5 Tips For Choosing a GPS Vehicle Tracking System

Fitting a GPS vehicle tracking system can not only give you peace of mind, it can save you money as well. Whether you are planning to fit a GPS tracking to your business vehicles as part of a fleet management strategy, or fitting a GPS device to your personal car, there are several things to consider before choosing the right vehicle tracking system for your needs.

1. Type of Tracking System

There are various types of vehicle tracking systems available. For individual users, the most common system is an on-board navigation system that uses GPS technology to provide the best route from point A to point B. Other GPS systems fitted to cars and vehicles monitor the vehicle's position at any time (usually to within inches of the vehicle's real-time position) and are particularly useful for fleet management. Many GPS devices can be activated in case of an accident, alerting the emergency services to the exact location of the vehicle. This is particularly useful if the vehicle has left the road and is hidden from view or has crashed in a remote location.

2. Real Time Tracking

Good GPS tracking systems have an ability to utilise a 'real-time' wireless network that allows information via a visual representation. This allows the user to verify that they are taking the correct route as indicated by the system. For fleet managers, it also allows a visual representation of the location of any fleet vehicle at any time, giving them the ability to send the nearest vehicle to a pick up point or track the progress of a delivery.

3. Speed Limit Monitor

Some vehicle tracking systems also have a speed limit monitor, which can notify fleet managers if their vehicles are using excessive speed. Not only does speeding cost a company money in wasted fuel, but can lead to a tarnished reputation and possible prosecution of drivers breaking the speed limits. A speed limit monitor can allow fleet managers to stop drivers who constantly break the speed limits from wasting company money and, more importantly, endangering the lives of themselves and other road users.

4. Voice instructions

Although still in its infancy, voice activation is a developing technology that allows instructions to be spoken into the GPS device. This may not be as useful for fleet management operations, so it may be better to choose a system that can accept remote instructions from a central control unit. In this way a GPS vehicle tracking system can also double up as a receiver for instructions relayed to the driver, particularly in remote locations where mobile phone reception may be non-existent.

5. Quality versus price

Although it may be tempting to go for the cheapest vehicle tracking system you can buy, the more you pay for a system the better the quality. Cheaper systems may be adequate, but they will have limited functions and will certainly perform poorly as compared to a higher quality and more expensive system. If you are planning to install a GPS tracking system into a fleet management strategy, remember that it is a business investment (and therefore tax deductible) that is designed to improve the efficiency of a major part of your business. A larger investment in the beginning will lead to a larger saving overall in the long term. As GPS devices can also play an important part in your safety and in speedy recovery if the vehicle is stolen, a cheap system may let you down when you most need it.

By thinking carefully about your GPS investment and choosing the right one for your requirements, a vehicle tracking system can become an important part of your daily life, giving you peace of mind and a more efficient business operation. Its value as an investment will mean that it should pay for itself in no time at all.