Wednesday 14 December 2016

Assignment 1 - Product Description Summary & Analysis (Final Draft)

The section “Fleet One Helps Narrow down Important Data” from the article “The Evolution of Telematics "(Fletcher & Suizo, 2011) introduces the basic software functionalities and key features of the Fleet One vehicle tracking system, developed by WEX Fleet One.

Fleet One Vehicle Tracking is essentially a “secure, enhanced GPS tracking system” that provides real-time fleet management for organizations in both the private and government sectors. It is able to cater to vehicle fleets of wide-ranging sizes. The system comprises of a physical GPS tracking unit which is installed in each vehicle, along with a touchscreen interface and a combination of desktop and mobile applications. Fleet companies can then access vital fleet information through its software. According to Goetz, a product specialist for Fleet One, some of its unique software features include “integrated fuel transaction reporting”, “integration with Google Maps” and “ability to integrate with a two-way touchscreen”.  These features help improve the transmission of important fleet information, such as the vehicle’s location and current traffic situation. Its “automated reporting” feature displays only prioritized fleet data for fleet managers which eliminates the need for constant monitoring of the fleet’s status.

Fleet One Vehicle Tracking is a more viable product as compared to GPS Insights due to its intuitive user interface and a wider range of customization options that would enhance the user experience. The articleFleet Fuel Efficiency: Reduce Fuel Costs With Fleet Tracking” (Fleetmatics, n.d.), mentions that “A GPS tracking system that allows you to integrate fuel card usage will present the information in an easy format.” Fleet One addresses this by implementing two distance-based fuel cards, namely the “Over the Road” fuel card and the “All Roads” fuel card (Fleet One, n.d.). The two different fuel cards provide an additional level of cost management and a clearer overview of fuel transactions, for vehicles travelling on short and long haul distances respectively. A company is able to select the appropriate fuel card, to suit their fleet’s fuel needs.  This contrasts to GPS Insight (GPS Insight, n.d.), which utilizes only one standard fuel card that results in a less extensive fuel transactions management as compared to Fleet One’s system.

Fleet One Vehicle Tracking also incorporates a mobile application for fleet drivers, which is able to categorize refueling locations by either the lowest fuel pricing or shortest distance.
(Fleet One, 2014). The recent increase in fuel prices worldwide highlights the need for better “fuel management strategies” (FleetFinancials, 2011) by fleet companies to combat rising fuel costs. Fleet One’s mobile application allows better planning of fleet routes to maximize fuel efficiency for greater fuel cost savings, thus leading to reduction in overall fleet expenses for fleet companies. GPS Insight’s mobile application however, only provides vehicle tracking and does not integrate fuel purchasing management capabilities (Rob, n.d.), as compared to Fleet One’s mobile application.


In conclusion, Fleet One Vehicle tracking is the preferred product as compared to GPS Insight due to its wide range of customizability options that allows a company’s fleet to be optimized more efficiently. The integrated fuel management features of Fleet One’s mobile application would definitely be useful to any fleet company looking to reduce their fleet expenses for better fleet management.




References

Fletcher, L, & Suizo,G (2011, February), The Evolution of Telematics, retrieved October 10, 2016, from http://www.automotive-fleet.com/article/story/2011/02/the-evolution-of-telematics.aspx

Fleet fuel efficiency: reduce fuel costs with fleet tracking, (n.d.), Fleetmatics, retrieved October 10, 2016, from https://www.fleetmatics.com/reveal/benefits/fleet-fuel- efficiency 

GPS Insight Fleet Card, (n.d.), GPS Insight,
retrieved October 16, 2016, from http://www.gpsinsight.com/fleet-card

Rob, (n.d.), GPS Insight Mobile App for Android Releasedretrieved October 16, 2016, from http://www.gpsinsight.com/news/gps-insight-mobile-app-for-android-released

Wex Fleet One fuel cards deliver greater control & savings, (n.d.), Wex Fleet One Inc, retrieved October 10, 2016, from http://www.fleetone.com

WEX Inc. Launches Fleet One Mobile Application, (2014, December), Wex Fleet One Inc, retrieved October 16, 2016, from http://www.fleetone.com/news/2014-12-16

10 Fuel Management Strategies That Really Work, (2011, January), FleetFinancials, retrieved October 16, 2016, from http://www.fleetfinancials.com/article/story/2011/02/10-fuel-management-strategies-that-really-work.aspx

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