Are Vehicle Tracking and Fleet Management the Same

You might have heard about vehicle tracking and fleet management. But, do you believe that they are the same? First and foremost, the terms are entirely different from each other. For instance, you can independently examine both the terms.

A vehicle tracking system involves the integration of an electronic device with a goal oriented computer software, which assists you to track the location of a vehicle, gather data, and deliver it to you in real-time for composing first-rate decision for your fleet business.

Fleet management, which is indeed a wider term, involves the effective management of a company’s fleet. It involves several functions such as driver management, vehicle financing, fuel management, vehicle maintenance, health and safety management, and speed management.

Let’s analyse the terms in detail:

Vehicle Tracking System

A vehicle tracking system is installed in cars, trucks, and other vehicles that assist you in monitoring and obtaining details regarding them in real-time. GPS devices are mainly utilized for the purpose of vehicle tracking.

It comprises of two parts- a tracker, which can be installed in a vehicle and a monitoring software that assists you to attain vehicle details such as position, usage, and location of the vehicle.

There are two kinds of a vehicle tracking system:

1. Real-time GPS tracking system

Using this system, you can obtain up-to-date details about the vehicle.

2. Passive GPS system

In this system, fleet data are stored and these data can be later retrieved via the software.

Fleet Management

Fleet management is a phrase commonly implemented in businesses that deals with vehicles. Moreover, when you manage numerous vehicles, it can be termed as a fleet management. And, it becomes successful with the GPS tracking system. Meanwhile, the procedures involved in the fleet management process are as follows:

1. Identify the actual use and work hours of each vehicle

2. Accident detection

3. Monitor fuel and vehicle mileage

4. Receive notifications, and SMS via the software

5. Enhance driver efficiency and vehicle safety

6. Generate reports on driver behavior, vehicle health and maintenance

7. Identify whether there is a diversion in the current route

8. Alerts for idling, rapid acceleration, over speeding, harsh braking, etc.

How to Accomplish Efficient Fleet Management with Vehicle Tracking System

Actually, vehicle tracking systems are critical for fleet operations and could determine the success or failure of a fleet business. Presumably, vehicle tracking system is a significant tool for the fleet management.

And with this fleet management tool, you can boost employee productivity, reduce the overall fleet expenses, lessen the fuel consumption, and enhance customer service. Consequently, it is a world of tough competition, implementation of a vehicle tracking system can be an enormous competitive advantage for your fleet business.

Difference Between Fleet Management and Vehicle Tracking

Fleet management systems that are available today is actually the vehicle tracking system with certain advanced functionalities (monitoring of driving behavior).

But the reality is that the further details are derived using the details of vehicle’s location from the trackers. However, this is an awry procedure as knowing the vehicle’s position is only one of the tasks associated with a fleet management system.

A decent fleet management involves choosing the cargo, assigning the vehicle for that particular cargo, checking the fleet operations, and preparing reports on the basis of those details.

For vehicle tracking, the prime importance is attributed for identifying the location of the vehicle. But, knowing the vehicle’s location is not enough for efficient fleet management.

Both fleet management and vehicle tracking is fragmentary without each other. Furthermore, vehicle tracking system is essential for effective fleet management. Besides, tracking the vehicle’s location, there are further crucial tasks involved in it.

Fleet management incorporates everything that deals with vehicle management. Therefore, the whole vehicle fleet business becomes successful only when there is an appropriate fleet management.