Managers who are responsible for fleet tracking have a huge list of responsibilities that need to be conducted in a very thorough way. It’s not just the simple task of making sure that each vehicle has financing, regular servicing and repairing, but far more than that. Fleet management can encompass many smaller components, all of which are as equally vital as one another.
Some of the factors involved in managing an entire fleet could be compared to a worldwide car rental company. Think of how they have to keep track of each of their vehicles, knowing where they are, when they are due back, when they need a service, how careful the driver is, the average speed on the vehicle, the overall fuel economy and many other factors. Fleet tracking is also extremely useful in one specific area of crime fighting and this car theft.
Bait Car Technology
One of the most clever aspects of fleet tracking technology is the capability to disable a vehicle remotely to prevent it from being moved, started and driven away. They can limit throttle capacity, disable the vehicle by locking the braking system and activate the central locking system to prevent thieves from escaping the vehicle. For those of you who have seen the TV show ‘Bait Car’ you will be familiar with that exact technology. The idea behind ‘Bait Car’ is a police vehicle is set up as a trap car so that thieves will be attracted to steal it. Once they get in and drive the car the police then follow it for a short distance before totally disabling it and arresting the thief. Generally the thieves are unaware that the entire build-up their crime was caught on video tape and they are shocked that police do not believe their story. Because disabling technology is so complex and yet so useful it can be used in so many other applications.
Managing a fleet is also part of the life cycle of the vehicles, whereby the manager may have to replace and renew the fleet after a certain given time. Generally, a three year period is acceptable between changes of fleet vehicle, but mileage can also be a factor. Usually, the allowable period can be an ‘either or’ situation where they reach a certain amount of mileage or a certain period of use.
To find the best ideas for your company’s fleet tracking, contact to learn how they can assist you.
