Just like most operations, no two fleets are the same. A modern fleet management system provides you with many features that give you much better control over your fleet. One such feature is geofencing. Let’s delve into the future of mobility and fleet transport and see how geofencing will redefine global mobility.
What is geofencing and how does it work?
Geofencing in transportation, allows your vehicles to travel within a virtual perimeter that reflects a real-world geographical area, so that you can manage where your vehicles roam.
It is possible to create a geofence as a set of pre-defined boundaries, or dynamically as a radius around a point. In geofencing, an app or other software uses GPS, Wi-Fi, Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) or cellular data to trigger a specific action when a mobile device or RFID tag reaches or leaves a virtual boundary.
Geofences can be configured to trigger mobile push notifications, trigger text messages or alerts, send targeted ads on social media, track vehicle fleets, disable certain technology, or deliver location-based marketing data.
Geofencing technology truly unlocks the full potential of mobility in managed areas.
How you can use a geofenced area for fleet management
GPS or RFID-enabled software must first be used to create a virtual boundary around a specified location before geofencing can be used. A simple way to do this is to draw a circle of 100 feet around a location on a satellite map, such as Google Maps. If this is done, a response will be triggered whenever an authorized device enters or exits the virtual geofence, as defined by the developer or administrator.
Whenever a vehicle leaves, or breaches, the geofenced area, the fleet manager will be notified automatically.
Benefits of having a geofence vehicle:
- You can prevent vehicle theft: Geofencing allows you to track your vehicles in real-time. Using it, you can see everything that is happening with your vehicles. In the event of an incident outside your geofenced borders, you can quickly locate your field agents and drivers to provide them with assistance. This will ensure safety in emergency situations or unwanted situations. In addition, it prevents theft of vehicles and misuse of time.
- Business intelligence: By combining geofencing data with other information about driver performance, your fleet managers and drivers can pay attention to the right KPIs, improving the way your business utilizes resources.
- Automated and accurate: Geofencing takes the guesswork out of time tracking in the workplace with its automated and accurate capabilities. Geofencing users say the alerts and reminders triggered by geofencing are helpful in their daily tasks. They also say geofencing helps them track time efficiently and accurately.
- Reducing expenses: Geofencing technology can curb unnecessary wastages of the fleet, fuel, and time – because it accurately transports from A to B.
The impact of geofenced mobility
The city of Gothenburg in Sweden has led the way in this area by testing geofencing to create a more sustainable transport system. Geofencing has the potential to enable safer, more environmentally friendly urban mobility.
After the 2017 terrorist attack in Drottninggatan in Stockholm, the Government tasked the Swedish Transport Administration with testing geofencing in urban environments as part of a demonstration project in Gothenburg and Stockholm. The project also focused on promoting laws and regulations that support geofencing, establishing digital processes and data for geofencing zones, and harmonizing national and international laws and regulations.
Defining geographic zones and assigning rules to these zones allows geofencing to ensure hybrid vehicles use the correct powertrain at the right time and in the appropriate place, as well as keeping the vehicle at the preferred speed in specific circumstances. This technique allows cities to create green zones, improve traffic flow, reduce traffic noise and air pollution, and create safer public spaces.
Especially concerning the reliability of the system, the results are encouraging. In the opinion of bus drivers, the system enables them to focus solely on the driving aspect, which reduces the risk of accidents. Also, the system is reliable as far as enforcing speed limits and limiting emissions. Fleet owners also report that their vehicles suffered fewer damages.
This technique has shown several associated benefits, including:
- Improved use of shared spaces;
- Better air quality and reduced emissions;
- Enhanced road safety;
- Managing traffic flow, and
- Contributing to climate targets.
Geofencing is an innovative tool that will significantly contribute to increasing safety in urban areas and decreasing the environmental impact of public transportation in the future. Get on board with the technology, contact us today.
Managed area vehicle geofencing – a new solution
At Carteav, we’re developing the world’s safest autonomous solution for the geo-fenced low-speed vehicle (LSV) market. Our end-to-end solution provides managed areas such as resorts, hotels, airports, campuses, business parks, and more with the power of autonomous golf carts, fleet management applications, smart vehicle charging, and an innovative reservation system.
To learn how you can reduce driver costs, improve safety, improve efficiency, and enhance service – check out what our self-driving golf cart solution can do for your fleet.
- Free Ebook
