GPS and like in kind technology have their place in helping you manage your fleet. There are many practical applications. However, many of these technologies also claim that their service can handle all your fleet maintenance and management needs. That’s simply not true. GPS technology is not fleet maintenance software.
GPS technology can provide you with odometer and usage readings, positional tracking, and messaging. They can give you reminders and alerts about when maintenance is due. But it’s up to you to complete this maintenance and manage the associated information using your own internal documents, spreadsheets, procedures, and accounting software. Reporting when maintenance is coming due is where GPS technology stops, and where fleet maintenance software begins.
Fleet maintenance software allows you to track, manage, and report on all details associated with a scheduled maintenance and break fix repairs. This includes where the repair was completed, the mechanic and his notes, parts and labour, and parts warranty. It also allows you log changes to the fleet such as when a unit was reactivated or when odometer and hours usage readings have changed. These features are key in jurisdictions, where the activities of your fleet maintenance activities require in-depth transparency.
Fleet maintenance software also provides maintenance specific reports to breakdown all costs including - parts, labour, taxes, and fuel. GPS Technology cannot give you this information. It is however, a contributor to the unit cost.
Some GPS technology providers also claim to do IFTA reporting. But in fact, they can only provide the mileage breakdown, and not the fuel purchases. Therefore, their IFTA software is only partially complete, and what remains can still be an administrative pain.
With Fleet Harmony Online fleet maintenance management software for example, the IFTA tax software is embedded with the maintenance scheduler. Therefore, with one entry of a single trip in the IFTA calculator, it will not only handle your complete IFTA report, but it will also trigger any preset maintenance reminders, update actual odometer readings, and include the details in the driver mileage and fuel consumption reports. One entry!
For those companies where IFTA reporting is not a concern, Fleet Harmony allows you to maintain odometer and hours usage with a very easy to use screen that resembles a spreadsheet; but has all the edit checking controls built in specifically for fleet management.
The cost of GPS technology solutions has come down in price, but it’s still not cheap, especially when you add up the total number of units in your fleet, plus data usage fees. Companies need to think carefully about whether their needs and goals will be met by implementing these fleet solutions. If the primary reason you are considering implementing GPS technology is to handle fleet maintenance, then think again, save yourself the money, and implement fleet maintenance software.
If you do need GPS technology, Fleet Harmony will be happy to work with your provider of choice to streamline our fleet and heavy equipment maintenance software with your GPS technology.
If you have questions about Fleet Harmony - Online Fleet Management Software, software design services, or our iSeries consulting services, call us toll free at 844-527-6669.
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