The business world has significantly evolved over time, and among the most significant phases of the process has been the computerization of various tasks, including the monitoring of business operations. One of the fruits of this development is the creation of the GPS vehicle tracking system which provides undeniable benefits to trucking companies.
Understanding GPS Tracking
GPS stands for Global Positioning System, a network of satellites that use radio frequencies to pinpoint specific locations of persons or objects on earth. As soon as a GPS receiver is switched on, it scans its way around the atmosphere in order to receive signals from the four nearest satellites and calculate its current position. GPS tracking is the use of GPS technology in order to monitor the whereabouts of a subject, which can be anything from a company vehicle to a restless teenager. Hikers, mountain-climbers and other people who like to explore into unfamiliar places can also use GPS-enabled gadgets such as cell phones and handheld computers to identify their companions' location as well as their own.
GPS Tracking and the Trucking Business
Trucking companies will definitely find several uses of GPS tracking technology for their day-to-day operations. For example, it allows managers to determine whether or not truck drivers are dilly-dallying with deliveries, or are using official working hours for their personal concerns. It also helps in locating customers' addresses in case there is doubt on where merchandise is supposed to be delivered. Aside from these, a GPS device can also report fuel mileage of tracked vehicles, so it can be determined whether or not routine maintenance is in order at a particular time. Of course, among the most beneficial features of this technology is its capability to monitor the location and movement of stolen vehicles.
Advanced Features of Vehicle Tracking Technology for Truckers
The list of features offered by a vehicle monitoring system, sometimes known as vehicle dispatch software, is surprisingly long and inclusive of very specific details. For example, this program can record the number of trips a vehicle has made, the distance it has run and whether or not there was time spent without movement. It can also determine each and every location of the vehicle during a trip, as well as send alerts for over speeding, harsh acceleration and braking and other clues on how a driver is handling his vehicle. Another event that can tip off an alert is when the driver deviates from geographical boundaries, otherwise known as a geo-fence, set by the company.
Various types of GPS tracking programs are available in the market, and the tracking system developed in 1968 by the US Department of Defense has come a very long way. This means trucking companies will have to explore and learn the technology's much new and interconnected functionality in order to use it to their full benefit.