Enhancing Your Fleet Management With Telemetry and Data Collection
Posted on: 25 May 2021
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Fleet management is always challenging for companies that have a lot of vehicles. For trucking companies that have vehicles spread all over the country, telemetry modules in the truck are often the best solution to get data about the truck back to the fleet managers without delays. Read on to learn more.
Engine Conditions
Driving thousands of miles a week can start to take a toll on the engine in any truck. The fleet manager needs to tell what is happening with the truck at any time. Often, the best option is to use a telematic module in the vehicle that can connect to a satellite or cellular network and send the information to the server containing the fleet management software.
The fleet manager can access the information any time they need to, allowing them to track the engine's condition, the number of hours it has been running, and other information that can help the manager determine when the truck needs to go into the shop. One benefit is that the truck driver does not need to do anything for the manager to get the info, so things like time differences do not affect the data gathering.
Tracking Vehicles
Vehicle data telemetry can include many different kinds of data. For a company that needs to know where their vehicles are at all times, installing a telematic module in the vehicle can allow tracking and status reports from the vehicle directly to the fleet manager. The tracking information can be important if the load is critical or if your vehicles are transporting anything that requires particular security.
The module can also track the speed, the route, and if the vehicle stops anywhere along the route that it is not scheduled to stop. The information can be used to update clients about the status of shipments along the way and can be critical in ensuring that deliveries are getting where they need to be on time.
Conflicts and Integrations
The telematic modules used in most fleets are designed to not interfere with the regular operation of the ECU (electronic control unit) in the vehicle. The modules stand alongside the ECU. Data passes through them to the engine from the ECU, but the information is transmitted to the fleet management software as well.
Depending on the module type you select for your vehicles, the installation may involve a pass-through from the ECS, or the telematic module may monitor systems on its own and send the data it collects independently. The result is the same but if there is specific information you need, check with the company putting the modules in your vehicles because they might be able to change the information collected in the module's interface or settings.