GoFleet Archives - Page 7 of 10

Five Ways to Improve Fleet Management in the Logistics Industry

Posted on May 19, 2022 | by Alexis | Leave a Comment

The logistics industry is a vast ecosystem of supply chains, software, and services that work in unison to deliver goods to customers as quickly and cost-effectively as possible.

From the ongoing demands of inventory management to data security and risk assessment, this industry demands constant vigilance. These struggles can be mitigated with efficient and effective fleet management. Below, we’ve listed the top five ways to improve fleet management in the logistics industry.

The World of Logistics: Current State

Currently, the logistics sector is growing at a rapid pace, making it a particularly attractive target for those looking to leverage their skills and enter the industry from a new angle.

The chief gap in logistics is a lack of quality data. At its most basic, the industry is made up of individual suppliers and businesses that come together to support business processes.

For fleet managers, an overflow of data sets (or not enough) makes it difficult for businesses to understand their supply chains and track the performance of their operations as a whole. Read on for five ways to improve fleet management in the logistics industry.

Utilize GPS and Telematics Devices for More Than Location Tracking

The telematics industry continues to create increasingly sophisticated apps that connect to fleet vehicles, allowing logistics companies to track the location of their fleet vehicles in real-time.

Of course, these apps are only as good as the data they receive. There are a number of benefits associated with incorporating GPS tracking devices in your fleet vehicles, including improved fuel efficiency, better driver safety, less vehicle maintenance, and reduced insurance costs due to liability or repairs.

Another option for improving fleet management is the use of telematics devices, which provide a variety of analytics, including fuel consumption and driving behaviour.

Fleet managers who use these devices not only know where their drivers are, but what kind of driving behaviour they’re engaged in.

These data sets can improve training and reduce accidents caused by risky driving activity such as fatigue or distraction.

Switch to Electronic Driver Vehicle Inspection Reports for Speed and Compliance

Electronic driver vehicle inspection reports for speed and compliance are the best way to optimize your fleet’s performance. These reports show a company’s progress over time, highlighting points where improvements can be made.

The electronic driver vehicle inspection report is an excellent metric for tracking business performance to boost productivity across the board.

You’ll also get access to customizable dashboards with metrics such as fuel efficiency and employee satisfaction so that you can see how your team members are performing, and where they can improve.

Of course, it’s not just about improving performance; these reports also offer security through monitoring drivers, vehicles, and companies across the supply chain.

With these reports, you’ll better understand how safe each link in your supply chain really is, and where privacy can improve.

Better Leverage Fuel and Maintenance Data with Integrations

Logistics companies that have a fleet management system typically have one of two options for integrating with logistics software.

First, they can use a web-based integration tool like API bridges, which is what most logistics companies do. This method is the simplest and most straightforward, but does not provide all the benefits that integration through a software platform offers.

The second option is to use third-party integrations, where logistics managers can better allocate resources across their supply chain and make more informed decisions about where they should place stockings and other materials.

Overall, integrating with a software platform provides logistical managers with more insight into their fleet’s performance and helps them improve it faster than ever before.

Track Expenses More Effectively

One of the biggest challenges in logistics is that it is a capital-intensive industry. An organization must spend a significant amount of money to maintain its operations.

With that said, it is also imperative that they can track expenses to keep tabs on overall performance.

For example, many logistics companies work with carriers who offer insurance and tracking services for their goods. These services do wonders for operational efficiency, but can be quite expensive.

The good news? A business can track these expenses by getting an invoice from the carrier and entering it on a spreadsheet, allowing them to monitor how much money they’re spending on these services over time.

This system does not only help a company see where their financial resources are being allocated, it also allows them to make more informed decisions about whether or not these investments are viable and sustainable.

Improve Fleet Management in the Logistics Industry with GoFleet

Without quality data, it’s difficult for companies to make informed decisions about their operations. One way to improve fleet management in your business is by using a customized solution with GoFleet.

We have a range of features that let you easily manage your fleet and keep track of the performance of every vehicle in your fleet.

With GoFleet, you can identify potential problems before they impact your bottom line. For example, if you notice that one of your vehicles is consistently late or experiencing mechanical issues, you’ll be able to rectify the problem before it becomes something more serious.

What is GoFleet?

We have premium fleet management solutions to meet the business needs of virtually every industry.

From telematics, work routing and dispatch, ELD, driver apps and asset monitoring, GoFleet offers countless hardware and software-based solutions to address all needs related to efficiency, maintenance and management in fleets.

Our fleet management software helps logistics companies across the globe improve fleet management and productivity. Our solutions are customizable, so you never have to worry about limitations or restrictions when it comes to business growth.

To learn more, contact us at GoFleet.com.

Top 8 Fleet Management Challenges in the Logistics Industry

Posted on May 13, 2022 | by Alexis | Leave a Comment

Commercial fleet managers face all the same problems as those in professional management—directing and coordinating people, talent and assets, while simultaneously trying to save money for the parent company. When your employees are on the road, there can be additional fleet management challenges in the logistics industry.

That’s a lot to juggle effectively; when your employees are most often on the road, crossing state lines and borders, logistics can get even trickier.

Fleet managers are often forced to solve a plethora of problems in real-time—vehicular accidents, personnel safety, package delivery issues, closed routes.

Often these fleet-management decisions are made within a shifting and sometimes volatile marketplace. One recent glaring example is the recent volatility in global gas prices.

When it comes to transit logistics and all the details involved in transport, there’s much that can go wrong in any single workday.

Recent digital innovations such as driver dash cams and integrated GPS communications have revolutionized logistics, allowing fleet managers to streamline information by automating a range of processes.

While the world prepares itself for the inevitable path towards automation, technology is causing seismic shifts across every industry. Businesses everywhere are upgrading, aware of the timeless maxim: adapt or perish.

For fleets, this usually means better fuel efficiency and improved onboard technology—car dashboard systems, wireless connections, vehicle sensors, telematics and more.

As the roll-out of innovative disruptions continue, smart technology is being instituted at an equal pace. However, with new tech come new challenges.

Logistics & Fleet Management

Fleet management is one of the industries most thoroughly impacted by recent technological innovations. Vehicles in particular have undergone massive changes in recent years, offering smarter navigation and driver-focused ‘infotainment’ centres.

Yet when it comes to logistics, most fleets are still struggling to manage their employees, stay on top of administrative paperwork, and adapt to each upgrade.

Here are the top eight most encountered fleet management challenges in the logistics industry, as well as how the digital revolution is currently addressing each challenge.

08. Excessive Administrative Tasks

TomTom, maker of car navigation systems, recently conducted a study of over 1,000 companies to determine the particular challenges most affecting fleet management. Most complaints revolved around inefficiencies in time management. Specifically, spending a majority of their time on rote tasks: a reported 42% said they spend too much time searching for the right employees, and 59% stated that reporting and management of staff work hours takes up the majority of their time.

Common rote tasks include sorting through spreadsheets and databases for up-to-date transit information, or updating printed lists of information that become obsolete immediately after printing.

Replacing paper-based systems with automation can help save businesses enormous time and considerable money over the long term. Automating administrative tasks can free managers from outdated practices that monopolize their precious time.

07. Rising Fuel & Maintenance Costs

Since 2019, the cost for fuel has risen. Not coincidentally, fuel and maintenance are often the largest expenses for fleets, with soaring costs significantly impacting fleet management.

As more cars move toward greater fuel-efficiency, including hybrids and electric vehicles, some drivers still prefer the more powerful gas guzzlers.

Telematic fleet management software can automatically track your fuel consumption and many other factors such as speeding, idling, harsh breaking and other driver behaviours.

Telematics can also inform you of vehicle servicing dates and schedule maintenance reminders, as well as provide engine information and sensor alerts. These features in turn help fleets avoid or reduce larger maintenance costs.

06. Data Privacy & Control

Today’s world is teeming with data vulnerabilities and privacy concerns. As TomTom writes, “It’s common for new companies to be overwhelmed by the selection of tools and APIs when creating proprietary software to manage fleet operations, making it easy to overlook potential data privacy vulnerabilities.”

Many apps sell driver location information to third parties, which add cookies, trackers and even sales ads on top of GPS navigation screens.

GoFleet engineers work to streamline fleet operation processes. Our intuitive software solutions assist with data management, assuring that fleet managers do not drown in data.

We build scalable web and mobile solutions that integrate different platforms and device tracking types. This gives fleets control of their operations while seamlessly protecting wireless transmissions and data privacy.

05. Effective Fleet Communication

When drivers are on the road, it’s not always easy (or safe) to communicate using regular means such as calling, text or email.

Drivers must keep both hands on the wheel, yet successful fleet operations depend on open communication and regular updates. If a delivery suddenly changes, or a significant change in road conditions will affect ETA, all parties need to be made aware.

Our integrated devices and telematics support help simplify order workflow through automated messaging.

Both management and drivers can send automated messages, providing regular status updates and relaying key information: schedules, calendar and other regular communication through navigation devices, visual updates, and customized dashboard solutions.

04. Coordinating Geographic Diversity

Commercial fleets, whether coast-to-coast or across international borders, have quite a few logistical and travel hurdles to manage on a daily basis.

Large, active fleets are not always easy to track with accuracy. For example, coordinating communications providers across long distances can make remote fleet management very difficult, and changing road conditions can disrupt scheduled arrival times.

GoFleet telematics software and GPS tracking solutions let fleets of all sizes effectively integrate their communications systems and their customer service.

Locate drivers, track operations and communicate with your team more intuitively, anywhere on Earth. We help fleets maintain visibility across all terrain, with real-time data on all major moving assets.

Managing these fleet management challenges in the logistic industry amidst geographic complexity is what keeps drivers and fleets ahead of the game.

03. Asset Authorization & Utilization

Remote entry, keyless entry, facial recognition, and other asset authorization technologies have revolutionized fleet industries—from rental vehicle exchanges, to expanded ride sharing enterprises.

Automated authorization and chain-of-command GPS tracking help assure that assets stay in authorized hands and in designated areas.

Along with delivery deadlines and accurate ETAs, fleet management software can track all types of driver and vehicle behaviour. Such dashboard reporting systems can warn of aggressive driving behaviour, or if vehicles are operating outside authorized work hours.

Accurate metrics allow for a finely-tuned fleet-force, able to generate continuous cost savings and an optimal ROI.

Integrated fleet management services also include ZenduWork, which coordinates dispatching, work order tools and vehicles. This helps fleets keep utilization high, logistics efficient and people productive.

02. Integrated Data & Accuracy

It can be difficult to integrate apps, platforms and software operating systems at the same time and expect them to work as a streamlined whole. Especially when all of communication, onboard navigation and data transmission rely on a patchwork of cellular service providers.

Data integration means being able to support your drivers in real-time with alerts, status updates and responses. Well-integrated data lets fleets and delivery teams meet ETAs and send automated updates to waiting clients when backups occur.

These improvements in real-time road visibility and flexible support help fleet managers navigate unexpected events and avoid catastrophes.

01. Driver Safety & Productivity

For fleets, road safety and security are a must. Creating a driver safety program, educating and encouraging your drivers on good driving habits are essential.

Safe driving, paired with automated reminders for regular vehicle maintenance and servicing alerts, means that fleets today have every possible advantage when it comes to driver safety and accident prevention.

Not only does this save lives, but it also significantly reduces unexpected costs such as downtime, liability and insurance premiums.

Driver education and real-time driver coaching have come a long way. Features such as voice-activated technology, geofencing, ZenduMaps and other customizable navigation tools greatly bolster fleet productivity, accuracy and timeliness.

Next-generation safety solutions include the gamification of driver coaching, two-way dash cams and real-time safety alerts for distracted, drowsy or aggressive driving.

GoFleet: Rising to Fleet Management Challenges in the Logistics Industry

Telematics software and fleet management solutions have come a long way. In these past 20 years, customizable platforms and AI-equipped dash cam solutions have simplified transportation, streamlined data collection, and protected drivers.

Around the globe, vast fleet challenges are consistently being met by superior IT solutions.

At GoFleet and around the world, improvements in automation continue to make fleets safer and more efficient, with improved ROIs and a satisfied workforce. Contact your GoFleet representative for a free demonstration.

Fuel Management Systems: How to Get Ahead

Posted on April 14, 2022 | by Alexis | Leave a Comment

Like it or not, fuel is the biggest expenditure for efficient fleet management. A custom fuel management system is the perfect solution to understand gas consumption within your fleet.

Many fleet managers are incorporating fuel management systems into their daily operations. Leveraging telematics technology offers valuable insights into fuel usage and allows you to optimize this valuable asset across the board.

A fuel management system enables fleet managers to track fuel usage patterns across their fleet. A typical automated fuel management system includes onboard hardware such as vehicle telematics units, data loggers, sensors, and cameras, as well as an in-office analytics dashboard and fuel management software.

Extra integrations and mobile apps are also popular features of these systems.

Without a fuel management system in place, managers often find themselves overspending on fuel and repairs, and drivers may run out of fuel as the result of a misgauged fuel meter or taking trips without optimized routes.

What Are the Benefits of a Fuel Management System?

Fleet management is comprised of a number of factors outside of vehicles; there are operating systems, assets and expenditures to take into account.

A fuel management system allows fleet managers to monitor asset usage for gasoline, diesel, truck repairs and maintenance services. These systems also generate compliance reports, limit operational risks, provide real-time fuel consumption data, and optimize fuel allocation, giving managers a truly holistic overview of their fleet.

Benefits for Fleet Managers

According to a recent study, aggressive driving increases fuel costs by up to 30%. The study also notes that unsafe or aggressive driving behaviours in urban areas drive air pollutant emissions up by 40%, regardless of the road grade.

With a well-developed fuel management system, fleet managers can track data like fuel usage, road grade, operational risks, real-time trip statistics, fuel consumption data, fuel allocation, and much more.

This data can also help them improve route planning and asset utilization, develop more effective vehicle maintenance schedules, and gain holistic insights into fuel economy.

Benefits for Drivers

Drivers benefit from data sets provided by fuel management systems as well. For example, refueling alerts, streamlined receipt/expense management and route optimization all offer drivers a safer, more efficient trip.

Fuel theft and unauthorized use of fuel continues to be a persistent issue, so ensuring that each and every fleet vehicle has a monitoring system in place can save your drivers from suspicion.

No matter what your fleet does, what products or services they deliver, or how many vehicles are involved, fleet management is an important tool that can help optimize assets and minimize expenses.

Why are Fuel Management Systems Important?

Small issues can become serious ones if not repaired in a timely manner. According to Intellias:

Flat or under-inflated tires can reduce mileage by up to 30%
Engine problems reduce mileage by 4% on average
Faulty oxygen sensors cut up to 40% off mileage
Brake drag can also affect driver safety and fuel consumption.

A fuel tracking system can track anomalies in your fleet’s fuel consumption, which can be either indicative of potential maintenance issues or the result of driving behaviour.

With detailed and real-time data on fuel usage and expenditures, a fleet manager can ensure that assets are properly distributed, repairs are managed as needed, and that drivers are supported and well-prepared to do their jobs.

Many mechanical issues can impact fuel consumption, including the amount of fuel used, mileage, the quality and safety rating of your engines, the cost of fuel, and repair services.

Having a properly developed fuel management system can help mitigate these risks and expenses not only by giving you a window into your fleet’s performance, but by protecting your drivers and overall fleet performance.

The more advanced these systems become, the more predictive they can be, which means you can identify the best scheduling sequence for vehicle repairs.

Fuel management systems can mitigate logistical issues, and in many cases can prevent them from happening in the first place.

How Can I Create a Fuel Management System?

Developing and installing a custom fuel management system is no easy feat, but the professionals at GoFleet can help you build a regulatory monitoring system designed for your fleet’s specific needs.

Whether you need to measure fuel levels in real-time, identify fuel consumption patterns per vehicle or detect fueling locations, a fuel management system will enable you to do just that.

The priorities for any fuel management system are convenience and control. If you’re looking to install a fleet management system for your team’s vehicles, contact us at GoFleet for a consultation today.

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GoFleet Can Help You Hire (And Keep) Drivers – Here’s How.

Posted on November 8, 2021 | by Alexis | Leave a Comment

According to the American Transportation Research Institute’s (ATRI) 2021 Critical Issues in the Trucking Industry report, fleets still list driver shortage as a top concern. Second on the list is driver retention, proving that it takes more than a competitive salary to attract and maintain a top-tier roster of professional drivers.

Thankfully, GoFleet has a number of resources to help mitigate driver shortage. By leveraging ZenScore, ZenduCAM and our managed service, we can help you recruit — and retain — the best drivers for your fleet.

The Driver Shortage

The trucking sector has undergone a period of belt-tightening, particularly with regards to the shortage of available drivers. The reasons are nuanced, but the end result is a deficit of available — and skilled — truck operators.

The pandemic has contributed to a massive imbalance of supply and demand. Drivers are hesitant to return to work due to the pandemic, or struggling to find licensing bureaus and training schools that remained open during lockdown. The result was a surge in freight volume with a drastically reduced headcount of qualified drivers, and a potential backlog of potential drivers waiting to be certified.

Retirements, layoffs and career changes represent another layer of lowered headcount. The average age of a truck driver is 46 (compared to 42 for all workers) and private fleet drivers can average 57 years old. With truck operators retiring faster than they can be replaced, fleet managers are left short-staffed and struggling to recruit suitable candidates.

Drivers are also changing careers, looking to replace their time behind the wheel with other swelling industries such as warehousing and construction. According to BLS, there have been roughly 43,000 construction jobs added to the construction industry since June.

While we can’t make recommendations about wages and salaries, GoFleet can show you how our end-to-end digital fleet solutions can help you with consistency, transparency and safety; three pillars upon which you can build a stellar team of drivers.

Build a workplace safety culture

If you can effectively connect culture and safety, you’ll be more likely to boost retention. A positive corporate safety culture engages drivers by emphasizing that their actions matter. On the road, dash cams and telematics data help engage drivers on their routes by identifying risky behaviour, providing live coaching and reinforcing compliance regulations.

You should be clear and consistent with corporate messaging: safety is your top priority. Reinforce the connection between a driver’s behaviour and the fleet’s reputation, and make safety a part of every operation and branding opportunity, on and off the road.

Connect with technology

Compliance rules, such as the ELD mandate, require drivers to monitor their hours of service (HOS) Investing in dash cam technology makes your drivers daily routine easier, safer, and more productive. When drivers feel supported, not surveilled, they’re more likely to stay at their job.

For example, ZenduCAM provides live HD streaming to identify accidents or incidents with real-time transmission of images, GPS location tracking and driving behaviour data. ZenduCAM can help you track your drivers’ hours of service as well as their CSA scores. Smarter routing and scheduling can make trips more efficient, bringing your drivers home more often, contributing to their overall job satisfaction and aiding your business in retaining your drivers.

Reward your top performers

As part of our Managed Service offering, you can view the performance of your drivers at a glance with our built-in points system and break down the performance of each driver individually in detailed scorecards.

Identify your best drivers through this driver score program. This scorecard tells your drivers where they rank, and what they have to do to achieve the next reward level. By changing the narrative from punishing “bad” behaviour to rewarding good driving habits, your drivers are less likely to see dash cams as invasive or punitive.

GoFleet’s ZenScore creates quantifiable assessments on driving behaviour by identifying dangerous driving habits and optimizing the efficiency of your fleet. This interactive dashboard and driver scoring system monitors violations while incentivizing drivers to improve performance through contests and KPI metrics. Offer bonuses to individuals with high safety scores to help with retention, or try gamification to keep your fleet engaged.

Help optimize their routes

A common refrain from drivers leaving the trucking industry is the desire to be at home with their loved ones on a more regular basis (hence the move to more stationary industries such as construction.)

Using a custom mapping solution such as ZenduMaps, you can configure your maps to show data such as road status, vehicle location, weather reports and compliance times. Work with your fleet to optimize their routes, shorten trips and reduce the amount of time spent on the road while still managing operations efficiently.

Improve training

Ongoing communication between you and your drivers is essential to reducing errors and improving efficiency. A great tool to help improve effective and continuous communication is ZenduLearn, an innovative training solution that leverages an online course hub to provide the skills and resources your drivers need.

Having detailed insights about each driver’s behaviour allows training to be tailored to each specific individual based on what they need to improve on. The application offers completion tracking and personalized learning, automating the most common tasks of employee training, such as marking quizzes, sending notifications for incomplete training modules, and issuing certifications. The centralized platform also allows you to keep track of every driver’s progress so you can maintain a strong learning environment within your team.

Conclusion

According to FreightWaves magazine, the average cost of turnover is $11,500 per driver. High-performing truck drivers are an asset and an incredibly valuable resource to any business. Their role requires constant and heightened awareness and good judgement.

Discover how to use industry-leading telematics, dash cams and managed service solutions to help you improve operational efficiency, enhance safety and create a lineup of exemplary drivers. Schedule a free demonstration today, and let us take you team to the next level.

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Fleet Tracking: Insider Tips from GoFleet’s CEO

Posted on October 5, 2021 | by Victoria Gole | Leave a Comment

At its core, the fundamental goal of fleet management software is to ensure the proper utilization and protection of every driver and vehicle. Managers can leverage fleet tracking data to evaluate the demand for vehicles throughout all four seasons, predict growth, and track driver safety. Most important to effective fleet management? Choosing the right software to support their specific industries.

ACHR News recently sat down with Vishal Singh, CEO of GoFleet, a provider of industry-leading digital fleet tracking technology. They asked Singh for some pro tips on strategies for fleet management, and what to look for before you invest in fleet tracking software.

Fleet Management Responsibilities: 5 Key Areas

“Fleet management is about responsibility,” says Singh. While ensuring the safety of each driver and vehicle is the top priority, Singh believes any proactive focus should concentrate on:

Safety: The primary responsibility; making sure drivers and vehicles are kept safe.
Productivity: Keeping fleet operations productive and on target.
Compliance: Assuring compliance, not just on the road but with regards to company policies.
Maintenance: Being proactive instead of reactive and decreasing vehicular down time.
Sustainability & Growth: Making sure fleet scalability is integrated so it can expand as your business grows.

“When I’m looking at fleet management software, I’m thinking, ‘how can I best manage these five key areas?’” says Singh. “You need to think about what’s best for you and ask yourself ‘what suite of tools can best help me operate in my industry?’”

Choosing Fleet Management Software

Digital fleet management software has expanded since general GPS tracking, first introduced two decades ago. “Today, we can track a lot more than dots on a map,” says Singh. Using two-way dashboard cameras, fleet managers can actually observe drivers and their driving habits and prevent emergencies before they happen.

Collecting the right data is perhaps the most important criteria for choosing fleet management software, and the data you need will depend on the industry in which you operate. “If it’s for food delivery, I need something to monitor the temperature of the food,” Singh says. “If I’m in a high-risk area, where I’m delivering something of high value, I need cameras. I might also want to monitor and have video recordings, which can connect to the on-board devices for live-streaming.”

For example, if you are an HVC contractor, Singh emphasizes having good maintenance routines and a proactive seasonal maintenance strategy. “With fleet management software you can set up maintenance reminders to service every vehicle,” he says. Singh also warns that failure to do regular checks means you might miss something, leading to costly repairs.

The Advantages Of Fleet Management Software

Electronic tracking devices are essential tools for locating vehicles and monitoring road safety, but they can’t operate alone. When paired with fleet management software, companies can access a rich ecosystem of telematics data. “Fleet management software allows companies to monitor vehicle faults, making sure there are no issues with the vehicles,” says Singh. “We can also, depending on the software, have software that signs work orders for the vehicles.” This can simplify regular seasonal maintenance, routine inspections and more.

Predictive maintenance is a major benefit of fleet management software. Plugging an electronic tracking device into a vehicle’s onboard diagnostics provides a holistic overview of that vehicle’s health. “We can measure how well they’re being maintained, or if there are faults on the vehicle,” Singh explains. “Understanding those faults can tell us if we need to troubleshoot.”

What does tracking actually measure? “[Tracking allows me to] measure the actual behaviours that can help me in each of those key areas,” says Singh. This can include monitoring the temperature of goods being transported, the safety of your drivers, allocating resources — the list goes on.

“With this technology you can create a way to engage keyless ignition, making it easier to pool vehicles,” Singh says. “People can share vehicles a lot easier if anyone can use their phone to start the vehicle.”

Also important, says Singh, is knowing exactly where the failure points are in fleet operations. For fleet managers, the benefits of streamlining records collections for rich, actionable data improves operational efficiency while making the best use of your fleet.

Managing Fleet Safety And Liability

Managing a fleet is about more than paying attention to the state of each vehicle, says Singh. It also means managing and coaching safe driving behaviours.

Singh goes on to explain how an integrated system of dashboard cams, video recordings, sensors and management software can all work together to protect company liability and improve safety. “Vehicle tracking is one thing; tracking the behaviours, harsh breaking and all those conditions,” says Singh. “But having video evidence helps people be more accountable.”

How? “Having cameras onboard limits your risk,” said Singh. “If there’s an accident and you have video evidence, you’re going to avoid a potential lawsuit.” Having video footage of road incidents can also help exonerate your driver “so you don’t have to deal with investigations and claims. Now, if the driver was at fault, you can deal with the payout or settlement and then move on,” he adds.

Moreover, this niche tech an help avoid accidents altogether. “When you have all this data —cameras, video — you don’t need to wait for the accident to happen. You can proactively know who your at-risk drivers are,” he says. “Then, you can work on coaching them and help them take the necessary steps to improve their driving habits.”

Knowing When To Expand

To evaluate when it’s time to expand, he recommends first measuring vehicle utilization. “Generally, companies will set up a threshold where if the utilization is above a certain amount, it’s a trigger indication that they need more vehicles,” says Singh.

“Using fleet management software, I can evaluate the demand of my vehicles through my seasons,” Singh says. “When you evaluate things like engine usage, or miles driven, you want to evaluate that against the total available hours you can drive these vehicles.”

While utilization metrics will vary with each industry, Singh recommends the following: “If you feel that utilization is above, say, 80% or whatever metric — you can then evaluate the utilization to determine how many more vehicles you need to purchase.”

With the current supply chain challenges due to COVID-19, he notes it has become more difficult to acquire new vehicles, making it even more important to plan ahead. “If you see some vehicles are not well utilized, you can cut vehicles from the fleet by pooling them,” he advises. Singh also suggests leasing additional vehicles from pools to expand fleets in a cost-effective manner.

Sustainability & Beyond

While fleet managers look to the future, there has been a big move towards electric vehicles. Singh warns, however, that there are a lot of things to consider before plugging into the electric vehicle trend. “You have to consider installing electric chargers and charger sites. You have to consider how many miles or kilometers you are driving each day,” he says. If vehicles are traveling more than 200 to 300 miles, that might be more travel time than the range of the battery can offer.

For those transitioning to electric vehicles, Singh recommends adding one vehicle at a time. Despite the initial investment, Singh says the cost savings on electric vehicles is impressive, including lowered fuel, vehicle usage and maintenance costs.

Whether you have a few vehicles or an entire fleet, electric tracking devices paired with fleet management software provides your business with benefits that are scalable, cost-effective and safe. The real beauty of fleet tracking, Singh explains, is that “when you’re evaluating this data on a monthly basis, you’re going to be ahead of the curve.”

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Vehicle Tracking Devices 101: What They Are, And Why Your Fleet Needs Them

Posted on October 4, 2021 | by Victoria Gole | Leave a Comment

Running your commercial fleet requires more than simply sending vehicles from point A to point B. The success of your drivers and your business depends heavily on optimizing the things you can’t see once a vehicle leaves your warehouse. Vehicle Tracking Devices can optimize your fleet by providing real-time GPS updates, collision notifications, and even engine fault detection.

In this post, we’ll break down what Vehicle Tracking Devices are, the latest generation of tracking devices currently available, and how your business can benefit from this advanced fleet protection.

What Are Vehicle Tracking Devices?

A vehicle tracking device is like the black box of an airplane; it receives GPS signals, collecting and sending navigation data and other critical vehicle information. This small piece of hardware can be as small as a matchbox, or as large as a shoebox.

Most tracking devices come equipped with a SIM-card slot and an On-Board Diagnostics (OBD-II) plug to connect to your vehicle. Once connected, it receives GPS signals and sends vehicle information — such as vehicle location or driver speed — using the internet, satellite networks or cellular services. Tracking devices differ with regards to the data collected, how they attach to the vehicle, and their respective power source. Types of devices include:

Factory-fitted Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) devices
Plug-In devices
Hardwired after-market devices
Smartphones or tablets enabled with real-time GPS tracking

Installing tracking units can be as simple as plugging into a vehicle’s OBD-II port, or may require a qualified technician to connect the tracking device to the wiring harness of the vehicle. Most light commercial vehicles purchased since 1996 already have an internal OBD-II port, often found behind the panel below the steering wheel.

Once connected, GoFleet’s specialized tracking software can collect GPS and vehicle data. It then transmits the data in real-time to a wide variety of pre-programmed devices, such as a cell phone or a computer IP address.

Internal Data-Protection Safety Features

Each of our vehicle tracking devices has a unique code, known as the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number. This allows GoFleet’s patented tracking software to match the unique code of each vehicle, preventing confusion and maintaining fleet management integrity.

The information collected and sent from GoFleet’s tracking devices also has a range of security features that prevent third-party penetration. These cryptographic features include:

Data encryption
Authenticated end-to-end telematic security
Verification of message integrity and unique IMEI tracker codes
Non-static security keys, which impede faking a device’s unique identity
Firmware with digitally-signed pre-programming to verify the source of updates
Validation of technology by independent third-party experts

What Type of Data is Collected?

GoFleet’s vehicle tracking devices collect and transmit a rich array of information. Even when the vehicle is parked underground or indoors, the telematic tracking unit begins recording the moment the key turns in the ignition.

Using AI and the enhanced data security features, some of the telematic information collected by GoFleet’s tracking devices include:

Precise Vehicle Tracking: This includes vehicle location, driving speed, engine idling, trip distance, time markers, driver ETA and more.
Fleet Health Assessments: Our software extracts and collects essential vehicular information such as engine faults, odometer readings, service maintenance needs, vehicle VIN, even risky driving habits such as acceleration, fast cornering or harsh braking.
Advanced Telematics Capture: Our trackers receive data from a variety of internal vehicular sources, such as the engine, instrument clusters, drivetrain, diagnostics and other subsystems. This allows for methodical and data-driven dashboard reports.
Collision Notifications: If a collision is detected, GoFleet’s superior tracking devices use AI and patented algorithms to collect and send detailed forensic data. This allows for forensic reconstruction of road events, including in-vehicle reverse collisions. This data is automatically uploaded from the tracking device, and collision notifications are sent in real-time via email or desktop alerts.
Driver Coaching: By providing your drivers with immediate feedback, you can improve fleet integrity and security, reduce risk to your drivers, and encourage immediate corrective action. Visible or audible alerts, as well as spoken guidance, can be given in cases of speeding, excessive idling, or unsafe driver behaviour.

GoFleet’s Advanced Vehicle Tracking Devices

Below are the latest and best vehicle tracking units available on the global market. They also come equipped for IOX expansion. This means that your tracking system and third-party integration management can expand with your fleet, allowing for scalable telematics solutions and greater fleet flexibility. IOX add-ons include: satellite tracking, driver ID, temperature tracking, hours of service (HOS), dash cam systems and more.

GoFleet’s GO9+

Welcome to the future of vehicle tracking devices. The GO9+ is the most advanced telematics device on the planet, providing industry-leading insights on the health of your fleet vehicles, as well as trip details, driver safety and much more. The GO9+ provides everything needed for advanced telematic capture and transmission, all in a tiny, compact package.

Best of all, the GO9+ brings its own Wi-Fi hotspot on-board, allowing your vehicle to stay connected to high-speed Internet without siphoning data from individual plans. In addition to reliable Wi-Fi wherever your drivers go, GoFleet’s GO9+ offers the following state-of-the-art features:

Unparalleled GPS tracking technology
G-force monitoring
LTE connectivity and secured communications capability
Intelligent in-vehicle driver coaching and alerts
Advanced collision detection and notification
Expandability of the external device via IOX Technology
Built-in gyrometer and auto-calibrating accelerometer
Instant vehicle data, including engine and battery health assessments
Accelerated GPS acquisition time via Almanac OTA support
GPS+GLONASS support and connectivity
Advanced native support for a variety of vehicle protocols
End-to-end cybersecurity measures, including non-static security keys
Easy installation

Recommended for: Small businesses, heavy-truck fleets, corporate vehicles and ride sharing.

GoFleet’s GO9 RUGGED

If you need a vehicle tracker built for harsh environments, meet the GO9 RUGGED. This device is designed to withstand external installation, protecting against elements such as dust, water, dirt and other solids.

The GO9 RUGGED builds on the GO Rugged family, providing even more speed, reliability, security features and telematic power. That’s because the GO9 RUGGED is powered by a 32-bit processor, offering 4 times the memory and 5 times the RAM of its predecessor, the GO8 RUGGED. Using GoFleet’s AI algorithms and tracking platform, the GO9 RUGGED can accurately recreate vehicle trips, analyze incidents, provide in-vehicle alerts to notify drivers of infractions in real-time, and provide end-to-end data encryption. Features include:

State-of-the-art GPS technology
G-force monitoring
Simple and sturdy design for covert installations
Smart, live in-vehicle driver coaching capacity
Industry-leading collision detection and notification
Instant vehicle data, including engine and battery health assessments
On-board auto-calibrating accelerometer and gyrometer
Accelerated GPS acquisition time via Almanac OTA support
GPS+GLONASS support and connectivity
LTE connectivity and secured communications capability
End-to-end cybersecurity, including authentication, encryption, message integrity verification, and non-static security keys
Advanced native support for a variety of vehicle protocols
Expandability of external device via IOX Technology
FIPS 140-2 validated by the NIST
IP68 & IP69K certified for protection from water, dust, sprays and other external pressures
Does not require a dash-mounted antenna or wire splicing for installation

Recommended for: Fleets using heavy equipment, farm machinery, powered trailers, yellow iron and other major assets.

Main Benefits of Fleet Vehicle Tracking

GoFleet’s tracking devices provide businesses with the hard data required to ensure smooth operations and peace of mind. Our software works seamlessly with vehicle tracking units to integrate command centre visibility into your fleet operations.

We recommend using tracking devices for businesses that manage fleets of any size, including cars, trucks, limousines, ride-sharing, pickup trucks, trailers, farm equipment, plumbing, roofing or construction vehicles. Our devices are scalable and can connect you to your vehicles, whether you have one or 100.

Among the most prominent benefits to using vehicle tracking devices are improved fleet management and maintenance, enhanced driver safety, lower labour costs, reduced fuel costs and superior theft deterrence. Additional benefits include:

Precision GPS technology, eliminating guesswork
Live updates and visibility, providing regular updates as often as every 2 seconds
An integrated, user-friendly fleet command dashboard; giving you access to your fleet with just a few swipes
Individualized regular servicing dashboard with service records for your vehicles
The ability to capture and view telematics data such as vehicle speed, direction, and fault codes
Asset monitoring, such as temperature data and asset location
Immediate 24/7 support for fleet owners

Integrated Software and Dispatch Performance

GoFleet’s tracking units let you view your entire fleet simultaneously, regardless of their location. Our devices work synergistically with individualized driver management software, letting you streamline and fine tune your fleet’s performance to ensure peak performance and compliance.

Our integrated software monitoring system allows businesses to capture when the driver’s workday starts and ends, displays routes in real-time, and records driver stops — both scheduled and unscheduled. Our data captures also record idle periods, fuel consumption, driving speeds, mileage, and even provides alerts on lost drivers or thefts.

The benefits of our integrated platform command centre to monitor dispatch performance include:

Ensuring drivers are on schedule and automatically sharing ETAs with customers
Confirming driver HOS & PTO availability, which reduces check-in calls
Recording Driver Scorecards and 365-day performance history
Alerting to acceleration, harsh breaks and collision detection
Streamlining routing options and dispatch management
Recording miles-by-state for IFT
Assuring FMCSA 395.15 compliance
Locating lost drivers and aiding the recovery of stolen property.

Ready to Protect Your Assets?

With all of the benefits of vehicle tracking devices, can your business afford not to invest in a telematics solution that saves you time, money and resources? Our experts can help you determine which asset tracker best suits your fleet’s needs. Schedule your free consultation and demonstration today.

telematics, report, gofleet, gps, optimization, fleet, vehicle

What Is Telematics? An In-Depth Look

Posted on October 1, 2021 | by Alexis | Leave a Comment

In the most general terms, telematics is the fusion of telecommunications (e.g. phone lines and cables) and informatics (computers) to create a holistic overview of one’s enterprise. Most often, telematics solutions are applied to commercial fleets, automating and leveraging the collection of GPS data across any number of assets.

While certainly not a new industry, the telematics field stands at the precipice of massive growth opportunities. The following is GoFleet’s primer guide on telematics; we’ll show you how it works, the types of data sets that are collected, and how to harness the power of telematics to increase your productivity and profitability.

How did telematics start?

The digital science of merging telecommunications channels with information technology (or informatics) began In the 1960s, when The Department of Defense in the U.S. developed GPS — the Global Positioning System. GPS was created specifically to trace the movement of their domestic military assets and improve internal communications.

As the internet expanded, more telecommunications networks went up, transferring data in real-time and enabling information to travel remotely, automating the capture of detailed data for a variety of purposes. Telematics was also made possible due to technological breakthroughs in machine-to-machine communication (M2M) — highly intelligent computer devices that gather and analyze mass data to manage real-world systems.

Today, vehicle telematics integrates wireless communications, GPS navigation, third-party software platforms, hands-free cell phones, automatic driving assistance systems and message encryption. Telematics systems can report on a vehicle’s speed, idling, tire pressure, driver habits, engine fault codes, collision detection and much more.

Added to the tracking device hardware, GoFleet’s software platform, AI algorithms and other patented knowledge allows for accuracy, quality and protection of GPS and other data transference. Known as ‘curve-logging’, this allows our software to discard unnecessary information, while preserving and logging the most useful vehicle maintenance data.

How telematics works

With regards to fleet tracking, vehicles equipped with Vehicle Tracking Devices; small, durable black boxes that provide superior GPS and asset tracking technology. These telematics devices often plug into an OBD II or CAN-BUS port in the vehicle. Paired with a SIM-card and on board modem, the units enable constant communication across all cellular networks.

The asset tracking, vehicle information recording, and communications transmission devices involved in telematics logging include the following key components:

GPS receiver
Engine interface
SIM card
Accelerometer
Buzzer or other audio messaging
Interface for input/output (expander port)

The devices then retrieve and record an enormous amount of data generated by a vehicle, and transmit that data through cloud technology, providing fleet towners with dashboard reports and command-centre visibility into their operations.

Since telematics devices connect to a vehicle’s sensors and hardware, the type of data they process and analyze includes:

Real-time GPS positioning
G-force and vehicle speed, measured by a built-in accelerometer
Trip distance, routing and time
Idling time records
Fuel consumption
Harsh braking, hard cornering, rapid acceleration and other bad driving habits
Seat belt usage
Vehicle faults, engine light information and other engine data
Battery voltage and vehicle temperature
Service reminders and other vehicle maintenance warnings

All of that data is captured, encoded and then transmitted through fleet management software. It is then decoded for authorized, preprogrammed users, allowing for secure transmission of actionable data to IP addresses or cell phones.

This provides the command-centre data needed for generating, viewing and exporting dashboard reports. Business intelligence insights can even create driver scorecards — identifying safe drivers, speeding incidents, or opportunities for scheduled maintenance.

Telematics in fleet management

Telematics has become an essential tool for commercial and government fleet management. In addition to tracking major assets across the globe using GPS, advances in machine learning and data analytics mean improved fleet performance and productivity. Fleets can even use benchmarking measures to compare safety, fuel consumption or other standards against similar fleets.

One indispensable feature of telematics in fleet management is the creation of advanced analytic comparisons. This provides fleet managers with hard data that can be used to identify optimal travel routes, deter theft and protect assets.

Though telematics data can be stored and sent from closed-vehicle systems, most often a fleet’s telematic technology is shared through open platforms via proprietary software. This allows businesses to integrate other hardware, after-market accessories, and third-party apps for greater efficiency, expandability and insight into business operations, while retaining data privacy.

As telematic devices continue to improve, the most popular telematics integrations for fleet management currently include:

Smart dashboard cameras
Electronic logging devices (ELDs)
Dispatching and route optimization apps
Remote diagnostics
Weather alerts
Encrypted security features
Other mobile safety sensors

In fact, vehicle security and identification sensors have improved so much that fleets can now authenticate a driver’s identity before they are able to start the vehicle.

Every day, more businesses, nonprofits and government agencies move toward the hard data and superior protection that telematics affords. According to Allied Market Research, the automotive telematics market was valued globally at $50.4 billion in 2018. By 2026, experts believe it will reach $320 billion.

The benefits of telematics are self-evident; they offer diagnostic tools that prolong the life of vehicles, warn of pending issues and identify areas of concern. Telematics contribute to ROI and savings so exponentially, Verizon recently wrote: “32% of fleets using fleet management technology achieved a positive ROI in less than a year,” sharing this and more data points in their 2021 Fleet Technology Trends Report.

Industries currently employing telematics for their fleet tracking include:

The benefits of telematics for commercial fleets

The applications for telematics cannot be understated; it harnesses a rich ecosystem of information — from granular drivetrain details to post-collision reconstruction of driving events — ensuring the health of your vehicle and the safety of everyone on the road.

Safety tracking:

Fleet managers can use telematics to monitor the speed and location of their vehicles, as well as ensure that drivers employ good driving habits now and in the future. In the event of an accident, telematics can help identify who was at fault and what the road conditions were prior to the event, ensuring the safety of their drivers and preventing future incidents.

Maintenance:

By understanding the entire operational life cycle of their vehicles, including hours of service (HOS), warranty recovery and preventative maintenance scheduling, managers can find areas of improvement and identify problems before they occur.

Insurance:

Insurance companies can leverage telematics data to assess risk factors within a fleet and adjust premiums accordingly. Factors such as accidents, fuel consumption and engine wear can all determine — and possibly lower — insurance rates for your fleet.

GoFleet telematics support

GoFleet and our trusted partners have identified seven key areas where fleet management receives the greatest direct advantage from telematics support:

Improved Productivity: Using real-time GPS tracking and automatic trip reporting, fleets can greatly improve dispatching, routing, ETA notification and customer service.
Increased Safety: In-vehicle driver coaching alerts to drowsiness or other risky driver behaviours; collision reconstruction and theft location notifications help protect your assets.
Optimization of Fleets: Streamlining vehicle servicing with predictive maintenance and remote diagnostics improves fuel management, driver habits and vehicle integrity.
Fleet Compliance: Automates FTA reporting, inspections and compliance logging.
Platform Integration: Makes sure all your mobile asset apps and equipment communicate seamlessly, integrating camera, sensors, CRM technology and more.
Adaptable Sustainability: Reduces the environmental impact of carbon emissions, adapts to emerging power sources, and analyzes the cost effectiveness of electric vehicles.
Insurance Premiums: Because fleets can now share their safety compliance data as proof with insurance companies, risk assessments often generate lower premium costs.

The future of telematics

As GPS tracking systems and M2M technologies advance, the Internet of Things (IoT) continues to grow; every advance made brings us closer to the edge of a telematics revolution. From enhanced collection and capture of intelligence data to performance benchmarking and reporting for fleet optimization, the future of telematics is bright. Contact your GoFleet consultant to discuss how telematics can bring tomorrow’s technology to your fleet, today.

beginners guide, eld, electronic logging device, gofleet, mandate, trucking, hos, compliance

A Beginner’s Guide To Electronic Logging Devices And Current ELD Mandates

Posted on September 30, 2021 | by Alexis | Leave a Comment

Back before the days of automation, truck drivers had to manually log their trips. Even after countless hours on the road, drivers were still responsible for tracking their movements, often spending additional hours accounting for every stop and start. Fortunately, the advent of Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs) removed that labor-intensive step by digitally automating the logging process.

Over the past four years, governments in the U.S. and Canada enacted ELD mandates for most commercial vehicles. Transport Canada has been working diligently to align with the ELD Mandate passed in the United States, which states that providers must obtain certification from a third-party to ensure their solutions meet the complex technical standards set forth by Transport Canada.

Fortunately, the jump to electronic logging has made issues of compliance far easier. GoFleet’s electronic logs capture all necessary logging information automatically, allowing drivers to record on-duty hours with great detail and freeing them up to focus on the road..

In this post, we’ll cover some of the many advantages of using ELDs; we’ll simplify how they work, what they record, and identify the key dates to comply with the current ELD mandates.

What Is an ELD?

Electronic logging devices often plug into a vehicle’s onboard diagnostics (OBD) port. The ELD vehicle tracker then connects directly to the truck’s engine, sending data safely through mobile apps and GoFleet’s software and fleet management platform.

These telematics devices can send granular engine data — when it was turned on or off, how much fuel was used, how far the vehicle travels — along with GPS global satellite system location data. The telematics are collected and then sent securely to a server, for easy ELD mobile app viewing.

Drivers can likewise access their electronic logging information on their smartphones or tablets using our ELD mobile app. RODS and HOS records can be displayed for vehicle inspectors. This technology streamlines the capture and retrieval of massive amounts of records and receipts.

Types of Logging Data Captured

ELDs help fleet compliance managers monitor and analyze safety protocols. GoFleet’s data captures translate into real-time ELD reports showing location information, maps and a wide range of notifications. Data logging captures include:

Automatic recording of on-duty driving time, driving behaviour and driver authentication
ELDs communicate directly with the engine control module for internal synchronization
On-board gyroscope and accelerometer detect movement, providing data around safety-related events such as harsh braking or collisions
Automatically records locations, date and time stamps, engine hours, ignition status, vehicle miles driven, motor carrier type and more
Provides driver recertification records at the end of every 24-hr period
ELDs offer tamper prevention, sending out real-time vehicle location information
ELDs also transmit data—constantly to fleet command managers, and locally, on an individual basis, to DOT and other commercial vehicle inspection sites
Displays reports on-demand (on screen or print-outs) for safety officials

The Advantages of ELDs

Smart technology has revolutionized most industries, and its effects on commercial vehicles is no exception. ELDs offer enormous advantages for drivers and their parent companies. Among the most frequently cited:

1. Road Safety

Most ELDs have a gyroscope and accelerometer, which detect trigger events such as harsh braking, harsh turning and collisions. The resulting data can be used to coach drivers on safe driving, alert to driver drowsiness and even provide collision reconstruction data, which can be used to exonerate drivers from false claims. Electronic logs for truckers have become so effective that governments are mandating their use to improve driver safety, increase vehicle efficiency and save lives.

2. Streamlining Record Keeping

Record keeping and reporting is an important — if not tedious — part of any fleet’s operations. ELDs help commercial fleets simplify the process, automating the collection of Records of Duty Status (RODS), tabulating drivers’ Hours of Service (HOS) for compliance, and enabling robust reporting while simplifying administrative tasks.

Automated tracking minimizes the risk of records errors, which ultimately makes the process of enforcement checks faster. Using GoFleet’s integrated software platform, ELDs can also provide dashboard reports and internal checks on each vehicle’s integrity, with alerts for scheduled servicing dates to avoid problems before they start.

3. Asset Security

The security and loss prevention provided by ELD solutions includes real-time GPS satellite data, encrypted from end to end. Vehicles can be located easily in the event of theft, and in many cases theft can be prevented altogether.

The geofencing feature on ELDs creates a virtual boundary around a given location, and sends an alert any time a vehicle breaches the boundary, minimizing loss and reducing the cost of replacing assets. Real-time data captures everything from micro data on drive-chain stability to macro data on driver behavior and HOS, granting your fleet command-centre visibility.

4. Cost Benefits & ROI

By streamlining and upgrading the record-keeping process, your fleet can travel faster and smarter. Moreover, fleet managers can more easily identify areas for efficiency and cost savings. This is especially true with route mapping and capturing idling time, both of which dramatically reduce fuel costs.

In the event of a collision, forensic accident reconstruction and recording of harsh driving events help minimize liability and reduce insurance premiums while also serving as an opportunity to effectively coach your drivers on better driving habits.

5. HOS Compliance

The Hours of Service (HOS) Rules ensure that commercial drivers operate their vehicles within the daily limit and log working hours accurately using an elog app or electronic logbook. Because ELDs connect directly to the vehicle, they make it easier and faster to track, manage, share and improve the accuracy of a driver’s hours of service record.

The devices ensure drivers comply with the Canadian Government’s Commercial Vehicle Drivers HOS Regulations by tracking when drivers have been at the wheel and for how long.

In this light, ELDs will make it easier for drivers and motor carriers to comply with the regulations by staying within legally allowed driving hours.

Recent ELD Mandates: Who Needs ELDs?

Deadlines loom for recent inter-country ELD mandates, making it likely that all North American commercial vehicles will have to adapt to this technology soon. At present, only commercial vehicles older than model year 2000 are still exempt. Some highlights on the mandates:

Canada’s ELD Mandates & Key Dates

Canada recently published its Regulations on Commercial Vehicles, which require Electronic Logging Devices for all commercial fleets by June 12, 2022.

Canada’s move to ELD reporting began in 2017. By June 13, 2019, Transport Canada had begun mandating ELDs for bus operators and commercial trucks. By June of 2022, Canada is expecting all fleets to have switched from daily paper logs to ELDs. Other regulatory mandates include:

Canadian ELDs must meet Electronic Logging Devices standards and minimum requirements.
Canadian ELDs must be third-party certified, not self-certified by the manufacturer, as in the U.S.
Canadian drivers will not transfer logs electronically to a federal system, like eRODS in the U.S. Instead, drivers will be required to email transfer files to officers.
There will no longer be a two-year phase-out period for ERDs; fleets must achieve ELD compliance by the 2022 date.

Canadian ELD Exemptions

Canada offers four main exemptions in their recently updated ELD regulations. Commercial vehicles may be exempt from the eLogs mandate if they meet the following criteria:

Operate the vehicle under a specifically issued permit
Are subject to rental agreements with terms under 30 days
Have a prior statutory exemption
Operate a vehicle that was manufactured before model year 2000

Canadian drivers of commercial motor vehicles manufactured before 2000 can continue to keep paper logs to track driving time and on-duty hours records.

U.S.A.’s ELD Mandates & Exemptions

ELDs are currently required of all fleet industries in the U.S. whenever any one driver logs in eight days worth of duty status logs or more (out of 30 days). The U.S. ELD mandates went into effect back in December 2017, with an expectation of full compliance by December 2019. The FMCSA will allow exemptions for drivers who:

Are not required to keep Record of Duty Status (RODS)
Drivers who use RODS for no more than eight days during any 30-day period
Tow-away drivers, if the vehicle driven was part of a shipment
Drivers of commercial vehicles older than model year 2000

The FMCSA also recommends consulting their site to verify how your fleet is affected by the ELD trucking rules changes.

Meeting ELD Requirements

There are many similarities between the American and Canadian ELD mandates. Both require engine synchronization, GPS tracking, automatically capturing on-duty and off drive-time, and the use of an on-screen display to show records to roadside inspectors.

There are also some major differences between the two nations; Canadian mandates will require the ELD system to actively alert drivers when they are running close to their hours of service limits. The hours of service rules in Canada are also quite different from the U.S.

As a fleet manager, it’s important to stay detail-oriented. For trucks travelling within Canada, fleet managers should choose an ELD vendor and carrier that supports Canadian hours of service rules, and are committed to achieving third-party certification.

GoFleet to Get the Details

As everyone works towards full compliance, we at GoFleet are tracking recent electronic logbook changes to stay apprised of any developments or changes. Our ELD solutions provide industry-leading insights, while our electronic logs for truckers help simplify record keeping, providing commercial fleets peace of mind.

As technology and connectivity become ever more integrated, it’s important to choose your solutions wisely. Ask us about our Geotab Drive ELD, an FMCSA compliant app for mobile devices that provides Driver Vehicle Inspection Reporting (DVIR) and Hours of Service compliance solutions, in real-time.

All of our integrated ELD solutions save you time and money. Contact us to schedule a free consultation or trial demonstration to see how your fleet will be affected. Our experts can help you strategize and streamline.

shuttle bus, bus eta, gofleet, telematics, gps, vehicle tracking,

How Telematics Can Set Shuttle Bus Services Up For Success

Posted on September 21, 2021 | by Alexis | Leave a Comment

If you’ve ever been in an airport, visited someone in a hospital or required private transportation to an event, you’ve likely used a shuttle bus. In today’s fast-paced world, telematics provide benefits to shuttle bus fleets, giving businesses an edge for retaining top-tier employees while providing peace of mind to commuters. Every year, more companies invest in shuttle services; with the right telematics solution, those same companies can also realize improved productivity, visibility and efficiency.

Tracking

Vehicle tracking platforms, such as GoFleet’s Bus ETA, provide essential information to drivers, fleet managers and to public citizens to ensure a seamless, automated experience. Ultimately, tracking saves you valuable time and resources, offering a window into your current operations, inefficiencies along routes and reporting features.

With the app, passengers can review live ETA data right on their phones, with just one click. They can view current vehicle routes, expected total route time, as well as stop and start points, all in real-time. Automation streamlines these processes by reducing wait times and reducing the number of inbound callers for real-time updates, while fostering goodwill with passengers.

Passenger Safety

GoFleet has a number of product offerings that can be scaled to your fleet’s requirements, including commercial dash cams such as ZenduCAM. Perhaps one of the best use cases for ZenduCAM resides with shuttle buses. Imagine being able to track passenger safety by ensuring that your driver follows all necessary protocols. Dash cam footage keeps your drivers compliant, keeps your commuters safe, and helps reinforce good driving habits.

Vehicle Diagnostics

When you use a GoFleet product or service, you’re leveraging a rich telematics ecosystem that can provide all kinds of data sets to improve your business. Monitoring the health and productivity of your shuttle vehicles is an essential part of any holistic fleet solution. Connecting fleet vehicles and fleet managers in real-time and with daily or historical reports for optimum fleet performance.

Our GO9 GPS vehicle tracker, for example, not only provides accurate data on vehicle location, speed and trip distance, it can also extract valuable data on a vehicle’s overall “health”, letting you know the status of the odometer, engine faults and much more. Connecting fleet vehicles with fleet managers in real-time helps to gauge when and if a vehicle requires maintenance, track fuel efficiency and reduce the time and frequency of inspections, all of which stop vehicle problems before they start. With the right diagnostics tool, you can easily optimize your fleet’s performance and save money in the process.

Telematics data is critical to the success of nearly every type of fleet. GoFleet’s solutions are comprehensive, scalable and offer easy installation and a user-friendly interface. Whether you use shuttle buses to manage guest parking, take travellers to and from the airport or need your commuters to arrive at any destination efficiently and on time, we can help you take full control of your fleet’s operations for better business outcomes. Contact one of our consultants today to see how GoFleet can work for you.

back to school, school bus, student, tracking, telematics, gps, parents

Back to School Brings New Telematics Opportunities For Bus Fleets

Posted on September 16, 2021 | by Alexis | Leave a Comment

This month marks the back-to-school season, offering students across the country a mass exodus from lockdowns and a welcome break from online learning. These new beginnings bring with them opportunities for school administrators and third-party fleet managers to revamp their bus operations using technology and telematics data to make the school year safer and more efficient. Below we’ve listed some of GoFleet’s product and service offerings that are available to both schools and to the public to help keep kids safe.

GPS tracking of bus operations with Bus ETA

GoFleet’s Bus ETA app marks the first step in safety and communication between parents and their child’s school. Bus ETA is an app that allows school admins to provide live location updates of arriving or departing school buses.

The app also allows parents to track their child’s bus to make sure it arrives/departs on time by allowing the parent to create routes and define which students (or “Travellers”) are assigned to those routes. Bus ETA is updated automatically, so that parents (or “Guardians”) have access to real-time updates on their computers, tablets, or mobile devices.

Bus ETA is integrated with ZenduIT ecosystem (same functionality as ZenduCAM alerts) to create and review multiple routes, monitor multiple travellers and allow their guardians to log their information in the event of an emergency. A 2-step verification process ensures safe guardian login.

Knowing when and where a school bus will be at any given time — and having that information available on a live app — improves efficiency by reducing wait times and avoids having to wade through a field of update calls from anxious parents. Routing and dispatching can be done quickly, providing a live location for all buses employed by the school and increasing visibility between parents and the school’s administration.

The school can import and manage guardians and travellers while creating and managing routes from the travellers addresses. Conversely, guardians can track several bus routes and travellers from one mobile app while reviewing a history of arrivals and notifications. Ultimately, knowing when and where a bus will arrive allows families to organize their day without the fear of missing a ride to school.

Tracking student safety with GO9 trackers

It’s all well and good to know where the bus is, but what if your child isn’t on it? Thankfully, Bus ETA can merge seamlessly with ZenduIT’s tracking system for a more comprehensive (and safer) solution. For example, our third-party GO9 tracker plugs directly into the vehicle to track its routes, and a traveller tag tracks the student’s mobility when used in conjunction with a GO9 + NFC reader. Whether you’re tracking your child’s bus, or tracking the bus and your child, our technology gives schools and parents peace of mind while promoting safe travel to and from school.

ZenduCAM for heightened safety

Our commercial dash cam solutions provide a wealth of options for fleets of all sizes. Connecting a product such as ZenduCAM to your buses gives you data sets for all kinds of cost-saving and safety-promoting initiatives, including:

Accident reconstruction: In the unlikely event of an accident, ZenduCAM helps you determine who was at fault, as well as the events that led up to the collision.
Road compliance: Dash cams keep your bus drivers accountable by preventing unsafe driving habits such as rapid acceleration, harsh braking and turning.
Passenger-facing cameras can help scan your precious cargo to keep them safe and accounted for.
Driver scoring and training: Your dash cam system provides an overall scoring system to help identify areas of improvement, incentivize good driving habits and keep drivers and students safe.

When integrated with GoFleet’s rich telematics ecosystem, Bus ETA can help create a 360 solution for schools and bus fleets. Through years of IoT experience, our specialists have a wealth of knowledge and an ability to recommend the right integration of apps and hardware for different verticals. We design, develop and implement premium automation solutions to help drive success — and your vehicles. Contact your GoFleet consultant today and see how we can bring your bus fleet to the top of the class.