a powerful tool for productivity. This enables a number of possible scenarios such as:

  • Have an email sent out when drivers arrive at customer locations
  • Sound an in-vehicle alert to a driver who has left work early
  • Notify your shipping and receiving department when a truck will arrive soon
  • The application recognizes stops made within zones, such as customer areas, and can also indicate the amount of time spent at these locations

For more information on the important features of GPS fleet tracking, and how it could help your business save thousands of dollars, contact one of our highly trained fleet consultants today!

1-888-998-1122 | [email protected]

Real Time Fleet Tracking

Real Time GPS Fleet Tracking

Live Track Your Vehicles with Real Time GPS Fleet Tracking

Real time GPS fleet tracking can be an important money-saving tool for any sized business. From the ability to reduce fleet idle times, improve driver behaviours and measure maintenance costs, the solution is designed to control expenses that can eventually affect your company’s bottom line.

Live tracking is an important and interesting feature offered by GoFleet’s solution. Designed to help locate the current location of your company vehicles; the solution is capable of playing back trip details, generating reports based on location visits and optimizing routes for customer visits.

How to locate fleet vehicles?

Locating vehicles within the database is fairly easy and accessible. You can select multiple vehicles at a time which will automatically populate on a map as shown in the image below or select individual vehicles to locate in real time. The status of each vehicle selected will then be displayed on the map, helping you quickly see the position of that particular vehicle. The application is also capable of automatically saving records of each trip made when vehicles are driven from place to place. The telematics device will record the distance travelled, time spent driving/idling and other important engine diagnostic events which take place along the way. Such data can later be generated (within specific time periods) to verify driver location needed from the past or even the current route taken during the day.

real-time-gps-fleet-tracking

 

 

Fleet Management Reports

Reports containing such information can also be downloaded to better understand the data or used for important decision making. For instance, mangers can obtain reports of fuel efficiency based on the route taken and whether the drivers were idling along the way. These reports can be scheduled to determine areas where drivers may be wasting fuel. Increase in fuel usage might occur at times when there is needless idling, unapproved vehicle usage and speeding. Managers can then eliminate irrelevant fuel expenses by using the GoFleet’s real time tracking solution.

A few drivers may not like the idea of being monitored, but the overall savings of real time GPS fleet tracking will be worth the potential dissonance. With live tracking we can help managers regulate scheduled vehicle maintenance, monitor drivers in real-time and verify log times of employees. All of these aspects are important to saving the company time and money allowing you to never lose sight of your vehicles, but instead effectively manage your fleet to eliminate labour costs and bring forth positive changes.

For more information on the important features of real time GPS fleet tracking, and how it could help your business save thousands of dollars, contact one of our highly trained fleet consultants today!

Geotab Datacenter Security

Secure Data Thanks to Geotab

Both GoFleet and Geotab understand how important security and privacy is to My.Geotab’s over 140,000 users. Therefore Geotab takes all the necessary precautions to ensure the security of its users data.

Geotab actively manages all client data in their secure facility in Canada. Geotab’s gateway server handles the transaction of data between vehicles over the cellular network, and into the device management gateway, before the data is sent to the My.Geotab hosted service.

The service is monitored continuously, on a 24/7 basis, by Geotab’s Technical Support engineers.

Stress testing to determine data latency (the time between data requests and answers) and breaking points is important to optimize performance. Geotab monitors the network and internet uptime by different cellular network carriers.

Geotab Data Security Graph

Some of the key datacenter security points are listed below:

  • Geotab’s gateway server in Canada supports all global customers, including partners in Australia using the Telstra network.
  • The gateway on average processes more than 10,000 log records per second, and is designed to scale for large customers, including Geotab’s largest customer that has 80,000 connected vehicles all in one database.
  • The Geotab gateway and IT architecture scales horizontally for seamless load balancing.
  • Geotab’s gateway and the My.Geotab servers are hosted at Q9 which is one of the world’s most secure data centres also hosting the biggest banks and insurance companies in Canada.
  • Geotab owns their own servers within Q9 and always uses best practices to prevent any unauthorized activity.
  • All Q9 facilities offer state-of-the-art physical access controls, full power, and multiple location facilities. These data centers don’t allow on-site, third-party visits and will only allow authorized personnel to access the locations.
  • All Geotab-owned equipment is contained within access-controlled racks and cages. Only Geotab staff has access to the equipment, and each staff member has to pass through access control points.
  • All equipment and facilities are monitored 24 hours a day by security personnel.

Want to learn more about GoFleet & Geotab’s GPS fleet tracking services? Contact one of our highly trained fleet consultants today!

 

[email protected] | 1-888-998-1122

 

 

Original Article Written By: Eduardo Granda, Sales Manager at Geotab
http://www.geotab.com/blog/geotab-datacenter-security/

The Secret of Earning Fleet Insurance Discounts

Fleet Insurance Discounts

One of the main factors people look at when determining whether GPS fleet tracking is suitable for their fleet is whether they will gain a ROI. Earning fleet insurance discounts is one of the many factors in getting the ROI you want to achieve.

Car insurance premiums are determined based on driver risk factors. This includes:

  • Type of vehicle
  • Vehicle usage
  • Driving record
  • History of previous accidents
  • The city & province or state you live in

There are two different types of auto insurance coverages that are mandatory in Canada: Third-Party Liability and Accident Benefits, also known as no fault benefits.

Third-Party Liability Coverage
Third-Party liability coverage allows the person who did not cause the collision the option to sue the at-fault driver for additional costs and damages not covered by Accident Benefits. Additionally, this coverage covers you for the legal costs of being sued if you are the at-fault driver. Ontario has a hybrid program including both types of coverages; Quebec, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan don’t have the Third-Party liability coverage, they have only no-fault systems.

Accident Benefits
Accident Benefits mostly cover income replacement, medical treatment, and other benefits to assist in the healing processes if an individual is injured because of a collision. The “No Fault Benefits” provides payment regardless of who caused the collision. According to the IBC, this coverage is mandatory for all Canadian provinces, except Newfoundland & Labrador.

Coverage in the United States
The United States has laws that are similar to the coverages previously mentioned for Canada. There are some states governed by Tort Laws, in which the party who is at fault pays for the victim’s damages and medical expenses, such as suffering and lost wages. The other states are governed by No-Fault laws, in which all parties that file a claim are usually compensated without requiring a fault determination.

The Role of GPS Fleet Tracking
Businesses must keep up with costs, including insurance rates and the overall upkeep of vehicles. There is also an increase in how GPS fleet tracking technology can help businesses reduce their commercial auto insurance. This includes satellite navigation, vehicle and container tracking, fleet management, emergency warning systems, wireless vehicle safety communications, and more. The data taken from GPS tracking devices can help improve driver behavior, which can also reduce maintenance costs, fuel consumption costs, as well as employee injury claims.

To qualify for a reduced auto insurance rate, businesses may be required to have a GPS device installed in a number of their fleet vehicles. Insurance companies sometimes have their own list of approved GPS solution providers, and each recommends that the business speaks first with an insurance rep to see if their GPS solution provider qualifies.

The insurance companies normally review the policies yearly and depending on the data pulled, it could change your rates; this makes it essential to practice preventative measures to ensure the rates stay low.

Being able to manage, track and learn from the data being pulled from your GPS device will help improve the quality of life for your vehicles, which will save you money. Further to this, Research and Markets identified that “in recent years, the vehicle theft rate in countries like the United States and Brazil are increasing, which is leading to increased adoption of GPS solutions to lower insurance rates.”

There are a few types of policies

  • Commercially insured fleets: Insuring vehicles with insurance companies that accepts GPS data to save a percentage off the premium.
  • Self-insured fleets: It is required to have a policy put in place and the policy holder must be prepared to reinforce the policy, it all depends on the policy presented.

The policy may require employees to have clean MVRs (motor vehicle reports). To achieve this, the business can reinforce drivers to remain within speed limits, and always wear a seatbelt. Additionally, to help fleets that are self-insured to save money, employees can use the data provided from their GPS solution to manage their driving habits, such as aggressive driving (hard acceleration & braking) which can cause high fuel consumption and cause wear on vehicles.

Maintaining and using this data effectively can aid in:

  1. Reduced vehicle damage (bent metal claims)
  2. Personal injury claims
  3. General liability
  4. Workers comp

A Geotab & GoFleet Perspective
At Geotab & GoFleet, we’ve seen self-insured injury and vehicle damage claims drop from $30,000 per 1 million miles driven $0.03 per mile to $22,000 per million miles driven $0.022 per mile.

  1. For a vehicle driving 30,000 miles per year – vehicle damage claims can drop from an average of $900 per year before a GPS solution policy, to an average of $660 per year after. An average of $240 per year in savings.
  2. Forensic accident data & first notice of loss from the notification of an accident helps to reduce time to settle and claims cost for at fault and preventable accidents.
  3. Even self-insured fleets must insure their excess general liability. Insurance premiums on this can be lowered after a successful deployment and proven reduction in accidents and claims amounts.
  4. Proof of activity that can be used to prove the whereabouts of an employee for false workers compensation claims are used by firms as part of their private workers compensation investigations.

On average, safety usually drops a vehicle down from $5000 to $3500 ($1500/yr avg) once a policy is put in place and reinforced by follow up from the insurance firm.

To learn more about the fleet insurance discounts that could be available for your fleet, contact us!

 

Original Article Written By Geotab
http://www.geotab.com/blog/earning-insurance-discounts-telematics-data/