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10/28/2006
OnScene Solutions - InTow GPS Fleet Tracking (excerpt)
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InTow
GPS Fleet Tracking
More and more towing
companies are turning to Global Positioning System (GPS)
technology to find out where their trucks are and where
they have been. The early adopters of GPS technology were
long haul transportation companies. Fleet tracking helped
them maintain delivery times in a just-in-time inventory
economy. But the benefits and cost controls are even more
apparent for towing dispatch companies.
When
GPS technology is combined with InTow Manager Dispatching
and InTow Messenger Driver Communications, towing
companies can now equip their call takers and dispatchers
with a very powerful tool set. When speaking to
perspective customers, I often ask them the following
questions;
How often do your trucks
pass each other in opposite directions on the way to
service calls?
(This image gives the
dispatcher a visual of the trucks available for this
call)
What if you could
always send the closest available truck by equipment type
to each service call?
(This dialog tells the
dispatcher what vehicle is closest by availability and
equipment type)
What would the
impact be on your fuel costs and maintenance costs as a
result?
(This shows how you can select
the best truck broken down by equipment type and
availability - for this call, a Flatbed is
required)
How many more calls per
day could be performed by always sending the closest
truck?
(Dispatchers can locate the
best truck and electronically transmit the call details
to the driver - all from the the same easy to use
dialog)
With InTow GPS from OnScene
Solutions, you are able to logistically manage your fleet
vehicles, reducing truck costs while raising your
customer service levels.
In addition
to the very obvious benefits listed above, GPS tracking
you can determine a driver’s average length of a
service call by service type (i.e. lockout, tow, tire
change). You can analyze service call stops vs.
non-service stops. You can determine the actual length of
each service call. Corrective measures based on this
information can increase call productivity, reduce wasted
time and drive inefficiency down.
Aside from always sending the most sensible truck to
every call, GPS technology tackles high fuel bills in
three other areas. It helps to control speeding, it can
reduce engine idle times and it can monitors unauthorized
use of your trucks either for personnel use or
moonlighting. Fleet Managers can now implement measures
to address these problem areas that we all know, plague
the towing software industry. As a result of GPS technology, fuel
consumption and costs can drop dramatically. Speeding
alone will increases your maintenance costs, can increase
your fleet insurance premiums, can increase your fuel
expenses, and can raise your liability when an accident
occurs. With GPS tracking there is no need to rely on the
public to report unsafe drivers.
The cost / benefit equation of adding GPS tracking to
your fleet is one of the most financially justified
technologies in the market today. Hardware costs for each
truck of approximately $400.00 plus a monthly per truck
cost of $35.00 dollars can be easily recouped in a matter
of months or possibly weeks depending on your particular
situation.
For more information, or
for a complete demonstration of how GPS can help your
company, please contact me by email at
dthurlow@onscene-solutions.com, or by phone at
330.220.8111 Ext. 1
Click here to read the full article.
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