Telematics in fleet management

Imagine knowing exactly where your fleet vehicles are at all times. Thanks to modern telematics applications - i.e. tools for recording and analyzing driver and vehicle data - this idea is no longer a dream of the future. The possible applications are extremely versatile. Haulage companies and insurance companies have long been using the technology to optimize fleet management or as a motivation and reward system for drivers. In this article, you can find out what telematics means and what advantages telematics offers fleet managers in the area of "vehicle transfer".

The daily growing demands on logistics and mobility show: Digital fleet management has become indispensable for the efficient and sustainable management of a fleet. Since ONLOGIST was founded in 2014, we have therefore been focusing on digital innovations to make vehicle transfers easier to plan, safer and more economical.

The development of a modular telematics solution is another logical step towards offering customers such as rental car companies, car dealerships and other fleet operators maximum transparency, safety and efficiency. But what does telematics actually mean?

By definition, telematics is the fusion of two technologies: Telecommunications and information technology. Telematics systems are able to provide data in real time and over long distances. Today, they are mainly used in commercial vehicle fleets. There they are used to transmit a lot of information that is important for scheduling.

Telematics works by means of a tracking device located in the vehicle that can send, receive and store telemetry data. Whether permanently installed in the vehicle or as a smartphone with a corresponding app, the device is able to collect GPS data as well as a range of other vehicle-specific data such as vehicle location, route or driving behavior and transmit it to a central server via mobile networks. The server analyzes the data and enables end users to access it via secure websites and apps.

This information can be analyzed as required and provides fleet managers with detailed insights into their vehicle fleets.

Managing a fleet and ensuring that vehicles are always reliably available in the right place at the right time is a mammoth logistical task. Car subscription providers are just as aware of this as car rental companies or used and new car platforms.

Well-designed telematics solutions help to optimize the handling and coordination of vehicle transfers and individual vehicle transports, reduce costs and increase end customer satisfaction. The possible uses are almost endless. However, the following three advantages are particularly worth emphasizing:

When it comes to safety, the integration of telematics features in fleet management is a real advantage. After all, vehicles are expensive and valuable assets. It is therefore important to always be informed about the route and whereabouts of the fleet vehicles.

In addition, companies can use the evaluation of driving style to uncover risky or sound behavior and train or reward their drivers accordingly.

Accidents are thus efficiently prevented. Should a claim nevertheless occur, real-time location analysis guarantees rapid localization and support.

Customers want to be constantly informed about the status of their order - whether it's their Rewe shopping, their Amazon order or their newly subscribed car.

Telematics and tracking enable clients from the mobility sector to offer high-quality pick-up and delivery services. Customers can view the status of the vehicle transfer at any time, are informed promptly about unscheduled events and can therefore plan their appointments better.

At the same time, companies benefit from fast response times and can intervene at short notice in the event of delays or breakdowns and provide a replacement vehicle if necessary.

The topic of "sustainability" is becoming increasingly important in the mobility industry. A sustainable fleet management strategy can help to reduce operating costs and create more environmentally friendly fleets. Reducing fuel consumption is the most effective way to conserve valuable resources and protect the environment.

Using telematics-based evaluations of driving behaviour, companies have the opportunity to identify the strengths and weaknesses of drivers with regard to an economical driving style and to train them accordingly in terms of route optimization and environmentally friendly driving.

A real benefit, both for the profitability of the fleet and the carbon footprint. After all, the fewer resources a fleet uses for its routes, the lower the costs for fuel, downtime, wear and tear and repairs and the lower the impact on people and nature.

Would you like to save operating costs, make your vehicle transfer workflows more efficient and reduce your company's environmental footprint at the same time? Get in touch with us!

With our newly developed telematics solution, we offer customers such as rental car companies, car dealerships and other fleet operators an effective feature to optimize their fleet management in terms of quality, safety, sustainability and many other requirements.

Thanks to our innovative technology solution, no complex technical maneuvers are necessary for the telematics upgrade; instead, we quickly and easily integrate and activate the feature in the ONLOGIST marketplace after the order has been placed.