If you’re familiar with modern technology, you may already be familiar with GPS and its usefulness for vehicles and mobile devices. Meanwhile, a less well-known term that’s starting to pick up traction in fleet companies is “telematics.” While telematics relates to GPS technology, the two terms can be challenging to differentiate if you’re unfamiliar with their processes and unique characteristics. Let’s take a look at GPS vs. telematics to find out how they compare and what their roles are in fleet industries.
GPS and Telematics: How They Relate
As you may already know, GPS is the use of satellite technology to track location and other pieces of data relevant to a vehicle or device. It can come in handy for drivers if they need help finding a destination while making a delivery or responding to a service request.
On the other hand, telematics is a type of solution that uses GPS and telecommunications technology to gather and report on a comprehensive set of data. Telematics systems often come with tracking devices that collect data on location, speed, acceleration, braking, idling and more. Then, it sends that data back to the user. Using telematics will allow you to monitor the status of a company vehicle from anywhere. Whether you’re in charge of two vehicles or 50, a reliable telematics solution can provide live, accurate information within seconds.
Telematics software will also provide readings on the vehicle itself, helping you speed up diagnostics and manage maintenance strategies more effectively, and keeping track of fuel usage and odometer readings that could warn you when repairs are needed.
How GPS and Telematics Solutions Enhance Businesses
Together, GPS and telematics can:
- Guide drivers to their destinations
- Help drivers and fleet managers communicate
- Simplify routing and rerouting
- Reduce fuel costs
- Improve driver safety
- Establish good maintenance practices
While you can install GPS technology for any vehicle or fleet, it’s only by using various data collected from telematics solutions that you can make the most of what GPS has to offer. Paired with the communication benefits of telematics, GPS tracking will help you increase fleet performance and productivity. Along with enabling you to eliminate time-wasting behaviors, it will alert you when drivers are driving recklessly so that you can do what’s necessary to keep them in line.
Telematics takes all the benefits of GPS along with a variety of other convenient features and delivers them in a single solution. It’s an automated system that will allow you to do more in less time while decreasing the risk of accidents and liability claims. Having GPS and telematics on your side is an essential part of staying competitive in trucking and delivery businesses today.
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