As the December deadline for the ELD mandate approaches in the U.S., we thought it was important to debunk some popular myths about vehicle tracking to help ease the transition and put minds at ease for those who may be confused or worried.
Myth #1 – Telematics Is Too Expensive
One of the largest concerns many have about the new ELD mandate is the cost associated with the implementation. Firstly, a telematics device should be seen as an investment for your business rather than expense as, if used correctly, it can give you a great return on your investment. Secondly, the cost for implementation depends on a wide variety of factors such as fleet size and device and package selected. These factors can result in a larger fleet, or fleet requiring higher packages to pay more while smaller fleets or companies needing the basic functions to be compliant having an extremely affordable telematics solution for their business.
When looking for a telematics solution, be sure to compare vendors, hardware, software, and any installation costs that may apply. GPS to GO is proud to offer simple plug-and-play Geotab devices allowing you to avoid installation costs. With our videos to show how simple installation is for a variety of vehicles, and amazing customer support, you can have your device up and running and tracking your vehicles within minutes of unboxing!
Myth #2 – Telematics Means Big Brother Is Watching
Vehicle telematics often gets mixed up with GPS tracking devices and systems which usually require an app to be downloaded to a driver’s phone. That type of system means a driver’s cell phone is being tracked rather than a vehicle being tracked. With vehicle telematics on the other hand, there are tiers of the technology depending on the need of the business so only what needs to be tracked, is. This can range from a simple GPS tracker that will tell you the location of the vehicle, all the way to a robust system that allows fleet managers and business owners to monitor a vehicle’s health, manage productivity, improve fuel efficiency, ensure compliance with government regulations, and keep drivers safe. For those still worried about being tracked through vehicle telematics, just remember, the vast majority of fleet managers aren’t interested in and don’t have time to watch each driver minute by minute and some companies actually use telematics data to score and reward safe and fuel efficient drivers.
Myth #3 – Drivers Will Lose Driving Time
A report mentioned in the FMCSA’s final rule on ELDs stated that the transition from paper driver logs to ELDs will help reduce the time spent complying with the Hours of Service regulations by 68.33 million hours per year across the nearly 4 million drivers in the U.S. required to comply with HOS and the administrative personnel dealing with these as well. This means the estimated annual recordkeeping cost savings from the proposed rule is about $705 per driver.
Myth #4 – My Company Is Too Small To Use Telematics
There is a common misconception that telematics are only required or beneficial for large companies. This is far from true and even companies with a single vehicle can benefit from a telematics device. As mentioned above under other myths, vehicle telematics systems can be very affordable for small fleets and allow you to monitor vehicle health, improve fuel efficiency, and keep drivers safe, which we’re sure every company can get behind.
Myth #5 – A Telematics Device Will Interfere With Vehicle Performance or Void The Warranty
In the U.S., the Moss Magnuson Warranty Act of 1975 prohibits manufacturers from voiding warranty due to aftermarket additions to a vehicle. As long as you have proof of a defect being attributed to the car manufacturer, then your warranty if valid and enforceable regardless of whether or not you attached an aftermarket part. As the Geotab devices have a plug and play design, there is no need to change the vehicle in any way mechanically. Although it is true that a device will draw energy from a vehicle’s battery, it is so low that it would take a typical car battery over two years to be depleted by the Geotab device. The Geotab device also goes into sleep mode when a vehicle is turned off and will only draw 2.5 mA of current, and is smart enough to turn itself off if a vehicle is left for months at a time without charging the battery.
Myth #6 – My Employees Operate in Remote Locations (Out of Range)
While this myth may have been true at one point in time, it is no longer the case thanks to the evolution of technology which now has solutions for people in remote areas of the world. Although cellular networks are the main form of communication the Geotab device uses, it also has the option of storing months and months’ worth of data on the device itself which will then upload once the vehicle comes back into an area of cellular reception. There is also the option of instead of using cell towers to transmit data, to use satellites which offer more reliable connections and services in remote areas.
If you have any questions about the Geotab device and any myths you may have heard about not mentioned in this list, contact us. To start experiencing the benefits of choosing GPS to GO for your vehicle telematics solution in the Geotab device, Request a Quote.