A Q&A with Santa, and Fleet Manager Mrs Claus, of North Pole Inc
With major players like Amazon and Google entering the market it is more important than ever for private delivery companies to maintain a competitive edge. Managing overhead costs and optimizing processes will allow private delivery fleets to drive alongside and compete with bigger companies.
Major brands Amazon, Google and Uber are making their way into the same day delivery market. Robert Bowman from Forbes shared, “In yet another of its characteristically bold moves, Amazon reportedly is preparing to launch a delivery fleet of its own trucks and contracted drivers.” Amazon is planning to test Prime Pantry, a grocery delivery service, in San Francisco before expanding to other large metropolitan areas such as Los Angeles and New York City.
Fleet managers can do this by reducing and maintaining operational costs and continuing to provide exceptional customer service. All of which can be managed and exponentially better with a proper GPS tracking system in place.
Reduce Idle Times and Save On Fuel Costs
GPS tracking won’t only help drivers with route navigation and fleet managers with vehicle location but it also helps manage fuel costs. Unauthorized routes and usage of vehicles combined with crisscross routes and traffic are the biggest culprits of fuel wastage.
Managing a fleet that travels far or to a variety of different regions can make it difficult for managers to keep operational costs down. However with a GPS tracking solution in place managers can efficiently view and edit routes to dramatically reduce or eliminate idle time.
Managers have the ability to find alternate routes if traffic congestion starts to become an issue. This is especially important when it comes to delivery schedules. You can’t predict the future accidents or road construction but the right GPS fleet tracking system will allow you to better navigate the present.
With more than better visibility, fleet managers also experience an increase of productivity.
“With Teletrac, we’re making more deliveries per day with the same (or fewer) numbers of trucks.” – Builders First Source
Are You Delivering Amazing Customer Service?
A GPS fleet tracking system does a lot more than get drivers from one destination to another. In a time-sensitive industry, delivery times are vital to maintaining and growing your business. It is important fleets are able to meet delivery deadlines and also accommodate pressing cases such as emergencies, last minute deliveries or pick-ups, and other items that may come up throughout the day.
With real-time location mapping fleet managers are better equipped to make strategic decisions, especially when it comes to last minute deliveries or pickups. Locating and dispatching the closest vehicle not only allows for clients and customers to have a better experience it also helps manage fuel and possible overtime costs.
When making timely deliveries and having the most up-to-date information is key, nothing is more important than having a GPS tracking software in place.
Eric from Flag City Motor shared that GPS tracking has given him wonderful visibility over his fleet, and has allowed for dispatchers and drivers to work more efficiently.
Louis Latilla, owner of the Manhattan Fruit Exchange, used to receive a number of customer complaints due to late deliveries. After integrating a GPS tracking system drivers no longer deviate from their routes resulting in happier customers and a more efficient fleet.
Best Solution for Mobile Asset Loss Prevention
Mobile assets are the life line to a fleet business and it is imperative the proper measures are put in place to reduce or prevent the risk of theft.
A total of 951 cargo thefts were reported in 2013, which tied the all-time mark set in 2012, according to FreightWatch International. With an average of $171,100 per stolen load, that adds up to over $162 million in stolen cargo across the entire industry in the United States.
It is important for private delivery fleets to protect their vehicle and the cargo they transport. Replacing one stolen vehicle can costs companies thousands of dollars in addition to experiencing driver and fleet manager down time plus the loss of any cargo that may have been loaded onto the fleet.
A GPS tracking system with the ability to set up alerts allows for companies to locate and recover stolen property, saving thousands of dollars and time.
Having the ability to set up alerts through your GPS tracking system is a crucial feature. Alerts can be customized to confirm delivery times and destinations as well as any after-hours activity. With the proper parameters in place, fleet managers can be alerted if an engine is turned on after-hours enabling them to act quickly if the event is unexpected.
Fleet managers are resting better knowing their valuable mobile assets are secure.
“In the past, we had a huge problem with theft. With Teletrac’s alerts and ignition on/off monitoring, we no longer have to worry. We can quickly locate a stolen truck, shut it down, and retrieve it.” — Brothers Produce
Managing Safety and Compliance within Your Fleet
Private delivery fleets are known for being quicker to adopt GPS tracking and other safety technology to help manage their fleets. According to the National Private Truck Council, private delivery fleets tend to have higher safety scores than commercial carriers. With efficiency and driver safety as a top concern, private fleet delivery companies understand GPS tracking benefits both the driver and the bottom line.
GPS tracking provides fleet managers visibility beyond just the location of their vehicles; it also gives them insight into vehicle safety and driver behavior. With the ability to track key performance metrics such as speeding or harsh braking, fleet managers can review data on pre-customized dashboards.
Detailed reports enable fleet managers to better enforce and train drivers on safe driving behavior. With a robust GPS tracking solution fleet managers also have the ability to replay unsafe driving events, allowing them to pinpoint specific driver patterns or vehicle abuse.
Business owners have also avoided violations and potential lawsuits by implementing GPS tracking systems. Bill Benton from Daphne shared, “Teletrac has always given us on time and up to date information. One time it even saved us from a possible lawsuit for a hit and run accident. It did help greatly when we were involved in a tragic fatality accident by giving us exact time and location and speed that our truck was going. It showed without a doubt that our unit had nothing to do with the cause of the accident.”