Whether it is a private car or a fleet of vehicles for clients, using a GPS to track them is one of the best decisions to make. These devices have been around for many years, but their technology continues to get better. Initially, the global positioning systems relied on satellites to gather, transmit and display coordinates through devices that encode and decode them.

Today, GPS technology is more accessible even through simple devices like mobile phones. This level of compatibility and accessibility makes GPS affordable to individuals while offering more services at the same time. Fleet companies rely heavily on GPS technology to manage the real-time locations of vehicles. Moreover, GPS also monitors traffic and even allows managers to rewind the movements of vehicles over a certain period. Do not be surprised that this technology is a rich source of data needed for fleet management.

How GPS Works

Any car that does not already have GPS can have it installed. This is the main unit that will identify and transmit the real-time position of the vehicle using satellites and the internet. It must have a battery backup to power it even when the car ignition is switched off.

The only time the GPS will stop transmitting data is when the battery is disconnected. The good news is that some of the modern units have a backup that can still send information for a few more minutes while alerting the recipient that there is a power disconnection.

On the other end, there is a receiver that decodes the sent data to display information that any person can understand. Depending on the software that is used by the fleet company, managers can receive information on a dashboard screen. You can see some of the best GPS hardware and software to use on eyerideonline.

Reasons to Install a GPS in Your Car

The main reason why many people install a GPS system in cars is security. When people steal your car, it can easily be tracked before they disconnect it to lose the signal. The same concept is used when fleet drivers are carjacked and cargo is diverted. Fleet managers usually rely on a GPS system to get more information about the vehicles to see if they have arrived at their destinations on time, are using designated routes, are on the move or have stopped. The GPS technology that is available today can help to map routes that optimize operations by analyzing the time vehicles take on average. GPS also sends information about the traffic on designated routes. All this happens in real time.

Conclusion

It is worth mentioning that GPS is free once you pay for the initial cost of the hardware unless you are using software that requires a subscription fee. Some companies charge an annual fee for managing the GPS systems installed in vehicles.

It is important to have this system because it can alert you on your mobile phone when the car is moved from where you parked it. Better still you can remotely stop the car if you have installed the latest GPS technology.