Fleet GPS Tracking with Roadside Assistance

by | Mar 16, 2020 | Fleet Management

Roadside Assistance Add-In For Geotab Fleet Tracking

If you use Geotab for your GPS fleet tracking needs, you could be missing out on a pretty attractive perk. By subscribing to the Pro Plus service level you are qualified to use the Geotab Roadside add-in free of charge for light-duty vehicles. As a general rule, light-duty is any motor vehicle with GVWR of under 10,000 lbs. Full details are found in the Roadside add-in User Guide.

Just go to the marketplace and install it in your database. Your drivers can then install the app on their mobile devices.

 

The Geotab roadside add-in is a simple solution for requesting help. Use it to call for service when a fleet vehicle breaks down or has other common roadside issues. Now there is no need to take another driver out of service to assist.

The most important thing to understand about Geotab Roadside Assistance is that service must be requested using the mobile app. Using the app assures easy approval, notification of dispatch, and automated updates between driver and service provider. For that reason, ALL requests must be made via the Geotab Roadside app. The app does the work to confirm the eligibility of the vehicle. It then communicates all of the necessary information to the service provider regarding the roadside assistance needed.

Roadside assistance services include towing, flat tire change, lockout service, battery boost, fuel delivery and winching (please see conditions in the guide mentioned). For personal situations other than roadside assistance you can turn to the free PubSafe public safety community app and get help from other app users in your area. Click here to view PubSafe.

What Happens Next?

The app used in tandem with GPS tracking devices on both your vehicle and the tow truck delivers a simple and effective user experience. The system searches for a nearby service provider once the service request is created. When a provider is found, they are dispatched to the vehicle’s location. The app shows the estimated time of arrival for the service provider, as well as their location, live on the map. Both driver and dispatcher are able to see the updates, so no back and forth phone calls because everyone already knows what is going on.
Once the service provider arrives at the breakdown location, the add-In automatically updates to Service in Progress. The screen updates with information about the service being performed. If the requested service is a tow, then the locations of the service provider and the towed vehicle are updated on the map as the tow moves towards its destination.
The value of free roadside assistance alone may offset the difference in cost from Pro to Pro Plus. Contact us to learn more.
Contact us today! 855.300.0527
GEotab GO9 GPS Vehicle Tracking
Fleet Management Platform
Mobile Phone GPS Tracking App
Fleet Weather Service

GPS Tracking

Fleet Management

Phone Tracking

Tablets & Data

What’s New In MyFleetistics Analytics

by | Feb 27, 2020 | Business Intelligence, Data Integration, Fleet Management

Have you clicked on MyFleetistics Analytics lately?

New Safety Dashboard

Fleetistics is always working hard to improve the toolset we provide our clients in the MyFleetistics portal. Going beyond GPS tracking for fleet vehicles, MyFleetistics Analytics brings a variety of tools and views to the data our GPS tracking devices collect. One of our most recent additions is the Safety Dashboard under MyFleetistics Analytics. Driver Safety data is crucial to Fleet Managers. Accessing it quickly in an easy to use format saves you time and money. The Fleetistics Safety Dashboard provides users the most important information without the normal steps required in the GPS system.

Initially, managers can motivate drivers to improve safety by posting this information where drivers congregate in the workplace. Ultimately they can set goals and track the improvement together. We like to say, “Manage by exception and recognize by performance”.
There are several design elements used to make this dashboard pop with “at a glance” information. First, the top row displays the total number of safety exceptions in very large print. Next, there is a breakdown of the 5 performance indicators that are included in that total. Below are charts. First, we display the 5 assets with the fewest safety exceptions (5 safest drivers). Next, a chart shows the 5 assets with the most safety exceptions (5 most at-risk drivers). Finally, there is a graph of total exceptions by week. As a result, you can easily see if both positive and negative trends. One quick look at the dashboard answers three very important questions.

  1. Who gets a pat on the back?
  2. Who needs to have that safety chat?
  3. What driving behaviors should be discussed in reviews and driver meetings?

MyFleetistics Analytics Safety Dashboard

Odometer, Exceptions, Device Status With One Click

MyFleetistics Analytics reports are designed to filter through the data and display what you need to know in a clean and simple visual format. Additionally, reports are searchable and sortable to help you easily identify the issues you need to look into. Your GPS tracking system then provides the reports and tracking details needed to support the conclusions you come to and the decisions you make.

Odometer Analytics

Simple odometer analytics help Fleet Managers to ensure vehicles are not underused or overused. Odometer readings are part of the data you will find in many fleet GPS tracking system reports, but it becomes more usable when isolated in a more meaningful format. The odometer graph makes it easy to see which vehicles are accumulating miles much faster than others. As a result, it is easy to identify where transferring the workload to other vehicles would be beneficial. Who wants to run out a new vehicle warranty faster than necessary? Likewise, it can expose vehicles that may be making unauthorized trips.

Exceptions

Above we looked at total exceptions on the safety dashboard. The exceptions dashboard drills deeper into the details that show which driver or vehicle is generating what exceptions. Managing individual driver behavior with training and incentives for improvement pays off. Even more, identifying and discussing weak areas increases safety awareness and lowers risk.

If you would like assistance accessing the many features in MyFleetistics, visit our training resources page or call us at 855.300.0527.

The Alert Notification Conundrum

by | Feb 13, 2020 | Fleet Management, GPS Tracking

Alert Notifications… 3 enough? 6 too many?

One of the things users of GPS tracking systems struggle with is alert notifications. That is what you asked for when you deployed your system because alerts were going to solve a lot of problems. The plan was to be on top of everything going on. Soon after you deployed, your cell phone was filled with text messages and your email inbox was overloaded. You knew everything that was going on, but could not get anything done, so out of frustration you just turned those alerts off.

Some of you may not be old enough to remember the old Fletcher’s Castoria commercial from the 1960‘s. It made the phrase “three enough, six too many?” famous. The product was a mild laxative for children, said to be better than prunes because there was no guesswork regarding the dosage. Giving a child too many prunes was something mothers wanted to avoid for obvious reasons. But the right amount was a very good thing.
Similarly, alert notifications from your GPS tracking platform are a great solution to some of the big challenges fleet managers face. At the same time, too many alerts create disaster. With our cell phones constantly alerting us to every little thing we have become numb to the notification sounds and can easily learn to ignore them, or even worse, allow them to distract us unnecessarily. It can even lead to distracted driving!
Multitasking manager

Managing by Exception

In contrast, if we create rules to uncover the things we want to know, but we don’t get alerts and we don’t schedule reports, we are not getting the full benefit of the system. Your GPS tracking system was designed to save you time and money, not keep you at a desk reviewing everything everyone did. Managing by exception is key. Filter what should not occur to the top of the pile and use the system to find the details that paint the full picture of those events/

The answer is achieving balance using alert notifications and scheduled reports in tandem. Consider what the things are that you really need to know as soon as they occur. If a sewage pump stops pumping, you probably want to be on top of that in a hurry. When a collision occurs and your driver is perhaps unable to call you, that is critical information as well. But, if Billy drives 5 mph over the posted speed limit, we can probably deal with that later.

Keeping it Super Simple

The common denominator is simply deciding which events require immediate action when they occur. If you will stop what you are doing to attend to the situation as soon as you know about it, an alert notification is appropriate. Conversely, if it is just more information that isn’t necessary right now, there is no need to send a notification message. You can digest that kind of information when it is more convenient by using scheduled reports. Scheduled reports will get the same information to you. Moreover, it is condensed with all events for all drivers for a day, a week, or a month, allowing you to separate isolated events from trends and bad habits.

What About Critical Alert Notifications?

When critical alerts are necessary, even 24/7, consider subscribing to Fleetistics Priority Notification Service. PNS uses a round-robin notification process to alert key individuals of critical issues. This occurs outside the noise of the standard GPS service information. Notifications are sent via SMS and then a digital voice call. First, they are sent to the primary person responsible for critical issues. Then, if that person is unavailable due to travel, vacation, cellular coverage, or whatever, the next contact on your list is notified. By including multiple people in the notification process, others are automatically notified when the primary is unavailable. Sign up for a 30-day trial if PNS sounds right for you.

Try Priority Notification Service, or any MyFleetistics service free for 30 days. No contracts! It’s easy, just log into MyFleetistics and go to:

MyFleetistics > Account > Administer Services

Priority Notification Service Free Trial

 

Click the button to turn on the service you want. Most services come with a 30-day free trial. Once the service is enabled the free trial automatically begins. The setup fee (if applicable) and monthly service will automatically begin billing after the trial ends, unless you switch the service off using the same button you used to turn it on. Once services are activated your panel will look like this:

 

Administer Services after Activation

Displaying Your Company Logo in MyFleetistics

by | Jan 29, 2020 | Announcements-News, Products and Services

Displaying Your Company Logo to Make It Your Own

Displaying your company logo to your internal apps adds a touch of professionalism. When you want to send a screen shot of the UI to show some critical detail to a customer or vendor, your logo displayed on the screen adds credibility. For that reason, Fleetistics has made it easy for our clients to add their logo to their MyFleetistics portal.

Easy as 1-2-3

First, log in to MyFleetistics and go to Account > Profile.

Next, click “Select Logo” and browse for your company logo in a jpeg or png format.

Upload your logo

Finally, open the file and click “Save” on the lower right. Your logo will now appear at the top left of the screen. Thanks to Woody at the University of Rochester for agreeing to be our example.

Upload your logo

All Done

Your company logo now shows where the Fleetistics logo was formerly displayed.

Displaying your logo in MyFleetistics

Before you go, take a minute to update or verify your profile.

The company profile section of MyFleetistics has areas for you to update your company information, contacts, addresses, and even add branch locations. This improves the accuracy of billing and the efficiency of support.In the future it will enable custom views on dashboards and other data.

Please take a moment to verify this information is current after uploading your logo. My Fleetistics continues to add features and services, and this information can be connected to pre-fill request forms with the needed contact details to save you time.

Please update: Account and Contacts at a minimum.

Globalstar Data Processing Services

by | Jan 24, 2020 | Data Integration, Fleet Management

Globalstar – The Company

Globalstar data from GPS and other devices is harvested and transmitted by their network of LEO (low earth orbit) satellites. This network provides coverage for 80% of the earth’s surface. They are the premier low-cost satellite communications provider for our industry. When cellular services simply do not provide enough coverage and two-way communication is not needed, Globalstar is the recognized cost-effective leader.

The Globalstar vision statement clearly communicates that connectivity is one of the great commodities in people’s lives today and they are committed to sustainment of the most reliable communication services.

 

 

 

Raw Globalstar Data Processing for Custom Solutions

Fleet managers face significant programming challenges and expense when planning to implement Globalstar data. First of all, developers must decode the data from the device. The data from Globalstar devices is delivered in a complex code string. Each number in the code string means something, similar to a VIN code on a vehicle.

 

Auto Zone VIN breakdown

 

 

 

In contrast, Globalstar code strings are not straightforward like a VIN. The code string must be translated into a usable format before being processed. Only then can you direct the data to the correct destination and insert it into a database. This requires infrastructure and extensive development.

Fortunately, Fleetistics offers a service that covers these steps. The processed data is provided to clients via API. Clients use the API to insert the data into their database, and it is available for use as needed by the customer.

The Fleetistics data service enables customers to implement Globalstar technology significantly faster, and moves the maintenance of the APIs and processing service to Fleetistics. As new Globalstar devices, protocols and services are updated, Fleetistics updates the web service to support all Fleetistics customers.

 

 

Small and Medium Size Business Challenges

 

 

AT-5500C Asset Tracker

This technology is readily available for use, but Globalstar products provide raw data. They do not provide a one size fits all user interface that allows you to consume Globalstar data and integrate it into your daily business operations.

Fleetistics has the back end for Globalstar data products in place and ready for you to use. GPS location reporting is integrated into the MyFleetistics portal, complete with monitoring and event alerts for your mobile assets almost anywhere. You can have all the advantages without taking on a costly and complicated development project.

 

 

Integrated Solutions

MyFleetistics existing Asset Tracker integration provides a user-friendly interface to view Globalstar tracking updates. We also provide a variety of premium services in addition to standard GPS asset tracking. After hours Priority Notification Service, Globalstar data displayed on road, satellite, or weather maps, and forecast weather overlays are just a few of the choices. We also have a device health view connected to our tech-support services that allows you to quickly identify devices displaying low battery voltage, and devices that have not reported.

Fleetistics turns that raw Globalstar data into valuable and easily consumable business intelligence, without the hassle of developing in house. Call us today for a live demo or to discuss your custom integration needs.

Contact us today! 855.300.0527