Any recommendations on GPS tracking?

[Brian H]

I am exploring GPS tracking again for the 100th time or so...

We are testing an inexpensive system ($125 total cost per vehicle for 2 years) and I am finding that it has wet my appetite but also is frustrating in what it can't do...

The system will tell me right now where any particular vehicle is but won't give me a history of where it has been except for the times that I have "pinged" it. I like to know where any truck is but I also like to know everywhere it has been. It would be nice to review an entire day's route for a particular crew without being tied to a computer all day watching it.

Are you using GPS tracking on your vehicles and if so, are you happy with the system?

 

[dealtimeman]

Yes we use fleetmatics

 

[clean image]

OK, so 1 have been using for 1-1/2 years now, have on 4 trucks.

What you need to ask/ know

1. GPS for vehicles is just now switching to 3G, and eventually 2G will be dated. So you need to ask what tech they are selling you if you buy the system


2. You are also paying for how often it updates itself.
I have 1 minute update. Obviously 15 minute updates is too long apart, however much less expensive

Positives:
It holds info on their cloud for 90 days.
You can see map of where trucks been(route), and a spread sheet type of when where and how duration.
You can set GEO circles so it emails when that truck enters or leaves.
Speeding sets, etc.

Overall happy...
You do get occasional drift...
I paid $430 for 2 years I believe... give me some time and Ill look it up

Carl

 

[idreadnought]

Do you provide techs cell phones? Gps tracking on those is dirt cheap. Also there are cheap devices you can hook up to the data port on the van that you can recover the routes at a later date.

I have a friend with a pest control company that uses the cell phone app. He says that he can see whether the tech is walking around the house it is that accurate. He can also store the info so if a customer calls he can actually look up how long it took the tech to service the address. Talk about big brother but it is the information age so.

 

[Hoody]

Teletrac is good - Since you guys run Butlers it'll be able to tell you how long the machine has ran for per job. They also give driver safety reports and when we used them it could notify you via text or email when a driver exceeded a certain speed limit. We set it at 75 since it was 65 on the high ways. Since then they've added a lot of other nice features and tracking data.

 

[TomKing]

Zonar Systems
PHONE: 877 843 3847
FAX: 206 878 3082
customercare@zonarsystems.com

Brian
We have these on our trucks. We can track units live. We can set a area for a truck to operate in if it leaves it we are notified.

We get all sorts of data you will be in heaven.

This is the company Laylaw Transportation uses. The largest school bus fleet in the country.

 

[Brian H]

Thanks for the recommendations. Lots of choices out there with lots of options!! Looks like I will have to explore this a lot more!!!