Ways Geo-Tracking Helps Logistics Companies Improve Freight Management

Last Updated on March 7, 2023

Geolocation is simply the function to geographically locate a person via his mobile phone, tablet, PC, or another connected object. Geolocation is used in various industries and for various reasons. On the Internet, the objective is very often to offer products or services located in an area close to the Internet user and in particular for marketing purposes for personalized offers.

Thanks to geolocation, a commercial site can, for example, adapt its offer according to the position of the Internet user. This will in particular concern the advertising message offered, for example, by the nearest store in which a product that may be of interest to him is available. Depending on whether the user connects from a computer, smartphone, or other connected objects, geolocation will be done via a process that may be different. For example, for computers, the IP address is taken into account, which is not necessarily always very precise. As for the smartphone, geolocation will use GPS and will therefore be much more precise.

The geolocation is particularly useful for connected businesses or brands since it will allow the user to indicate the nearest store in which it will be able to achieve a good deal in terms of mobile marketing. This technique is also very useful for personalizing commercial messages. For example, the message can include the name of the city where the user is located. This will therefore be detected automatically thanks to geolocation. However, we must be careful not to abuse geolocation data because the Internet user can perceive it as an invasion of privacy.

How does geo-tracking GPS work?

​​The Global Positioning System (GPS) is an electronic information system implemented by the United States Army since 1972, which quickly and thanks to its utility and versatility for the precise location of a geographical point, was installed in the civil sphere, reaching to be one of the most important tools that human beings have.

Its operation has a unique key that is located in outer space based on a “constellation” of 31 satellites that orbit the Earth at about 20,000 kilometers high, and that are in different planes achieving global and constant coverage. These satellites emit a radio signal called “Ephemeris”, which is captured by the GPS antennas of navigators, mobile phones, watches, or receivers of any kind. 

By means of GPS, it is also possible to combine the signals of several satellites and to know, through triangulation, the position of a person or vehicle with a surprising precision of approximately five meters, which in some control systems and according to the use of different bands communication can be reduced to a minimum figure of up to one mt.

For a GPS to work properly, multiple variables must be taken into account, including the gravitation and rotation of the earth, since the 31 GPS satellites orbit in six almost circular orbits, at an average altitude of 20,200 kilometers at a speed of 14,000 km/h (3.88 km/s). Adding complexity to this operation, the clocks of the GPS satellites must be perfectly synchronized with time on Earth (located at an altitude of 20,200 km). Otherwise, the values ​​provided by the GPS may vary from 10 to 12 km per day.

It can also be used to assist companies with DOOH. These displays are everywhere and help businesses advertise. Geo-Targeting and geofencing MDM is vital. It makes moving digital displays possible and for example, this can be done by advertising on the side of public transport or a taxi. This way companies can track where the fleet is and what areas have been targeted. However, tracking is also popular and beneficial across many other industry niches. When you install a GPS tracker onto a vehicle, you can create a secure and safe way to track and monitor. 

GPS tracker for proper monitoring of your vehicle fleet

Before getting into the details and benefits that your GPS tracker can provide to your company, it is necessary that you know that a GPS tracker does not work by itself, to access location data, performance metrics, and other tools, you must implement a vehicle control platform with GPS tracker system. That said, a GPS tracker, also known as GPS for cars or GPS tracker, is a device that is installed in vehicles in order to locate them, through mobile signals, anywhere they are. The function of the GPS tracker is simple. This device is attached to the units you want to monitor and you will have access to their precise locations. This is possible because the signal sent by GPS travels at high speed, giving you immediate location data and more.

Functions and benefits of a vehicle control platform with GPS tracker system for the logistics industry

⦿ Real-time location

It is logical that if you want to acquire a GPS tracker system, what you need to know is the location in real-time on the places where your vehicles travel. This can be achieved by installing the GPS device in each of the units you want to monitor and the location data can be found through the platform.

⦿ Route and mileage history

Know the history of routes or the number of kilometers of the units of your vehicle fleet and verify that the previously planned deliveries have been fulfilled in the established time.

⦿ The current state of the vehicle

Check the proper use that your drivers are giving their units, know if they are on or off, with or without movement. 

⦿ History of working hours

It is important to keep track of working hours, with a control platform with a GPS system you can check the number of hours worked by each of your drivers, in addition to estimating times and verifying unjustified overtime payments. By implementing a vehicle control platform with a GPS tracker system, you will not only have access to the functions, but your company will enjoy many benefits, such as:

• Reports and statistics to make accurate decisions based on performance metrics, unit use, or the number of hours of work of each of your drivers.
• Alerts and notifications, among them you can have the geofence alert, turn alert or sudden braking or, the speeding alert that will guarantee proper driving. 
• Statistics of infractions per driver and per vehicle, so that you are aware of the activities of your units and the faults committed by your drivers when making the tours. 

If you are considering acquiring a vehicle control platform with a GPS tracker system because it seems to you that it may be the solution to the lack of monitoring and ignorance of the activities that your drivers carry out in your company, you should consider some elements.

How to manage freights with Geo-tracking? 

⦿ User-friendly interface

Whether you or someone else is managing your fleet, make sure the platform you buy is easy to use and has all functions and tools within easy reach. 

⦿ Performance metrics and histories

The data is important and more than that will help you make adequate decisions to optimize the processes within your company and to verify that all the activities are being carried out in the best way. 

⦿ Information about your vehicles

Whether it is vehicle maintenance control or the way in which your units are being used, the vehicle control platform with GPS tracker system must provide you with that information to ensure optimal performance of your vehicles.

⦿ Security of the information

When dealing with the restricted and private access data of your company and your customers, it is important to ensure that the vehicle control platform you choose has excellent security standards that guarantee the protection of your data. 

The data collected by a vehicle control platform with a GPS tracker system is essential to execute comprehensive monitoring, as we have seen, it is you who must intelligently take advantage of this information to increase the productivity and profitability of your vehicle fleet.

A control platform with a GPS tracker system may be the solution within your company, but if you still have not decided to purchase one, we invite you to download our checklist where you will discover if this is truly the best option for you, your vehicle fleet, and your company. 

It is simply a solution to compose in a single platform all the management of logistics activity. A solution highly demanded today by logistics companies, with the need to simplify procedures and take advantage of the traceability of fleet management data in a single environment to address. In addition, with the analysis of all the parameters of a fleet of vehicles and the intelligent management of the digital tachograph, the transport management systems ( TMS ), together with the mobilization of processes. They have provided significant support to logistics companies. This is to help you more efficiently manage increased orders during peak demand, optimizing distribution, paying attention to costs, and ensuring that goods are supplied and delivered on time.

The fleet management through the GPS tracking systems is allowing the fleet manager to know at all times where all vehicles are located, monitoring the most suitable for every need for transportation, and evaluating the efficiency of routes and vehicles in real-time. In turn, the Platform for GPS fleet management provides, through mobile devices, greater scope in coordinating with drivers on the road. The activity report, delivery management, task planning, and route optimization can be consulted from a single place.

The most advanced way to manage the logistics of a company

The marriage between GPS fleet management and logistics services is a field that may seem obvious but has never been addressed together before. The difficulties of collaboration between expert companies in both fields, which feel like competitors to each other, has been a significant barrier that has made the integrations minimal and not very ambitious.

The integration of fleet management into a logistics services management platform has made it possible to do the following: 

1. Analysis of the relationship between driver productivity and fleet performance indicators.
2. The application of transport regulations with digital forms and personalized checklists for drivers.
3. Location tracking – via your Android connection you can track your fleet.
4. Supervision of the entire logistics process via GPS and the relevant activity report.
5. Assigning work orders directly to the driver’s mobile terminal in real-time.
6. Traceability of preventive maintenance tasks, with the volume of orders and fleet indicators.
7. The analysis of the results to optimize operations and evaluate the viability of decisions.
8. The capture of documents for the detailed report of deliveries.
9. Intelligent management of the digital tachograph.
10. Improving the efficiency of last-mile deliveries, assigning work orders in real-time.
11. The simplification of administrative procedures and the reduction of unnecessary paperwork in conjunction with customer billing.

A Platform for GPS fleet management and logistics services

A GPS fleet management platform and logistics services is the most advanced way to manage a logistics company and control the entire business process, along the value chain, from start to finish, increasing the organizational capacity of a company, improving productivity and saving costs. Some examples are:  saving paper, personnel, administration, calls, fuel, parts, maintenance, and time. The monitoring of all these data, in addition to preventing sanctions and fines, also provides a key work methodology to carry out correct transport planning at all levels of a logistics organization. 

Final thoughts 

Geo-tracking is an innovation that can save time and money. But it is important to also note that security is also paramount. Mobile device management and MDM solutions ensure that you have a safe and secure platform for this tracking. You can keep things under control and allow for a smooth business every single day.