BusBoss Transportation Software Blog

Why Do I Need To Purchase A GSM GPS Tracker?

Written by Sonia Mastros | 7/29/13 11:00 AM

It's always been difficult to know when to invest in a new piece of technology. Undoubtedly, in years long past, farmers fretted over whether they could afford a McCormick reaper, or whether it really was time to buy a car and see what the livery's giving for a used horse.

Of course, this has only accelerated in recent years. These days, you can't go six months without someone telling you about some new future technology that's suddenly here after all. This is great if you like high tech, but the market reality is that this rapid innovation also leaves many husks of failed products in its wake.

So, if your transportation  is looking for new ways to save money on your fleet, it's understandable if you were reticent to add more gadgets to them as a solution. However, fleet tracking is a technology that is here to stay.

GSM GPS Tracker Technologies Are Stable

GSM GPS Tracker Systems combine two long-established technologies into a single solution that gives you unparalleled oversight of your fleet. At heart, all they do is take the GPS satellite navigation data for your vehicle, and relay it to you through the standard GSM cell phone network. The tracker itself is long-lived, unobtrusive, and inexpensive, and everything else is handled by the mapping software back in the office.

As far as longevity goes, this is nearly as rock-solid as it gets. The GPS system required putting satellites into orbit, and is used in nearly every country on Earth. It's not going anywhere. Similarly, the GSM bands aren't leaving any time soon, given how ubiquitous cell phone use has become. Even if the voice market shifted to something with more bandwidth, GSM would continue to be perfect for industrial applications.

In short, this is a technology your vehicles should be able to rely on for years, if not decades, to come.

Five Solid Reasons To Invest In GSM GPS Tracker Systems

These fleet tracking technologies can solve a number of different issues within a fleet operation. Here are a few of the scenarios where GSM GPS trackers make sense:

  1. Maintenance issues with your vehicles tend to rear their head unexpectedly, making for costly additions to your budget. A GPS tracker includes sensors for a number of vehicle functions, allowing the system to track the performance of each vehicle over time. Subtle clues such as an increase in fuel use can tip you off before a small problem becomes a big one.

  2. If you're having trouble with getting complete data sets to submit, whether for reimbursement or government bureaucracy, GPS vehicle fleet tracking gives you all the data you need. Besides having precise numbers, it enables the creation of detailed reports covering numerous aspects of your vehicles.

  3. Those simply looking to save money can also harness the data being tracked. You'll get a detailed view of your fuel and maintenance costs. By examining them, you'll be able to put together more detailed recommendations for driver procedures, based on hard data gathered in the field.

  4. Performance reviews also become far easier, as you'll now truly know what your drivers are doing in the field. Those who regularly break speed limits or internal policies can be flagged, and those with exemplary driving can be praised or rewarded for it. It takes the guess work out of performance reviews by giving you and your drivers the data you need to improve.

  5. Cargo can also be tracked.  Add on RFID readers and you can track exactly where and when your cargo was loaded and unloaded.

Adding GSM GPS tracker systems to your fleet is an idea that has certainly come into its time. It's a solid piece of technology that will continue to be in use well into the foreseeable future, based on technologies that already have decades behind them.

Contact us if you have any further questions about GSM GPS tracker units!