How to Choose and Install Car Tracking System

Friday September 22, 2017


Modern car tracking systems have undergone enormous development. And the trackers assist you to plan the routes ahead, optimize the utilization of resources and personnel, and review the fuel usage records for establishing better fleet management practices.

But, choosing the right car tracking system is an enormous headache not only for individual vehicle owners but also for the larger fleet managers.

1. Determine the purpose of the system

There are people who might find the car tracking systems useful for fleet management, while others might find it extremely beneficial in establishing passenger safety.

Likewise, the needs of an individual trekker might differ from a larger fleet owner catering to the transport of goods interstate. Analyze your needs, not only for a short term but for a longer duration with futuristic implications. The purpose can also be justified with the employees.

If the employees visualize the car tracking systems as a threat and a sign of distrust, the benefits might not be efficient. It is wise to convince them and adopt an approach to include them in the fair usage of GPS based car tracking systems for their welfare.

State the benefits and how the company will support them with such systems for efficient work practices. Provide them with incentives for safe driving habits and encourage them to employ fair methods.

2. Study the different models available

Whatever the salesperson might say about a certain product, it is ultimately the consumer who is going to utilize it in the end. So he needs to be doubly sure about the utility and efficiency of the product. The same goes with the car tracking systems too.

Realize how they work. Study the benefits and disadvantages well. It will be wiser to learn to check the device’s performance in situations based on your demand.

For instance, if you own a fleet of transport vans, which often load/unload in the basements, the signal strength might be low and you will need efficient systems to locate and track the vehicle.

Similarly, for the fleet, which often drives through the harsh environments of rain and mist, efficient antennae is a must. Sensitivity to GPS signals and specificity in location of geographical position are therefore the crucial benchmarks in the selection of a GPS tracking model.

3. Determine the features that are needed

Apart from locating the vehicle, modern GPS trackers have certain other advanced features. They assist the fleet manager in decision-making by providing reports on fuel usage, vehicle traffic data, driver behavior patterns, vehicle maintenance records, etc.

Fleet owners also need to decide on how often the reports are generated as well as the format in which they are generated by the fleet management software.

Real time tracking as well as storing the data for further analysis is often favored by fleet companies. Ordinarily, smaller cab rental services would perform fine with the real time tracking, whereas a bigger fleet company can avail the data storage facility too.

Visibility of the device is another option. Certain people prefer to install the GPS devices hidden while others prefer in transparency. Also, the signal reception varies for each model.

If your vehicle does not allow for the device to be placed near the windshield (in majority of the cases), it might be wise to choose models, which have the higher signal reception capacity. Consider the battery life too. Nevertheless, certain models might require frequent charging.

4. Analyze the cost and fix the budget according to your needs

Once you are sure of the details such as purpose and requirements, you will be able to determine the cost and fix the budget. Check whether the cost justifies your purchase and needs.

Consequently, there are GPS car tracking systems, which utilize cloud computing technology enabling you to store data offshore with retrieval facilities, albeit at a higher cost often in the form of monthly subscriptions.

Also, be never tempted to buy expensive models, which are advanced than your immediate requirements. However, researching and studying different models available would assist you in choosing wisely.

Compare the prices at local dealers and online stores along with ease and costs of installation etc. Also, never forget to examine the warranty conditions before making a vital decision.