Optimizing Your Trucks’ Trips With Telematics Software

Author:Tithi Agarwal
Read Time:8 min
Published:March 3, 2023
Last Update: November 9, 2023

Use telematics for trucks to optimize your trips and fleet

Truck telematics is your thing if you are looking for ways to monitor your trucks from afar with detailed metrics and full-blown diagnostics.

Can you imagine how easy it would be if you could see where your truck is headed in real time without lifting a finger? And how profitable it would be if you could cut unnecessary operating costs and duration to half. Does it sound like a dream?

Well, it’s a reality, and it is actually possible to receive detailed information through truck telematics. This technology lets you view your truck’s health, and location live while ensuring the driver’s and consignment’s safety. Investing in truck telematics software goes a step ahead and provides even more segregated data. Continue to read to know more about this informative and trending topic.

What Exactly is Truck Telematics?

Technically speaking, telematics is a combination of informatics and telecommunications. It is a process of transferring data over long distances. Various industries are now relying on telematics software to improve their vehicle operations’ efficiency, communication, and productivity.

Truck telematics aims to monitor the cargo status and performance of the fleet of trucks along with improving the route undertaken. It uses wireless devices like OBD and ‘black box’ technology to collect data on truck use or maintenance requirements. Since the devices transmit real-time information, it becomes easy for managers to locate their trucks and monitor their operations.

Hardware Side of Telematics

OBD: On-board diagnostic is a computer-based system that helps to monitor the performance of the major components of the truck’s engine.
Dashcams: Cameras mounted on the dashboard or on containers of the vehicle provide instant video footage of both the driver and the road.
GPS Device: This is a portable device installed in a vehicle that allows you to monitor and track your truck’s location, vehicle activities, and much more.
Sensors: They are hardware device that detects and gauges physical property and store insights for analysis purposes or instant response.
eLock: The elocks are used to prevent break-ins. And since they are integrated with GPS, they can be locked from anywhere.
Emergency Buttons: SOS buttons are mandatory in a fleet under AIS 140 guidelines. The device instantly notifies the manager when an emergency situation occurs.

How Does Integrating Your Truck With Telematics Work?

Since telematics transmits data from remote trucks, it works on a combination of onboard diagnostics and GPS. A GPS device is required to know your truck’s exact location. OBD is required to gain other significant details like driving speed and engine health. It transmits insights into how the truck is behaving internally and externally.

To understand it frankly, the truck’s location is provided to the vehicle monitoring system through the mounted GPS device, sensors, and OBD in it. Through the wireless network, the data is transmitted to cloud servers, where it is decoded and transferred to the system. Offline tracking and storing of data is possible with the system. As soon as the GPS system regains the network, the wireless network shoots the data packets.

Benefits of Integrating Your Trucks with Telematic Software

Telematics data is designed to empower truck fleet managers and administration. The telematics device is big on providing essential information on each truck’s location and the asset they are carrying. For example, managers gain detailed and clear visibility through telematics which, in turn, they can use to increase the efficiency and productivity of their vehicles.

With proper utilization of telematic’s data, companies can simplify operations, automate driver management and gain much better ROI.

Enhanced Visibility

Nothing stays hidden when using a telematics system. It’s like the system gives managers extra pair of binoculars. That’s the level of visibility managers gain. With the installation of the devices provides managers with real time and accurate information on a whole lot of things like

Truck’s accurate location
Route undertaken and deviation
Time to complete the operation
Incidences of harsh braking or reckless driving
Fuel consumption
Idling
Video data
Odometer readings
Different sensor readings, like seat belt usage, etc.
Engine health
Driving speed and method

Optimized and Automated Operations

Through the use of telematics software, managers do not need to manually collect data or deal with fabricated information as shared by the driver. The vital information is automatically decoded and is visible in the system in real time. A lot of paperwork gets eliminated, and let’s not even get started on the amount of effort it saves.

The system also optimizes the operation through the numerous features it offers. For example, with the data recorded and transmitted, managers can improve routes undertaken for operation, which can even help save a lot of time and fuel.

Vehicle and Consignment Safety

Having real-time location and insights into the truck and consignment allows managers to guarantee their safety. Through the sensors, managers can determine whether the driver is using the seat belt and the events that might occur. In addition, the dashcam and other sensors let the managers know when the driver is driving recklessly, which might cause damage to the fragile consignment.

Additionally, a telematic system provides managers with data on the engine and vehicle’s condition. By analyzing it, managers can schedule checkups and maintenance to avoid further accidents.

Better Decision Making

It is extremely important for managers to optimize their operations and resources; to do so easily, you will require a telematics system. Through hardware like OBD, GPS, and sensors, you are provided with real-time data and insights, which help you make decisions like the most efficient route or the truck that needs repairing.

Deliver Better Customer Experience

Regardless of the industry, customer satisfaction is crucial, and what they expect is efficiency, reliability, and accessibility. Through a telematics system, you can answer faster to clients’ queries like ETAs of the truck and guarantee the safety of their goods. In addition, maybe you can give the customers a heads-up about upcoming deliveries through the live location.

Reduce Operating Costs

All in all, the data provided by the software aim to save the cost of the operation and increase ROI. Monitoring using telematic data is not only for safety practices but also to uncover activities like idling and deviating from the optimized routes. Eliminating such practices will reduce fuel usage, which ultimately helps cut unnecessary operating expenses.

Furthermore, the system informs you of the vehicle’s maintenance through the sensor data like coolant, oil temperature, and odometer readings. This information will help you catch up on the maintenance required, thus reducing costs on accidents, malfunctions, or unexpected breakdowns.

What Impact Does Truck Telematics Have on Operation?

Truck telematics becomes necessary when you want to optimize your road operations. The whole operation depends on the efficiency of the vehicle and the driver. But you cannot blindly trust them, so truck telematics comes in handy to monitor them.

Trucks are vehicles designed to carry heavy consignments, which naturally put tonnes of load on their tires. And since these monstrous vehicles are remote and go from city to city on highways keeping track of them becomes even more necessary. To gain accurate visibility using truck telematics system is advisable. It offers not only the vehicle’s real-time location but goes way beyond that.

Telematics does not necessarily have to be all data. It can also be visual data streamed live 24*7 through video telematics. And AI assistance like ADAS and DMS recognizes when the driver feels drowsy, distracted, or does non-compliant activity like frequent lane changing or reckless driving. Companies can gain proof of an accident through it, making it easy to claim insurance.

What Features to Expect When Selecting Truck Telematics System

Now that you know how the telematic system is helping you save costs, streamline operations and monitor your drivers and vehicles, it’s time you come to know what other features you might enjoy of the truck telematics software when deciding to invest in one.

Full and Complete 24*7 Tracking Via GPS

Truck location tracking forms the core of the telematics system, thus a non-negotiable feature. Using it provides managers with the much desired visibility, and the cherry on top is that it is real time. Full GPS tracking has several benefits, but the major is that it helps to provide customers with reliable services.

Real-time Reports

What use is truck telematics if you still have to make manual reports to analyze the data? Telematics software automates not only managing the operation but also the administrative part. Receiving detailed real-time reports on fuel consumption, driver events, etc., will help you make timely decisions.

Customizable Alerts

Keeping managers in the loop whenever an anomaly is detected becomes crucial; truck telematics software understands that. Live and immediate notifications and alerts are sent to managers whenever the system suspects something suspicious, be it with the vehicle or driver. Also, the software offers customizable alerts, and consolidated reports on them.

Route Planning and Optimisation

Using the truck telematics system to map out the truck’s route is more efficient than doing so manually. In addition, the system holds the record for the last six months, which can be used as a reference to plan future paths and avoid previous troubles and inefficient routes.

Where Does TrackoBit Come In?

Telematics is the future of the logistics company. And it only makes sense to invest in telematics software that offers the best solutions that will help you facilitate your road operations. This is where TrackoBit comes in. It provides solutions that are at the top of the game.

Route Planning Software: Through this solution, you can optimize the route of the trip. Not only this, but it also automates route creation. Managers are notified whenever a vehicle deviates from the path.
Fuel Monitoring System: Managers receive alerts if there is a sudden drop or spike in the fuel level. This helps to prevent fuel pilferage.
Driver Behaviour Monitoring: This alerts managers whenever the driver drives recklessly, like harsh cornering, acceleration, and braking. Also, the driver score gets affected due to this.
Actionable Geospatial Analysis: Managers get real-time automated reports of the location details of their fleet and the events that occurred during the trips. These reports even consist of insights into engine health and fuel usage.
Video Telematics: The solution offers ADAS, and DMS allows you to visually monitor the driver and the vehicle’s movement through dashcams.

Honk Honk… You have Arrived at Your Destination.

What a joy it is when your truck arrives on time and safely at the destination.

This happiness is only experienced by those who are a member of the truck telematics software. By investing in the software, you will automatically be part of the high mile club as you will be able to monitor your trucks and analyze the diagnostics, which will help you cut unnecessary expenses.

TrackoBit is the truck tracking telematics software of the highest order. Investing in it will shower you with benefits that will help you thrive and guarantee success.

Don’t believe me, why not give it a try!!

Tithi Agarwal

Tithi Agarwal is an established content marketing specialist with years of experience in Telematics and the SaaS domain. With a strong background in literature and industrial expertise in technical wr...Read More