GPS helps drive down fuel costs

[Renew Deal]

Leveraging wireless, GPS, and Web technology, fleet management solutions give companies better control over vehicles

Just as costly electricity waste abounds in the datacenter and on the desktop, fuel waste is an ongoing problem on highways and city streets. Every day, organizations of all sizes send out delivery trucks, service vehicles, passenger cars and vans, and the like -- but there's little they can do to prevent fuel-wasting activities such as speeding, prolonged idling, or unscheduled side trips (whether that means getting lost or going for a joyride). Wasted fuel translates not only to wasted money, but also excess wear and tear on vehicles and a larger carbon footprint for environmentally conscious companies.

Fortunately, GPS and wireless technology have sufficiently matured to enable vehicle tracking and fleet management technology. By equipping vehicles with devices for tracking, navigation, and communication, organizations can pinpoint the whereabouts of all of the vehicles in their fleet on a real-time basis and communicate with drivers to ensure they're adhering to their schedules and routes or to notify them of jobs when they arise. Moreover, these systems can help companies track data such as fuel consumption, fuel efficiency (average miles per gallon), vehicle speed, and maintenance needs.
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In addition, the system can be integrated with existing systems to generate reports such as overall fuel efficiency or carbon emissions. On top of that, the software can be used to track vehicle's maintenance schedule, which helps reduce wear and tear and ensure cars, trucks, and the like are performing as well as possible.
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Depending on your industry, you might have drivers who need respond to on-the-fly service calls. With the software, a dispatcher could see which driver is closest to the customer's location and assign tasks accordingly, thus ensuring that the driver down the block gets the job instead of the driver caught in traffic across town. In addition to saving gas, it ensures better customer service.
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http://www.infoworld.com/d/green-it/gps-helps-drive-down-fuel-costs-897