GPS tracking software and telematics greatly affect how public entities monitor and manage fleet vehicles. GPS tracking for government fleet vehicles can ensure efficient use of resources, save time and money, and reduce operating expenses and downtime.
In this article, we discuss how government agencies can use GPS tracking software with vehicle fleets to improve efficiency and how cooperative contracts can help streamline the procurement process.
How government agencies are leveraging GPS tracking software in fleet vehicles
GPS tracking software is deployed in government fleet vehicles to provide significant benefits.
Location tracking
GPS enables location tracking, so you always know where your fleet vehicles are at any given moment. This helps with dispatching, as dispatchers can always send the closest available unit to provide a faster response and reduce wear and tear on fleet vehicles.
GPS tracking can also provide fast directions to drivers when they are dispatched to new places. This can be especially helpful when there is an urgent need to get vehicles on location, such as police or emergency responders, as dispatchers can be aware of unit status.
You can define geolocation boundaries and get alerts when fleet vehicles travel outside of an approved jurisdiction. This can be especially helpful in tracking and recovering stolen vehicles or assets.
Route monitoring
The data gathered by GPS can be used to analyze routes to find more efficient routing, which can create time and cost savings for many public transportation or vehicles.
Providing historical data for record-keeping
Location tracking and route monitoring can be collected for analysis. GPS tracking software has been used in court to show details of vehicle usage. For example, in the case of an accident involving a government fleet vehicle, GPS tracking and telematics can provide evidence and data to prove where vehicles were and how fast they were going.
Utilizing capacity
Government entities use GPS tracking software to record hours of operation and track mileage, which helps dispatchers ensure that vehicles are being used at optimal capacity and even out mileage across a fleet. This extends the life of the vehicles and reduces unnecessary maintenance.
Monitoring fuel usage and costs
Fuel consumption is a big part of your budget, and fluctuating fuel prices can cause significant shortfalls. It’s caused problems for police department, fire and rescue, school, and public transit budgets nationwide.
Therefore, tracking fuel consumption is a crucial part of cost control. GPS tracking software and telematics in fleet vehicles can measure miles and fuel use, so you can ensure that your drivers are being efficient. Tracking software can help you monitor excessive idling time, which puts additional strain on the vehicle’s engine and burns excess fuel.
With GPS tracking combined with engine monitoring, you can keep an eye on engine health and use predictive maintenance to reduce unnecessary downtime.
Monitoring driver behavior
You can combine GPS tracking, telematics, and artificial intelligence to monitor driver behavior and ensure that they comply with safety rules. Technology can track movement and help identify aggressive or risky driver behavior, providing the data that you need to help educate and train employees to drive more safely, reducing the risk of accidents and decreasing liability.
Aggressive driving, such as fast acceleration or hard braking, uses more fuel, so reducing this behavior can also save money.
Providing better transparency
Citizens expect governments to be good stewards of their tax dollars and spend money efficiently. GPS tracking technology and telematics can help government bodies monitor and manage fleet vehicles to eliminate waste and unnecessary spending. GPS data provides the transparency that citizens demand and the data that entities can use to operate more efficiently.
How Sourcewell helps with GPS and fleet vehicle telematics purchasing
Sourcewell’s cooperative contracts enable public entities to purchase FPS and fleet vehicle telematics faster and less expensively. Due to the combined purchasing power of multiple agencies and departments, Sourcewell has hundreds of competitively solicited and ready contracts that you can leverage, already awarded for use.
Sourcewell has a large selection of GPS location tracking and telematics vendors and installers that have submitted quotes. Government bodies can find the technology that they need, look for contracts that are available, and contact suppliers directly.
Cooperative contracts meet most state and local requirements for competitive bidding and can significantly reduce the time that it takes to prepare RFPs, notify potential bidders, and review proposals, since Sourcewell has already done it on your behalf. You are not obligated to use these contracts, but most entities find that they see significant savings by doing so.
Accelerate your GPS tracking software procurement process at no additional cost
Sourcewell provides this service at no cost. You can register for free and look through the contracts to see if there are available providers that can help speed up your procurement process.
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!
