Get the Best Vehicle Tracking System within Budget
Owners of large businesses with fleets of commercial vehicles do not need to be convinced that a vehicle tracking system is a wise investment. The potential benefits are clear:
- Efficient delivery of goods and services
- Reduced insurance premiums
- Better management of employees
- Theft prevention
GPS tracking systems are sophisticated instruments that offer much promise. But then there is the lingering question of price.
The business owner’s main goal is to make money. Spend less; make more. A fleet management system must have a good Return On Investment (ROI). To find the most suitable GPS tracking system for your needs, a balance must be found between features and budget.
Real-time Vehicle Tracking or a GPS Data Logger?
When choosing a vehicle tracking system for a fleet of commercial vehicles, a key decision must be made early in the research stage: active or passive GPS technology?
Passive GPS tracking devices and active or real time GPS tracking devices collect data in the same way. A GPS receiver is placed in the vehicle and it records raw data about time, location and speed of travel, based on signals from satellites.
Passive GPS tracking devices will hold that data in memory for later review. Real-time GPS tracking systems have a wireless cellular modem and they transmit that data to the Internet, where the information can be read immediately. The user monitors the location of the device using a Web browser.
The quality of the readings should not differ significantly between active and passive GPS tracking. The distinction is if the user wants to know where a vehicle is right away; or if a detailed travel history is more than adequate.
The Price Point
There is a significant difference in price between active and passive GPS tracking technology. If the GPS tracking system is not needed for live dispatch, routing, and theft protection, a passive device is not only more cost-effective, it is the simpler solution.
For example: the LandAirSea’s top-selling passive GPS tracking system, the GPS Tracking Key is $199. LandAirSea’s live GPS tracking solution, the Victoria GPS Tracking System, sells for $399.
Also, depending on the product provider, there will be various ongoing fees for active GPS tracking systems. These may include activation, monthly wireless service and an associated 1-year contract.
One recovered stolen vehicle, or the accumulated one-year savings in insurance premiums for a real-time GPS tracking devices, would likely justify such a purchase.
Passive GPS tracking still remains outstanding for more efficient fleet management. The device would pay for itself in a shorter period of time. The results: Better routing, less idling, lower fuel consumption, and elimination of unauthorized use of vehicles.
Bells and Whistles
Once the type of GPS tracking system is chosen, a business owner can then consider features that are the result of engineering and design. These features will vary from manufacturer to manufacturer and from device to device. It is logical that GPS systems with more advanced features will cost more than others.
GPS tracking device comparables:
- Memory capacity
- Position update increments
- Power options
- Accuracy of readings (signal capture)
- Battery life
- Ease of data analysis and map quality
- Mounting hardware
- Mounting options
- Physical size and appearance
- Compatible operating system
Finally, consumers should not overlook the level of knowledge and years of service their GPS tracking company has in the industry. The user should feel comfortable that the company is accessible to him before the purchase, and after, for technical questions, and advice when the fleet management system requires expansion or upgrade.
Tags: Budget, businesses, commercial, data, fleets, investment, logger, Vehicle Tracking
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