Managing fleets is a major concern for businesses that rely on trucks for deliveries. Fleet managers must consider many factors, such as the safety of fleets, drivers, packages, fuel costs, and timely deliveries. This is where truck tracking systems can prove useful. These systems use technology to help fleet managers track and manage the locations of their trucks, helping them address various concerns, improve efficiency, reduce costs, and boost customer satisfaction significantly.

Benefits of using truck tracking

1. Increases efficiency with route optimization
The biggest advantage of using a truck tracking system is that it allows fleet managers to choose a better, more efficient route for delivery. By constantly tracking and monitoring their trucks’ location, managers can record how long it takes to make deliveries. Based on that information, they can check for alternate routes that could shorten the distance or routes with low traffic density.

Another challenge businesses usually face is sending multiple trucks and drivers to various delivery locations. With truck tracking and location monitoring, fleet managers can identify routes that allow a single truck to make deliveries to multiple locations. This could help a company save money by enabling it to send fewer trucks to all the locations.

2. Increases safety and security
With constant truck tracking and monitoring, fleet managers can also ensure the safety of their trucks. Most truck tracking systems have a function that alerts fleet managers when the drivers are overspeeding or showing improper driving behavior. With these alerts, fleet managers can notify drivers of safety concerns and ensure they follow safe driving practices. Along with the safety of the drivers and the vehicles, these systems also ensure the security of packages. By ensuring the overall protection of the fleets, these systems can prove to be huge cost-savers for businesses.

3. Reduces fuel costs
Fuel costs are one of the major concerns for businesses owning a fleet. Truck tracking systems can help with this problem. Since fleet managers can monitor routes with these systems, they can easily optimize routes to shorten the distance, which leads to lower fuel consumption. Secondly, these tracking systems also notify the managers when the vehicles are idling, that is, have their engines running even when not in motion. Trucks consume unnecessary fuel when they are left idle for a long time. With the help of tracking systems, fleet managers can identify idle time and take action to reduce fuel consumption.

4. Helps improve customer satisfaction
Businesses that handle deliveries also need to be careful about customer satisfaction. Factors such as late deliveries and damaged packages can significantly impact customer satisfaction. But fleet managers can address these issues with the help of truck tracking systems. By optimizing routes, fleet managers can ensure faster deliveries and improve package safety. Besides, route optimization software offers customers real-time ETAs and notifies them of any unexpected delivery delays, enhancing customer satisfaction.

Types of truck tracking systems
There are two types of truck tracking systems that businesses can opt for. These are active tracking systems and passive tracking systems.

1. Active tracking systems
Fleet managers use these systems to track the live location of their trucks. This allows them to monitor their trucks and receive immediate alerts about any issues, helping them avoid potential problems along the delivery route. Active systems are also available in two variants.

• Cellular systems
  These systems use cellular networks and data to send information about the trucks’ current location. Fleet managers can keep track of their trucks using an app and an internet connection. The only downside of these systems is that when the trucks travel to areas without cellular coverage, they will not be able to transmit any data.
• Satellite systems
  Unlike cellular systems, satellite systems use satellite-based tracking. This means the device installed on the truck will use GPS to transmit data about its location to the fleet managers’ device. So, even if the trucks travel to areas without cellular range or connectivity, the GPS will ensure that the location keeps getting transmitted. Because these systems are more efficient and effective, they cost more than cellular tracking systems.

2. Passive tracking systems
Passive truck tracking systems refer to systems that do not transmit any data to fleet managers or businesses in real-time. Instead, the device installed in the trucks records the route and location data when on the road and stores it in a memory card or a similar device. Once the truck returns to the company location, the fleet managers must plug the device into a computer to look at the route and the entire trip. While these systems do not allow fleet managers to keep track of their vehicles in real-time and prevent any mishaps, they also do not rely on cellular networks. So, regardless of the location, the device will efficiently record all the data for later analysis and review.