Fleet Management Software Vs Telematics
Put simply, Telematics is about tracking moving vehicles and Fleet Management Software is essentially a centralised fleet database. Here’s a more comprehensive definition of each solution:
Telematics
Through devices installed in vehicles, telematics systems provide real-time insights into vehicle locations, routes, and driver behaviours. This continuous stream of data is not just about tracking; it's about unlocking a deeper understanding of your fleet's on-road performance and operational efficiencies. GPS tracking, a core component of telematics, offers a snapshot of your fleet's movements, enabling smarter route planning and immediate responses to on-the-ground situations.
But it’s not just about GPS, modern telematics often includes more sophisticated solutions, such as dashcams and real-time vehicle fault tracking. Here’s a quick rundown of some features that are traditionally associated with telematics:
- Location tracking
- Speed tracking
- Route planning
- Driver behaviour monitoring
- Geo-fence based alerts
- Vehicle fault reporting
- Driver motivation
- Driver and vehicle history
Fleet Management Software
Not all software is born equal. One of the issues with fleet management software is that companies often end up with several unconnected solutions. For example, you might have a spreadsheet for keeping on top of maintenance schedules and a bespoke tool for walkaround checks. Ideally, fleet management software is a central tool that keeps track of your fleet’s lifecycle. It should also be fully integrated into other relevant systems, such as telematics or ERP. Here are some of the features that are normally associated with fleet managements software:
- Service schedules
- Financial tracking
- Maintenance history
- Driver details
- Policy document storage
- Regulatory compliance storage
- Ownership documents
Dynamic Fleet Management
Fleet management has and is changing. Organisations have needed to update their systems continually. Unless fleet managers got in early with a cost-effective, scaleable full-service suite of interconnected fleet management and telematics tools, it’s likely that they are relying on a disparate set of tools. This can range from a monstrous spreadsheet that’s forever breaking down, to GPS equipment that don’t speak to the central transport database. While each tool might work great on their own, without full integration, organisations will find it difficult to scale without the admin task list growing and without creating cost leakage.
Ultimately, the safest and most efficient way of managing a fleet is by fully integrating fleet management with telematics. This allows managers to track performance and other vehicle related issues in real-time, whilst also being able to spot issues in historical data. In fact, sophisticated systems let organisations automate a lot these tasks, essentially creating dynamic fleet management that can scale.
Why Choose?
The old school way of thinking of fleet management software and telematics is: one is a digital archive of your fleet's data and the other provides real-time insights into where vehicles are. It’s not surprising that, in an increasingly digital world, these two closely connected functions are often blended into one, all-encompassing solution.
