The Internet of Things (IoT) is actively changing the transportation and logistics industry. These connected devices are more common and accessible, spotlighting their advantages. IoT fleet management is becoming the industry standard as more businesses capitalize on those benefits.
Of course, adoption trends alone aren’t a strong enough reason to invest in this technology. You must understand how the IoT can optimize your fleet management operations to make the most informed decision. Doing so will benefit your company and put it on the fast track to success. With that in mind, here are six ways IoT makes fleet management smarter.
1. REAL-TIME VEHICLE TRACKING
The ability to track vehicles in real time is one of the most prominent benefits of IoT fleet management. IoT telematics solutions use GPS systems and similar technologies to track your trucks’ locations then transmit this data over a cellular network so you can access it immediately.
You can respond to changing situations more effectively by seeing your entire fleet’s location, speed, and route progress in real time. You could adjust to traffic patterns, road closures, or other disruptions as they arise. Some last-mile delivery companies have been able to reduce routes by two to four miles per driver through adjustments like this.
This insight can also help boost customer satisfaction. You can give clients access to this IoT data so they can see exactly how far away a vehicle is when they’re expecting a shipment or incoming service visit. This transparency can bolster their trust and improve retention.
2. PREDICTIVE MAINTENANCE
IoT systems also enable you to take more control over fleet maintenance. Ensuring equipment remains in good condition is one of the best ways to prevent breakdowns and minimize costs, but conventional repair strategies are often inefficient. Even regular preventive maintenance can create unnecessary downtime through unneeded repairs, but the IoT offers a better solution.
Predictive maintenance uses IoT sensors to analyze vehicle conditions in real time and alert employees when equipment needs repair. These immediate alerts let you fix issues while they’re still small and affordable. This approach is need-based instead of time-based, so it also eliminates unnecessary maintenance stops.
IoT-driven predictive maintenance reduces the costs of both preventive and reactive repairs. Spend more time on the road than in the shop.
3. COST MANAGEMENT
IoT fleet management can help manage ongoing costs outside of maintenance, too. One of the most straightforward of these savings opportunities is fuel consumption. IoT tracking solutions ensure your vehicles follow the most efficient routes for each trip, leading to fewer and less frequent refueling stops.
Implementing IoT telematics systems can also let you take more control over fleet insurance costs. Vehicle-tracking devices reveal data like acceleration, braking, turning, and other driver behaviors that affect safety and insurance rates. These insights let you see where to improve to qualify for lower premiums.
Similarly, IoT-connected dashboard cameras provide more context around traffic incidents. Accessing this footage remotely makes it easier to work with insurers to streamline the claims process and minimize costs.
4. DRIVER MONITORING
Similar IoT systems can help you manage your driver workforce more effectively. Many telematics platforms track dangerous driver behavior by default and automatically alert managers when detected. You can then take action by enforcing company policies or requiring recertification to encourage safer driving.
You can also use IoT fleet management to reward safe or efficient drivers. At the end of a given period, you could look through telematics data to see who drove well and offer cash bonuses or similar incentives as a reward. These programs can boost fleet performance and raise workplace morale.
It’s theoretically possible to run programs like this without the IoT, but it would be far less reliable. The IoT offers remotely accessible, granular hard data on each driver’s performance, ensuring you act on the most accurate, detailed information possible.
5. STREAMLINING ADMINISTRATIVE TASKS
The IoT also streamlines fleet management. In a conventional system, you must manually record data on fuel spending, driver hours, maintenance, and other ongoing operations. This takes up 60% of the workweek on average, restricting your productivity.
IoT systems automatically record and transmit relevant fleet data, removing the need for much of this manual work. Automating these processes also minimizes the risk of human error, which is common in data entry. As a result, fleet managers spend less time correcting mistakes.
The IoT’s remote connectivity helps boost productivity even further. Unlike a conventional vehicle management system, you don’t have to be physically present to pull a car’s maintenance info, driver logs, and more. Removing the need for travel lets you access the fleet information you need quicker.
6. LONG-TERM IMPROVEMENTS
IoT fleet management enables more effective long-term optimization strategies, too. As you use IoT systems, you’ll compile large data sets detailing your fleet and how it operates. This information can reveal broader trends across your operations, showing where potential inefficiencies lie and where you’ve improved.
IoT data may show that drives in one part of town are particularly prone to delays, informing better route planning for future trips. Predictive maintenance records could reveal which vehicles are experiencing the most frequent issues, suggesting it may be time to replace them. Driver trends can highlight which policies result in real-world improvements and which don’t.
Whatever the specifics, having more data on your fleet’s day-to-day operations helps you refine your strategic decision-making. That level of granularity in ongoing improvements is only possible with the amount of information the IoT provides.
IoT FLEET MANAGEMENT IS A MUST FOR MODERN FLEETS
IoT adoption is rising quickly across companies in many sectors, so these benefits will soon become industry norms. Consequently, ensuring long-term success could hinge on implementing IoT fleet management and fully understanding how to make the most of it.
Recognizing and acting on these benefits today will prepare you for tomorrow’s more data-driven competitive landscape. Businesses that learn to use these technologies effectively before competitors will be better equipped for future demands and prepared to handle whatever comes their way.
About the Author
Emily Newton is an industrial writer with over five years’ experience writing industrial topics for the construction, manufacturing, and supply chain industries.