The creation of a “smart city” empowered by business intelligence has become vastly more accessible to US municipalities. However, the responsibility for this transformation rests squarely on government organizations, leading thousands of agencies to consider their options for leaner, more efficient operations, especially when it comes to their fleets.
Fleet tracking software is now a critical piece of technology for data-driven city governments. Roughly 80% of public organizations own some type of telematic solution, with 26% installing the software on 75% to 100% of their active fleet vehicles.
But although the benefits of fleet tracking software are many, finding solutions for your organization, audience, and budget can be difficult. One in three public fleet managers (32%) state that advanced technology is the sixth-largest concern for their organization, followed by one in four (27%) being concerned about proper data management.
City business intelligence and fleet tracking software are concepts that go hand in hand. However, fleet managers must be aware of their benefits and acquisition channels to maximize implementation and final results.
Let’s look closer at your options for monitoring fleet vehicles, including how cooperative contracts can help you acquire business intelligence solutions at scale.
The benefits of fleet tracking software for public organizations
Fleet tracking software is a type of vehicle technology designed to monitor fleet vehicles and provide business intelligence to organizations and municipalities.
There are three major types to consider:
- GPS: A tool that enables you to track the location and routes of your on-road vehicles
- Maintenance management: Usually a cloud-based platform that helps you identify which of your vehicles need maintenance (and when)
- Driver telematics: In-cab tools (usually video based) that help organizations monitor driver habits.
Fleet tracking software generates thousands of data points every single day. In fact, implementing one or more of these solutions can provide a wealth of fleet intelligence, including concepts like:
- Urban analysis
- Performance benchmarking
- Sustainable driving routes
- Fuel consumption
- Preventative maintenance
Today, fleet tracking software has become the business intelligence solution of choice for fleet managers and vehicle operators in forward-thinking municipalities. The proper implementation of tracking software can even help your organization to:
- Lower fuel costs (55% of respondents)
- Reduce safety incidents (42% of respondents)
- Achieve positive ROI in less than six months (32% of respondents)
- Guide strategic decision-making (32% of respondents)
Fleet tracking software is not just another tool—it’s a powerful driver of business intelligence for the smart city of the future.
Where to find fleet tracking software for your organization
Now that you know how effective fleet tracking software can be, let’s evaluate three methods of acquisition.
1. Purchase a vehicle with pre-established telematics
Many vehicles come with their own telematics, which can be used to transmit basic data about drive times or maintenance. Approximately 62% of cars worldwide were equipped with telematics in 2020, a number set to increase as demand for business intelligence rises.
Specific vehicle brands known for built-in telematics include:
However, buying vehicles pre-fitted with telematics may be an expensive method of acquiring basic solutions. Moreover, built-in telematics may lack what you need or fall outside the scope of your general vehicle specifications.
2. Write your own RFP
In the past, the traditional RFP was one of the only ways to purchase fleet tracking software for governments. Today, the process remains relatively complex: managers write specific proposals regarding their needs, evaluate supplier bids, and then manually award a competitive solution.
Writing an RFP can be a lengthy process and difficult to manage for organizations without prior experience. Studies show that it can take between nine months and three years to complete the process from beginning to end, meaning you may have to wait (or invest a great deal of effort) to acquire solutions for your needs.
3. Rely on cooperative contracts
Cooperative contracts are purchasing agreements available to governments of all sizes. Proper usage enables you to leverage economies of scale in the acquisition of GPS, in-cab cameras, and fuel management tools.
Cooperative contracts are also excellent alternatives to traditional RFPs. It takes one month or less to source telematics from competitively solicited contracts, which may increase your OTD by a matter of months. You don’t need to rely on built-in tracking software or wait for multiple years to acquire solutions.
With Sourcewell, you can get started with cooperative contracts right away.
How cooperative contracts and fleet tracking software go together
Fleet tracking software sourced from cooperative contracts can offer myriad benefits to schools and governments. For example, they’re:
- Cheaper: They leverage economies of scale for a less-expensive price point.
- Faster: There’s no need to write an RFP or evaluate individual bids; simply select a supplier that you like and request more information.
- More advanced: Competitively evaluated contracts can offer more advanced technology, usually unavailable in smaller cities.
Sourcewell can help you get started regardless of your experience level, as it serves public cities, schools, and government institutions throughout the United States.
Here at Sourcewell, we help public agency buyers procure fleet vehicles faster by fulfilling the time-consuming bid process for them. Through cooperative contracts, we expedite the fleet vehicle procurement process so you can better serve your teams.
Want a faster procurement process? Contact one of our specialists today to buy the fleet solutions you need!
