ClickSoftware and GPS Fleet Tracking

Last week a software company called ClickSoftware launched a new Mobile Enterprise Application Platform (MEAP) called the Mobility Suite. This application is intended to make it faster, easier and less expensive to develop custom mobile applications.

It is interesting to note how ClickSoftware is including GPS fleet tracking in their feature lists now days. They don't provide the GPS equipment or service, they are simply integrating the data from these systems into their back-office application. Here is how ClickSoftware describes it in their press release:

ClickSoftware has combined years of mobile application experience with the latest functional and technical developments to create a step change in mobile enterprise applications. The Mobility Suite has been designed to enable system administrators to easily configure the system to comply with any business requirement without requiring expensive coding or programming skills.

Paper can be eliminated, business processes shortened and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) tracked with electronic capture of data through forms, barcodes, RFID, and cameras. Real time location monitoring also provides visibility of mobile operations, allowing organizations to see where resources are, what they are doing, and spot and resolve connection problems.

All this information, in combination with the latest mobile technology, gives rise to some exciting possibilities across all business functions. Accurate expected time of arrival notifications (triggered as a result of real-time activities and location) can be automatically sent via SMS to customers. This means that the end client can plan their day around more important commitments, rather than waiting for hours at home for the engineer to arrive.

GPS fleet management is an important component of a field service management application.

Email Contact: Info@L2DataCollection.com

Fuel Prices and Trimble GPS Fleet Tracking

Fleet management applications are getting more and more sophisticated. I was told recently of a giant multinational company that has a department that monitors commodity and fuel prices in real-time. When events are pointing to rising fuel costs, this department instructs all of the various fleet managers to fuel up all of their vehicles. Some fleets have volume discounts negotiated with certain retailers. In these cases GPS fleet tracking systems, like Trimble's, can show the fleet managers where all of the vehicles are located and where they can fuel up for the least amount of money.

Very interesting!!! If you have 1,000 vehicles and you can save $10/vehicle on fuel today, that can add up fast.


Email Contact: Info@L2DataCollection.com

Dynamic Ride Sharing Concepts and GPS Fleet Tracking

In this article from the blog Mobile Strategies for Businesses, on the concept of Dynamic Ride Sharing the author ponders possible businesses cases for sharing your travel plans with others that may want to share the ride and help pay the costs. The key to this concept is the ability to communicate and promote your planned travel routes, utilize GPS tracking to show progress, and have a method of collecting payments.

What other business uses could gps fleet tracking equipment mounted into a vehicle provide? I wrote earlier about tracking mobile inventories, what other uses are out there? I would like to hear your thoughts!

Here is another idea, many field service technicians have been certified or qualified on various equipment. When a customer calls in and requests a repair on a certain piece of equipment, how does the service company know which certified service technician is closest to the customer and available to provide the service? The qualifications of each service technician should be associated with the GPS tracking equipment.

Over the past week we have discussed associating vehicles, equipment, inventory, certifications and qualifications to a GPS tracking system so the office can better manage their operations and mobile assets. Please share your thoughts and ideas on other useful associations.

Where is Your Fleet Today? Boise Seminar Announcement

Seminar Announcement - Boise, Idaho:


Have you considered using GPS Fleet Tracking to manage your fleet and control your costs?

Mr. Russ Michel, Regional Manager with Trimble Mobile Resources, will be in Boise on Friday, November 13, 2009 at 9:00am to discuss GPS Fleet Tracking and the unique needs and challenges associated with managing a mobile work force, including real-time vehicle tracking, engine idling, vehicle speed, unauthorized use, monitoring PTO, as well as many other cost-saving and enhanced safety features.

In addition, Mr. Michel will also discuss the savings now available to government and non-profit agencies through the purchasing power of The National Joint Powers Alliance (NJPA).

As recently announced by NJPA, Trimble has been awarded, through a national competitive bid-process, the exclusive contract to provide pre-negotiated GPS Fleet Management equipment and services to NJPA members, now over 30,000 strong. (www.njpacoop.org)

Trimble has been an industry-leading GPS innovator for over 30 years, with 4,000+ GPS fleet tracking units currently installed and over 30 GPS related U.S. patents. Trimble’s extensive network for support and training is unsurpassed in the industry. (www.trimble.com/mrm)

If you or someone in your organization would like to attend the seminar, enjoy a light breakfast with Mr. Michel, and learn more about the benefits experienced by current Trimble customers, please contact Lori Vawdrey at L2 Data Collection, a locally owned and authorized Trimble dealer, for seminar location and directions.

Email Contact: Info@L2DataCollection.com

American Sins, GPS, GIS and Mobile Software Applications that Show It All

This article details some very interesting uses for maps, data and GPS and GIS systems.

American Sins, GPS, GIS and Mobile Software Applications that Show It All

The practical result of these kind of map over lays is the ability to gain insight into your immediate surroundings in real time over your mobile device or Smart Phone. Everywhere you travel, you can request that your current GPS location be used to provide you with all kinds of useful information.

In a work environment, fleets can be uploading GPS data to show the central office where all the vehicles are, but in return the GPS coordinates can be providing the drivers with all kinds of useful information as well.

For a related articles that shows how GPS and LBS (location based services) can be all integrated together with ERPs and business applications read these articles:

• The Future of Mobile and Route Sales Applications for Smart Phones, Part 1
• The Future of Mobile and Route Sales Applications for Smart Phones, Part 2

Email Contact: Info@L2DataCollection.com

Mobile Asset Management and Street Sweepers

We met recently with a company that owns street sweepers. The company provides street sweeping services for a fee and the biggest assets of the company are several $100,000 giant street sweepers. Here is the interesting point - the owner has no visibility into how the street sweepers are being operated, nor if they are actually providing the services in all the contracted areas.

As a business person, I can say that not knowing if you provided the services you were contracted to provide is a bad thing. You need proof that the services were provided. It eliminates invoice disputes and unhappy customers. One easy solution is to install fleet tracking GPS systems in each street sweeper so their street sweeping activities can be monitored and recorded. Trimble Fleet Tracking is one relatively inexpensive and easy to install system.

When the Trimble Fleet Tracking system is in place, the owner of the street sweepers, and the person accountable to the customers, can login to a browser based online application and see the exact areas covered by all street sweepers each day. These recorded "bread crumb" paths can also be provided to the customer.

Let's now consider the value of the mobile assets, the giant $100,000 street sweepers. Nearly all of the owner's business assets are mobile and not under his or her direct physical observation and supervision. It is like having $500,000 leave the garage each day without the owner being able to care and monitor it. Street sweepers are large motorized vehicles. Safety is a big concern as is damaging things. It is very important that safety processes and safety laws are observed and enforced to protect the business and others. It is also very important to have a good safety record when selling your services to government municipalities and private businesses. Fleet Tracking systems can monitor many different aspects of the vehicles' operation including speed and driving habits.

Another important consideration in running a business is managing expenses. Fuel and maintenance is a big factor when operating a business based upon large vehicles. Fleet tracking systems can help you monitor idling time, operational time, sweeping time, start-up and stop times, mileage and other important factors. Many maintenance procedures are based upon hours of operation, while others on mileage. These can all be monitored by the fleet tracking systems and alerts can be set-up to remind as each maintenance milepost is reached.

The bottom line, if you have hundreds of thousands and even millions of dollars worth of equipment running in remote locations and you have a personal responsibility for their maintenance, operation, safety and efficiency, then it would be a good thing to have visibility into how your mobile assets are being used.

If you would like to discuss this fleet tracking solutions in more detail please contact us at Info@L2DataCollection.com.

Trimble Fleet Tracking's Basic ROI

In this article we want to discuss fleet tracking and why companies invest in it. I think a good place to start is by first defining fleet management so we can understand the role of fleet tracking.

Today, Wikipedia defines fleet management as follows: Fleet management is the management of a company's vehicle fleet. Fleet management includes commercial motor vehicles such as cars, vans and trucks. Fleet (vehicle) management can include a range of functions, such as vehicle financing, vehicle maintenance, vehicle telematics (tracking and diagnostics), driver management, fuel management and health & safety management.

Fleet tracking is the use of GPS tracking and most often web based technologies to monitor, in real time or near real time, a large number of different data points on your fleet. These data points can consist of the following:

• View real-time locations of your mobile workforce
• Track stop times and milage totals
• Receive alerts on speed, vehicle idle time and/or landmark proximity
• See traveled paths
• Connect to the RS 232 to receive vehicle diagnostics

All of these data points are synchronized back to a web-based map and reporting application. This web technology enables you to view the location of your entire fleet, with multiple views and reports.

Why do companies implement fleet tracking? Fleets are valuable assets and the way they are used and managed can significantly impact profitability. Aberdeen Group lists some of the top reasons companies want fleet tracking:

• Reduce service response times (57%)
• Reduce fleet related operating costs (46%)
• Increase service related productivity (41%)
• Extend life of service vehicles (16%)

Improving customer service, reducing fuel and operating costs and increasing productivity are all very good things.

What kind of companies are using fleet tracking? Really any company that has a fleet and is interested in managing and reducing the costs associated with it. In this article you can read about other more sinister and dangerous reasons to get fleet tracking.

If you would like to discuss Trimble's fleet tracking in more detail please contact me.