Maximize Construction Fleet Efficiency with GPS Technology

GPS technology is a part of our everyday lives as most of us use it in our vehicles and on our personal devices. You may have a traffic app on your smartphone that uses GPS to give you directions. 

When most people think of GPS, they think of an app on their smartphone or dashboard that gives them turn-by-turn directions to their destination. But navigation is only one aspect of this technology. Construction equipment fleet management software with GPS tracking is valuable for construction companies. 

 It can help you manage expensive machinery, from mobile cranes and towers to service vehicles, moving equipment, and heavy trucks. It can also track all kinds of assets, such as compressors and generators. 

Modern GPS Solutions for Construction Fleet Management 

Managing a construction fleet used to involve tons of paperwork and phone calls. In the past, fleet managers had to manually calculate important data such as fuel used, miles driven, and more.  

As telematics technology has advanced, fleet managers' duties and roles have dramatically changed. GPS tracking technology for construction companies has streamlined the process of dispatching drivers to jobs, tracking vehicles, and managing fleets in general. 

Key Benefits for Construction Operations 

When running a construction company, you manage a lot of vehicles and assets, which can get hectic really fast. GPS tracking software can reduce operating costs while improving fleet efficiency. A GPS tracking system can benefit your fleet in many ways. 

Lower Fuel Cost 

A GPS tracking system can help you identify and choose the shortest routes and dispatch drivers based on which one is closest to the site. This can significantly lower your fuel expenses and overtime costs.  

You can opt to have your vehicle's diagnostic data monitored by your GPS tracking system. This will make it easier to obtain information to make decisions that could save you money. 

Better Visibility 

GPS in the construction industry gives you visibility into your fleet's activity. With an easy-to-use interface on your computer, laptop, or smartphone app, you can see the real-time location of every vehicle in your fleet. You can also monitor important data such as mileage, fuel consumption, speed, engine condition, and more. 

Happier Customers 

With real-time information about your fleet at your fingertips, you can respond to service calls quickly and reach your customers without delay. You can also provide your clients with accurate arrival times and tracking information, improving your service and making your customers happy. 

Improved Driving Behaviors 

Aggressive driving behavior can increase the wear and tear on your trucks, causing more expensive and more frequent maintenance costs. Armed with data from the vehicle's tracking system, you can review and pinpoint potentially dangerous driving behavior.  

You can identify weak drivers and, with training and guidance, help them improve their driving behavior. Improved driving behavior can reduce fuel usage and vehicle wear and tear. 

Asset Tracking Solutions and Benefits 

According to the National Crime Information Center (NCIC), approximately 1,000 pieces of commercial construction equipment are reported stolen each month. Thieves generally target equipment with high resale value, including loaders, backhoes, bulldozers, generators, forklifts, and other valuable assets. 

Expensive equipment and other assets are delivered to job sites daily. Theft of this equipment is all too common. If the site isn't under 24-hour surveillance, thieves can infiltrate and steal tools, vehicles, and other valuable assets. 

The cost of replacing this stolen equipment will cost your construction company money. Your insurance costs may go up. Delays caused by having to replace stolen equipment and deal with insurance companies can delay your projects, cause you to miss deadlines, and possibly lose business. 

GPS asset tracking solutions can help you monitor the location of your assets in real time. It can also discourage bad behavior. If thieves know your assets are equipped with GPS tracking, it may keep them from trying to steal them. If any of your assets are stolen, a GPS tracking device can help you and the authorities recover them. 

But beyond asset recovery, tracking and managing assets has many tangible benefits for your construction company's operations. Once the asset tracking device is installed, it collects and transmits valuable asset data. Depending on the asset, it can use historical information or the last known position for reference. You can then access an asset's data via an app on your smartphone or from your laptop or tablet and use the information to make informed and timely decisions about your assets. 

Benefits of Asset Tracking 

• Asset information—track fuel usage, set up service, licensing, and certification reminders 
• Live tracking—locate and track assets, export a full list of all assets 
• Historical tracking—review detailed trip replays, previous events, and distances traveled 
• Trip timeline—review asset utilization, detailed trip information, and events on a timeline 
• Live information streams—monitor assets and activities in real time via live information streams 
• Reporting—generate reports on trips, locations, events, service, and fuel usage that you can use to review and analyze the data 

Using GPS Tracking Data Effectively 

As a construction fleet manager, you oversee many assets and keep track of them. Knowing where each one is and which ones need service is a significant task. With GPS in the construction industry, you can set up customized reports that provide real insight into your fleet assets.  

Monitor Driver Safety and Risk 

Unsafe and aggressive drivers create a huge liability for your construction business. Just one accident can cost your business a lot of money, whether it causes bodily harm or vehicular damage. Any vehicles your company owns must be operated with strict attention to safety. Even more so when they have your logo on them. 

Even the best, most safety-conscious drivers are tempted to speed if they are in a hurry or may let their attention wander at times. It only takes one second of distraction for an accident to happen. 

Reduce Fuel Consumption 

Construction projects involve a lot of driving. Transporting materials from one job site to another, picking up equipment from warehouses, taking waste to a recycling center or landfill, and even just taking a lunch break all use fuel. Excess driving can add up to wasted time and fuel costs. 

GPS tracking can monitor your vehicles' fuel consumption, allowing you to identify drivers who are driving to conserve fuel and those who are not. In addition to safety issues, aggressive driving behavior, such as speeding and harsh braking, can cause your vehicles to use more fuel. If your drivers idle excessively, that will also increase your fuel costs. 

Improving Productivity and Efficiency 

GPS tracking fleet management software can enhance construction company operations in several key ways. 

Streamline Workflow and Asset Allocation 

Downtime costs construction businesses money. When using paper-based records, assets may remain idle between jobs, even if only for an hour. It may not seem like much at first glance, but multiply that hour by all your business's assets. Then consider all the jobs you take in a year, and you'll see how much time and money you may be losing. 

Sitting idle between jobs isn't the only way your assets experience costly downtime. They may be sent to a job where they aren't needed. Either way, when your equipment isn't where it needs to be, it isn't making your business money. 

GPS fleet tracking lets you know when an asset is available so that you can send it to the right job site with the shortest amount of idle time. You can track all your assets in real time, so you always know which ones are where and get a complete picture of what assets are needed on all your job sites. 

Prevent Unauthorized Usage 

The increased visibility that GPS tracking gives you can reduce misuse of your vehicles and other assets. You'll be able to determine when unauthorized usage has happened by tracking any movement of your assets outside a set location or personal use after hours without permission. 

A GPS-tracking telematics solution can improve your asset utilization in many ways. You can track asset movement minute by minute, see the routes your drivers are taking, get a record of how much time is spent at each location, and figure out actual vehicle usage vs. what is reported. Reviewing this information lets you find out if your drivers are taking the most efficient routes if the closest driver is sent to the closest job location, if your drivers are stopped too long at some locations or taking too long to complete a job, if vehicles or equipment are left unused for long periods, and determine which assets you should purchase more of and which you should sell because they are not being used. 

Enhanced Crew Management and Billing 

It may not happen often, but there may be times when your crews aren't where they should be. GPS tracking can let you know where your vehicles, drivers, and assets related to a specific job are in real time. You can also set up geofencing to notify you when your crew enters or leaves a specific area. This information can help you keep track of how many hours they worked in that area. 

Monitoring electronic time logs and allocating assets and crews based on real-time insights can ensure that driver hours reporting is accurate and can help you control overtime. You can use the GPS tracking data to record their hours based on when they arrive at the job site. You can also use it to control timesheet fraud. 

Improved Cost Management 

Using a GPS telematics solution can make your payroll and cost estimates more accurate. You'll know how much time your crews spent on the road, how much on the job, and how much was on breaks, so your payroll will be more accurate. 

You can also track fuel expenses by seeing exactly how much fuel your crews use on each job and overall. This and other GPS data can help you estimate future costs based on previous costs. Since all the tracking is done remotely and stored securely, you can do it all on your laptop, tablet, or computer. 

Better Vehicle Maintenance 

Ensuring your vehicles and equipment are maintained and in optimal working condition can save you money, reduce risk, and decrease downtime, especially unexpected downtime. It costs less to maintain a vehicle than to repair it. Well-maintained vehicles also run better, so your fuel costs may be lower. 

Well-maintained vehicles are also less likely to be involved in accidents or break down unexpectedly, which is safer for your crew and other drivers on the roads. When a vehicle breaks down unexpectedly, your crew is instantly less productive. Scheduling preventive maintenance for your vehicles and equipment keeps your crew productive, your projects on time, and your customers happy. It won't impact your scheduling because you can either schedule your maintenance or plan around it during slower times. 

The benefits of GPS in the construction industry can be seen in a construction fleet of any size. By monitoring asset utilization and tracking equipment, you can manage every stage of projects. You'll have the peace of mind that comes with knowing your projects and your business are operating as efficiently as possible.