smarketingMay 27, 2023
Memorial Day is a somber reminder of the sacrifices of the heroes who laid down their lives for the country. Then again, it also kicks off summer unofficially, with folks all over the nation craving to leave everything behind and taking a vacation. Once the temperature rises and the school doors close, marking the beginning of the Memorial Day weekend, you would probably want to set out for your next adventure.
Whether you want to spend a couple of days on a sun-kissed beach, pamper your taste buds with delectable dishes, burn a hole in your pocket shopping, or enjoy the chill of the mountains, there are more than enough locations in the USA to satisfy your wanderlust. Besides, it is never too early to plan or at least dream about your ideal weekend getaway. Here are a few destinations to get you started with your search.
And if you are planning to make this venture a road trip, let Vyncs real time GPS tracker tag along with you in your journey. It can provide roadside assistance should your vehicle break down in the middle of nowhere.
Looking to pay tribute to the military men and women this Memorial Day? Take the road to the waterfront city of Annapolis, also called the “Sailing Captial of the US." Spend time outdoors to catch a glimpse of the Memorial Day Parade as it passes through Main Street, or take a walk through the remainder of Historic Annapolis, where you will inevitably encounter rows of American flags. Need a spot to stretch out? Just head to Quiet Waters Park - spanning 340 acres. This spot is perfect for biking, kayaking, picnicking, or simply letting your eyes feast on the panoramic views of the South River in the pleasant temperatures gracing this area in late May.
Memorial Day is when you honor and remember the sacrifices made by the USA armed forces members, and you can do just that at the Ocean City Life-Saving Station Museum. Learn about the history of this place and the real-life predecessors of the Coast Guard of today. The full story of the “Storm Warriors" of the United States Life-Saving Service is available to everyone. These people are the ones who stood watch to rescue sailors from wrecked ships. Once you grow tired of taking in the sights of the Atlantic from the miles of wooden boardwalks of Ocean City and its sandy shoreline, take a trip in it on rented jet skis or pontoon boats.
Take some time to pay your respects to the brave soldiers who fought and died for the nation at the Arlington National Cemetery. Here you will see the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier - the final resting place of an unidentified World War I soldier and an unsung hero. The memorial also pays homage to other unknown warriors from World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. Leverage the relatively mild temperatures of Virginia in May by passing through the Potomac Heritage Trail. This expansive trail system spans from the mouth of the Potomac River to the Allegheny Highlands through Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and DC.
What other destination is as patriotic as Washington, D.C. when it comes to celebrating the true spirit of Memorial Day? Pay your respects to the fallen, veterans and their family members, amounting to over 400,000 at the Arlington National Cemetery. Or, head towards the National Mall and wander around the Vietnam Veterans Memorial wall. Read the names of 58,000 Americans who perished during the Vietnam War. Finally, make your way to the World War II Memorial to pay tribute to soldiers who died on the battlefield.
Ask those who live around Palm Springs - they will claim that the summer months are best experienced in this part of California. Of course, at times the temperature rises more than some people can handle, but, simultaneously, it helps you find some of the best deals on stays. Apart from being ideal for individuals looking to explore and indulge in rock climbing, the real highlight of Palm Springs is event hosted by the Palm Springs Air Museum - the Annual Memorial Day Air Fair and Flow Drop. Experience the emotional moment of being bathed in red and white carnations dropping from a B-25 aircraft. This is an act of commemorating those who gave up their lives fighting for the nation in World War II.
Millions of individuals from all four corners of the world visit Pearl Harbor to see all the war memorials and museums. However, it makes more sense to schedule a visit on Memorial Day. So, what can you expect at Pearl Harbor? Start your day by checking out the USS Arizona Memorial, as it is the most important World War II site in the USA. Then, move on to the National Park Service monument from where you can go to two museums where you can witness the events of the Road to War and the Attack & Aftermath with the aid of the latest technology. Consider adding the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum to your list of places to visit - a military aircraft museum displaying the US conflicts in Vietnam and Korea during World War II.
The Memorial Day weekend is when the unofficial tourist season starts in Cape May, and you can probably guess why! This place is a quintessential summertime getaway for numerous Americans for all the right reasons. The historic seaside town boasts pleasant temperatures in the 70s in the late spring. It also played a crucial role in military defense during World War II. Travelers can relax and take in the sun on the beaches of Cape May while admiring the perfectly-preserved Victorian architecture next to the shoreline. Or, they can take a walk down the outdoor Washington Street Mall. Close to Cape May is New Jersey Town, an excellent spot for birding and also perfect for tipplers, thanks to all the wineries in the area.
smarketingMay 08, 2023
Distracted driving (here is a classic example published on YouTube by New Jersey 101.5) is one of the primary causes of vehicle accidents among teenagers and younger drivers. The NHTSA says that around nine people die, and over 1,000 people sustain injuries due to crashes resulting from distracted driving here in USA. Six years ago, 3,166 individuals died in distracted driving accidents, and in 2021, distracted driving led to 3,522 deaths.
The AAA Foundation Report states that distracted driving happens due to mobile phone use, but the actual reason for distracted driving is not the phone. The passengers traveling with the driver usually end up being the distraction.
Teenagers below 20 have the highest proportion of fatal crashes associated with distracted driving. Passengers distracting drivers is the most prominent reason for vehicular crashes, amounting to 15%. The second highest reason was texting, at 12%.
These are sad statistics. However, the good news is that distracted driving is controllable to a large extent with tracking devices for vehicles.
For example, you can keep tabs on the driver’s vehicle speed with Vyncs. Just connect the device to the OBD-II port, set the speed limit on the mobile app or web app, and get notified whenever the driver crosses the threshold. While this technology may potentially be used to control phone’s access to the network, many prefer a less restrictive approach to convince the driver not to engage in such activities in the first place. If you know when they are driving and avoid calling them while they are driving, remind them to use hands-free voice activated technology during the trip, and urge friends and family to do the same.
Geozones can be drawn on a digital map to limit the driving radius of your teenage kids. If they take the car outside the boundary, you will be notified instantly. That way, you will stay informed about any change in their driving behavior and you can update your strategy to counter their distracted driving tendencies accordingly.
Vyncs will also alert you whenever it detects bad driving, such as harsh braking or sharp cornering and prevent the driver from any fatal accident. After all, distracted driving is even more dangerous when the driver is making risky moves on the road, particularly at a high speed.
Youngsters are not always attentive to the condition of the vehicle. Vyncs can determine whether the car needs thorough maintenance. You can schedule repairs or take preventative measures so that your teenage children can drive without worrying about their vehicle breaking down. While this may not have much to do with distracted driving prevention, it at least gives you the peace of mind knowing that they are unlikely to be stranded by the road and have an urgent need to call for help from the car. Just in case they do, the 24/7 Vyncs roadside assistance service may come handy.
The rest of the article takes deeper look at the common causes and other measures you can take in order to prevent distracted driving.
Most people take their minds off the road every once in a while. This primarily happens during long, monotonous drives. For some folks, it is a more frequent event that they would want to admit. They drive while another activity or thought whisks their attention and focus away from the road.
It becomes difficult to react and prevent a potential crash when you think of something other than what is happening in front of you. This is even more common among teen drivers with little experience in driving. When your teenagers do not pay attention to the road, their chances of accidents increase significantly, and it affects passengers both inside and outside the vehicle.
Text messaging is a common form of distracted driving, particularly among teenagers. 42% of high school students who drove over 30 days reported sending an email or text while sitting behind the wheel in 2017. In the same year, 9% of all teen motor vehicle crash deaths happened from distracted driving.
For a young individual, it is tempting to take a look at the phone quickly to read or reply to a text while driving. Doing so involves looking away from the road for about five seconds. If you drive at 55 mph, you will cover the length of a football field within five seconds.
Looking at mobile phone screens or texting is related to other life-threatening practices for teenagers. High school students who indulge in frequent texting also,
These are some sobering statistics to keep in mind while you are preparing to let go the teenage drivers at home on their own to the road.
Talk to your teenagers about what they can do to drive safely. The following pointers may be helpful.
Links
Video source
smarketingMarch 30, 2023
Road rage, also called aggressive driving, is dangerous and negative behavior that drivers engage in for various reasons (Check out this video by Dashcam Lessons to know what road rage is). At times, the driver acts under the influence of alcohol, and at other times, it results from a mental breakdown or emotional outburst. Road rage also happens when the driver is in a hurry to go somewhere, especially if they are late and need to get somewhere fast. However, before getting into the details, it is important to mention that several facets of road rage are controllable with a vehicle tracking device, such as Vyncs.
Here are a few statistics that will give you a relatively clean idea of road rage and how it plagues the USA.
Everyone gets frustrated while driving sooner or later due to traffic or the poor decisions of other drivers. However, the resulting anger can ruin your day, and if this anger lasts longer than a few moments, it leads to disastrous consequences.
The information below is from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
There are a few legal differences between road rage and aggressive driving, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Aggressive driving points to anything deemed reckless, such as speeding, tailgating, blocking another vehicle from passing, etc. Road rage is a much more serious issue because it usually involves violent intentions directed toward another motorist. It includes behaviors, such as ramming another car, physically fighting with another driver on the side of the road, or using weapons to threaten or harm others.
Here are a couple of facts about road rage;
The statistical data you will find below is taken from a FARS analysis conducted by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety and Auto Insurance Center.
Males end up on the receiving end of road rage events more than females.
It is usually assumed that a young and inexperienced driver would likely be involved in an accident more than an experienced driver.
The American Automobile Association sourced the following data.
A non-profit news firm focused on gun violence has uncovered the following information.
Here is the data from one more survey involving road rage and DUI.
Road rage is inevitable because it is a psychologically charged incident. However, some aspects of road rage, such as reckless driving or racing can be controlled with driver monitoring systems. One such solution is Vyncs - a brand that excels in location tracking, driver safety monitoring, and vehicle health reports. Our exclusive range of devices designed for consumers and fleet owners & managers comes with powerful onboard and in-cloud distributed data management and analytics platforms to access vehicle sensor data and provide actionable intelligence.
With Vyncs, you can keep a check on the driver’s on-road activity. If they race against other drivers or operate the vehicle recklessly, you will know. Vyncs alerts you against speeding, harsh braking, sharp cornering, idling, etc. Even if there is no way to put an end to road rage, curtailing it and, in turn, decreasing the outcomes of untoward on-road behavior, is perfectly possible.
Sources
1)https://www.thezebra.com/resources/research/road-rage-statistics/(SafeMotorist).
2)https://www.iii.org/table-archive/20686
3)https://www.madd.org/press-release/new-nhtsa-numbers-show-drunk-driving-still-the-leading-cause-of-highway-deaths/
4)https://www-fars.nhtsa.dot.gov/Main/index.aspx
5)https://www.geoffreygnathanlaw.com/topics/national-drunk-driving-statistics/
6)https://consumer.healthday.com/kids-health-information-23/kids-and-alcohol-health-news-11/1-in-5-college-students-admitted-to-drunk-driving-study-found-639483.html
7)https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/813406
8)https://www.huffpost.com/entry/drunk-driving-college_n_598905
9)https://carsurance.net/blog/car-accident-statistics/
Video & video source
1)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1crk7Na2h3w&ab_channel=DashcamLessons
2)https://www.youtube.com/@DashcamLessons
smarketingMarch 21, 2023
Statistics on drunk driving elicit surprise and dismay when disclosed to the public. Experts from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration say that DUI claims an individual’s life approximately every 50 minutes. This adds up to 10,000 lives per year. Despite being preventable, these incidents happen when a tippler sits behind the steering wheel. Drunk driving is inexcusable as it has severe consequences, such as this incident (courtesy of A&E), and endangers the driver’s life, as well as others on the road. While vehicle GPS tracking systems cannot correct drunk driving, it can detect irrational behaviors, like excessive speeding, sudden & harsh braking, sharp turning, etc.
Intoxicated driving is a significant problem in the USA. The following statistics will help you understand the situation.
Everyone knows how alcohol impairs the ability to handle a car. The real question is, why does it affect the drinker? Here are a couple of reasons.
So, how many people die every year due to drunk driving? According to the CDC, about 11,660 Americans died because of driving under the influence in 2020. This number has increased by 14.3% from the previous year. The CDC even suggests that in 2020,
The statistics are alarming, to say the least. Impaired driving does not only affect the driver but also their passengers, other drivers, and pedestrians.
While drunk driving is a common problem in America, a few groups do it more than others. According to the NHTSA bulletin 2020, the following are the highest-risk groups.
One should be vigilant about how they behave on the street, but it is also beneficial to be aware of the groups more at risk than others while driving impaired.
Anyone who gets pulled over and charged with a DUI would have to deal with a steep insurance rate. Factors like living conditions and offenses dictate how much the insurance premiums may rise. It usually remains between 7% and 289%.
Furthermore, the violator will never be able to leverage the perks of safe driving if charged with a DUI.
There is no shame in craving a swig or two now and then. However, you probably do not want to become part of the statistical data presented here. To that end, plan your night out ahead of time. You have several options to get to and from your location safely. For instance, you can opt for ride-sharing services, such as Uber or Lyft, hire a taxi, or go for designated driving services to bring you home safely, along with your vehicle.
Fortunately, drunk driving is currently trending in the right direction. That is why it has dropped by 44% since 1985. Nonetheless, instances of DUI are not few and far between, and such an event can wreak havoc on your life and everyone else around you. Additionally, you will need a lot of time to recover vehicle insurance premiums if you get caught. You even have to shell out heavy legal penalties associated with impaired driving.
Source: https://bit.ly/3mWqmaf (Forbes)
Source: https://www.thezebra.com/resources/research/drunk-driving-statistics/
Video Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJqe4wHNm7c&ab_channel=A%26E
Video Credit: https://www.youtube.com/@AETV
smarketingMarch 14, 2023
Did you feel like someone punched you in the gut when you saw your insurance bill last time? If you did, you should not think you are in it alone. Based on a report created and published recently by the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) , there has been an increase of almost 50% in commercial auto insurance over the last decade, particularly between 2018 and 2020.
This analysis covered over 80 carriers and more than 95,000 commercial trucks, and it uncovered this crucial piece of information - on average, insurance costs rose to $0.087/mile in 2020. However, this increment in costs was not across fleets of varying sizes, affecting smaller fleets disproportionately.
Small and medium-sized fleets experienced a larger jump over the last three years when compared to large and very large fleets. In fact, in 2020, small and medium fleets paid almost twice as much for every mile covered as large fleets.
Yes, these numbers look bleak, but you can implement a GPS fleet tracker. It has helped carriers reduce insurance costs in the past. You can expect it to do the same for you now.
The analysis from ATRI pinpointed three factors primarily responsible for the overall increase in insurance premiums.
Economic factors, including medical costs and general inflation, are some of the greatest contributors to rising insurance premiums. Other factors also play crucial roles, such as crash severity, insurance industry competition, and the cost of repairing vehicles.
Despite being quite difficult to define, social inflation refers to increments in claims costs not directly caused by economic inflation. For instance, changes in public opinion related to who is at fault for a safety incident and how much the jury award in a settlement case should fall in this category.
The safety history of the individual carrier and whether the carrier demonstrated attempts of improving safety history play crucial roles. Furthermore, other factors include the usual cargo value and the primary state or area of operation. Carriers operating in more litigious states often charge higher premiums.
Naturally, numerous trucking organizations have responded to higher insurance premiums by cutting costs in other areas. According to the ATRI, three areas where companies were most likely to cut costs to offset insurance increments were;
These techniques will yield short-term savings, but snipping off these areas will have long-term consequences. Reducing employee compensation can negatively affect a company’s chances of hiring and retaining experienced drivers. Postponing equipment upgrades or failing to maintain vehicles adequately with proper brakes, tires, or other components can increase safety risks.
Furthermore, firing old employees and hiring fewer new ones will put extra strain on existing drivers and staff, which may lead to cutting corners or increase safety risks.
Fleet managers can’t overlook the importance of buying insurance for drivers and vehicles, but the costs can pile up. Here are a couple of tactics you can use to seek out insurance price reductions.
Drivers are the most important assets of a fleet manager. You have to make sure your staff stays alert when behind the steering wheel, as it is essential to lowering insurance costs. Training frequently and setting specific expectations for drivers can reduce accidents.
Keeping tabs on driver performance metrics is a proactive method of seeing how employees operate on the clock. Acts of speeding and sudden braking need immediate attention because improving driver behavior leaves room for significant savings.
Prioritizing training regimes and reducing claims will possibly improve your CSA or Compliance, Safety, and Accountability score. It is a rating that conveys information about a carrier’s safety record. CSA scores are not visible to the public, but the data collected by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration can dictate the price of insurance premiums for commercial logistics companies.
A telematics solution will prove to be of use here, as it will provide you with an accurate history of driver collisions, citations, and other reports. Fleet owners and managers can reduce insurance premiums by educating drivers about how to navigate commercial vehicles safely.
Fleet vehicles should only serve business purposes, and to ensure insurance cost reduction, you should communicate the precise location of your company vehicle. With fleet vehicle monitoring systems, managers can check for suspicious activity that puts trucks at risk of sustaining damage. Determining how to limit unauthorized vehicle use is a crucial step in cutting down fleet insurance premiums.
Tracking alerts can help you recover stolen vehicles quickly. Preventing damage to the fleet and minimizing pricey insurance claims can help you save significantly large sums of money. Showcasing that you are responsible for your commercial vehicles allows you to lower insurance costs.
Adhering to DOT regulations can help you save money on insurance premiums. Most insurance firms tend to reward commercial establishments with drivers that abide by mandates placed at state and federal levels. Telematics functions keep all driver logs, maintenance details, and compliance reports in one place. With a telematics system, you can monitor how long drivers and vehicles stay on the road and their safety history.
Hard evidence is what insurance companies seek, and you must present it to them if you need to file an insurance claim and seek reimbursement. Relying on telematics hardware, such as dash cams, will be worthwhile, as they can record the details of a collision. These devices will give you the proof you need. The presence of an extra level of the context surrounding an accident is effective in showing that the driver was not the culprit. Also, the same evidence can stop insurance costs from burning a hole in your pocket or breaking your bank after an accident.
With a fleet compliance platform, gaining access to driver and vehicle reports will become easier. An insurance agency may charge a lower fleet insurance premium if you can show that you have a record of safe driving. You can also display documents related to inclusive vehicle maintenance histories and inspection results. Try to hash out a competitive price for your insurance plan by streamlining the compliance process.
Fleet telematics can have a profound impact on a business firm’s safety initiatives, which, in turn, can influence insurance premiums. Additionally, in an unfortunate event of a crash, fleet management solutions can protect the company from false claims.
Insurance is an undeniable and indispensable fact for fleet-based businesses, and many of the factors that influence premium costs remain out of the control of the owners and managers. Thankfully, there are steps you can take to mitigate those expenses.
One of those steps incorporates implementing a connected vehicle management system, a solution suitable for trucking companies of all sizes. It can effectively lower insurance costs by helping you display the depth of your organization’s focus on safety and risk management.
Want to find out how Vyncs can support your company’s safety efforts and potentially cut down insurance premiums? Visit our website to check out what we can do for you.
smarketingFebruary 10, 2023
With state and federal rules and regulations expanding continuously, achieving fleet management sustainability and reducing carbon emissions are now mandatory. Fleet owners across North America are probably facing the pressure of modernizing their fleets and looking to implement GPS fleet monitoring systems on every vehicle. After all, these tools facilitate green fleet management better than anything else.
Overhauling the fleet is not mandatory for shrinking the carbon footprint and reducing the chances of incurring regulatory penalties. As mentioned above, investing in a connected car solution is a straightforward, more affordable alternative to changing the current vehicle fleet. Telematics tech supports enhanced operating procedures that can augment sustainable fleet management.
Today's corporate world is perfectly aware of its social and environmental duties. It is primarily due to the increased pressure on global businesses to publish environmental data, apart from financial data, as part of their corporate reporting process in yearly reports.
Suppliers, customers, and shareholders are further driving for greater openness and accountability around the environmental impact of daily operations. Companies are investing and developing sustainable business practices to increase trust and engagement with their stakeholders and customers. These practices will lead to attracting and retaining employees, improving brand awareness, building credibility, encouraging advances and bringing innovation in various types of technology, and reinforcing community relations and partnerships.
Everyone knows how detrimental carbon dioxide emissions are. The world sorely needs ways to reduce emissions to avoid the worst impacts. According to researchers, the Asian continent is currently the largest emitter, accounting for 53% of global emissions. Even after being home to 60% of the world's population, the carbon dioxide emissions in this continent are slightly lower than the world average.
This value is equal to more than a quarter of the worldwide emissions. North America holds the second spot on this list, contributing to 18% of the global emission, followed closely by Europe at 17%. About 73% of the total CO2 emissions come from the energy sector, with 16% attributed to the transport industry and 12% to road transport, specifically.
Based on the information by the Global Energy Review 2021, global CO2 emissions will grow as the demand for oil, coal, and gas rebounds in the post-COVID era. From everything described above, it is clear that carbon dioxide has reached the highest-ever atmospheric average annual concentration.
Carbon dioxide emission is almost 50% higher than when the industrial revolution started. These stats clarify the necessity of tackling climate change effectively. Humanity must work together to reduce carbon emissions caused by on-road vehicles, particularly the ones used by fleets.
Here is a breakdown of how fleet operators can start establishing a sustainable strategy for fleet management.
You can achieve fleet sustainability once you thoroughly understand the current fleet costs, operations, and existing business processes and policies.
Once you identify where manageable inefficiencies deter or slow down operations and drain business money, you can take control of areas needing critical improvements.
Determining which fleet systems or operations are suitable for streamlining and optimizing is the key to improving things that will increase the bottom line.
Ensuring sustainability is a top priority for an organization. Therefore, you must develop a business case to present to stakeholders, partners, and personnel and explain how an operational review will help the fleet and the company achieve green objectives and boost overall profits.
Implementing all the measures suggested above to make the fleet more sustainable can be aided by implementing fleet telematics tech.
Ongoing review and monitoring will ensure that your company meets sustainability targets consistently. Fleet managers can rely on telematics technology to stay productive, utilize resources & fuel appropriately, and control expenditures.
Here are three ways a GPS fleet tracker can help lay the foundation of green fleet management.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have established stringent corporate average fuel economy and carbon dioxide emissions. After becoming effective on July 1, 2022, the last rule sets the standards that would need an industry-wide fleet of approximately 49 mpg for passenger vehicles and light trucks in the year 2026 by increasing fuel efficiency by 8% yearly for model years 2024 and 2025, and 10% yearly for the year 2026.
Fuel consumption reduction is one of the most effective ways of achieving fleet sustainability objectives and helping meet ever-evolving regulations. Maintaining specific fuel-related constraints is the best way to reduce gas costs and impact the company's bottom line. Every fleet business owner knows that fuel usually contributes to a sizable operating expense. However, telematics technology increases fuel efficiency and helps make a significant impact.
Contemplating driver behavior and coaching them accordingly goes a long way to reducing excessive speeding and harsh acceleration while increasing the mpg value.
Another area of fleet management tech that helps companies realize sustainable fleet management is the ability to optimize driving routes for drivers. Managers can determine cost-effective and fast dispatch routes between job sites based on traffic patterns and other available data, so fuel use is reduced, and workers spend less downtime between job sites.
When a new or unexpected job comes up, you can route the nearest worker to that location to conserve fuel. You can also enable drivers to leverage GPS navigation tools to prevent them from getting lost and streamline delivery schedules. In doing so, you can reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emission.
Passenger cars, light-duty vehicles, and medium & heavy-duty trucks consume about six billion gallons of diesel fuel and gasoline. They do it without even moving an inch. You can probably guess that it is the result of idling - an event that makes a truck use almost half a gallon of fuel every hour.
Time spent idling not only means workers failing to contribute to operational profitability. It means fleet vehicles are consuming fuel unnecessarily, which falls short of several green fleet management initiatives.
With connected vehicle technology, you can set alerts for any unnecessary idling beyond a specific time threshold you deem appropriate. It helps reduce inactivity among fleet vehicles, other fuel costs, and, in some states, all related penalties.
Every technician, driver, and employee of a business company has to be on board with green fleet strategies if you wish to implement real change in environmental sustainability. The strategies ensure everyone remains accountable to the same standards, build trust among the team, and accelerate the ability to achieve positive results from fleet management efforts.
So, what kind of technology should you look into? Vyncs is a practical choice, as it is a household name among numerous fleet owners in the USA. We don’t just claim to rethink and reshape mobility - we have made it a reality with our work and our product. Whether it is about location tracking, driver safety monitoring, or vehicle health reports, our product uses powerful on-board and in-cloud distributed data management and analytics platforms to access vehicle sensor data and provide information valuable to you.
smarketingFebruary 07, 2023
Fleet management encompasses a lot of things. For starters, operators must ensure vehicle and driver safety and security. Fleet managers or business owners should also ensure their vehicles and drivers meet compliance regulations, while maintaining operational efficiency. A telematics system can play a pivotal role in this and in writing a driver policy and company handbook.
Here you will read about what goes into creating an inclusive driver policy and company handbook that will make your business fleet compliant in every aspect.
If there is a pillar that determines the success of a fleet, it is compliance. Adhering to it will take you forward in the game, but not doing so will be detrimental to operational safety and efficiency.
Maintaining compliance is crucial to the logistics industry as it helps keep drivers and vehicles safe by ensuring the carriers are roadworthy and reducing the likelihood of on-road incidents. With driver fatigue being the cause of one in five accidents, avoiding it is the top priority among fleet businesses. After all, eliminating driver fatigue by complying with the rules will do more than just safeguard the fleet. Being compliant will protect other road users too.
Fleet managers must prioritize compliance, but it is also a challenge to stay abreast of the changes in regulations and the complex admin work associated with the same. Several moving parts will need express attention, including monitoring a driver’s work hours & fatigue, refining the identification process, ensuring electronic logging accuracy, and preventing device tampering.
Comprehensive fleet compliance is a machine with several cogs that you need to take note of. Some of the variables worth mentioning include;
These people are integral to fleet operations and play crucial roles in ensuring compliance. The management is responsible for implementing company rules and regulations and making sure that all drivers and vehicles follow these policies. They also monitor and evaluate performance to prevent company policy violations.
Fleet drivers, no matter how frequently they work, need training to operate the vehicle they are asked to operate. They also require a valid driver’s license and become familiar with the safety policies and compliance regulations.
Vehicles need to be in mint condition to operate efficiently. Therefore, you must ensure your vehicles are fit for use, and to do that, you need to get them serviced on time. Conducting regular inspections will help you meet safety guidelines.
Operating the business while maintaining compliance helps you mitigate risks and safeguard fleet vehicles. If you hope to ensure compliance in this regard, then you cannot make your employees work longer than realistic hours. You should also keep the working conditions fair and allow them to take breaks frequently.
What are the particulars of a driver policy and company handbook? Here is a breakdown.
The introductory part of the driver policy and company handbook should begin with explaining the purpose, who it applies to, and the terms and conditions. Start by presenting the mission statement of the company so that the reader understands why your business utilizes fleets.
From there you can move on to define the industry terms and explain the roles and responsibilities of various departments. You have to define the duties of key players in the business like fleet managers, executive management, head of departments, vehicle users/drivers, and managers. The policy should also define industry-related terms. They will help outline your code of conduct, the types of employment contracts you offer, the recruitment process, attendance mandates, and governmental policies in this section of the manual.
This section of the manual should contain all admin activities associated with the business fleet. Outlining this part will provide the reader with more information regarding operations and how they will fit into the structure.
This section shows the details of the telematics device or fleet tracking software program you use for your company. Remember to outline this in the driver policy so all employees use the device or software and avoid privacy breaches.
This element expands on the driver’s permit requirements for any employees driving company-owned vehicles.
The policy must stipulate that the driver provide an MVR (motor vehicle record), which is a document containing the details of an individual’s driving history. Information regarding accidents, traffic violations, or vehicle crimes will be included here. All prospective drivers must submit this data positively to ensure they meet all employment requirements. Furthermore, minimum employment age and disability guidelines should also be part of the policy.
A fleet’s well-being depends on driver safety. If anything harms your drivers, it will affect other aspects of business operations.
This portion of the policy should define the behaviors that can put drivers at risk, as well as the steps they must implement to stay safe while driving. Below you will find a few rules worth including;
This part of the manual will be the most influential as it will cover a great deal regarding fleet vehicle use. It must enumerate driver behavior guidelines and restrictions.
From the perspective of personal use, the driver policy should include the basics. For instance, only authorized personnel may drive company vehicles, passengers are limited to only those that need to ride in the vehicle to finish a project, and any restrictions, such as smoking, should be stated clearly. If your fleet uses personal or rental vehicles, remember to stipulate associated usage guidelines in the policy.
These make up the tip of the iceberg regarding what you need to include in the vehicle use section of the manual. Other necessary guidelines include providing an explanation of fuel purchasing and administration, processes to follow for reporting accidents, and vehicle care & security methods.
Efficient fleet performance depends on proper functionality. To that end, every vehicle has to remain roadworthy at all times. Poor maintenance will inevitably lead to vehicle downtime and costly repairs, which can be avoided by having comprehensive documentation concerning vehicle maintenance at hand. So, include outlining guidelines about vehicle operation, vehicle life cycle, risk management procedures, data collection, and fuel management.
An excellent place to start is determining the vehicle inspections and safety checks that the drivers should conduct before embarking on a journey. These safety checks should incorporate checking vital vehicle aspects, such as the brakes, lights, tires, and wipers. Stipulate clearly how often these checks should be conducted. Then, you can specify the frequency of tire rotations, oil changes, and other types of servicing.
Fleet managers and drivers should be aware of all the fundamentals of vehicle operation. These include;
Every maintenance task conducted on the vehicle must be recorded in mileage reports for record-keeping.
Accidents are inevitable, whether you follow the rules of the road and correct driving etiquette or not. Even if you dodge the worst-case scenarios, you will not be able to escape scuffs and bumps. In any case, your drivers should be aware of the processes to follow after an accident to prevent further damage or injury and report the incident correctly.
Drivers must never engage in arguments or discuss the accident with external parties. They should discuss such events only with the police and fleet/security officers.
At this point, you should be ready to write the policy. The following tips will help you get it done.
When you implement new policies for your fleet, research the industry and consider all aspects of your business. Look for information wherever you find it to enrich your documentation.
As changes in policy impact everyone working for a company, you should enquire with your employees to see how current policies impact them.
In the same way, take note of your peer’s policies. Find out what they learned when implementing these guidelines and how they impacted their operations. Staying informed about every aspect will guide you when assembling your documentation. This will help you put together more comprehensive and inclusive policies.
As you gather insight from employees through the research process, make sure that you get input from all departments to compile your documentation.
Once you create a clearer outline of everything in your policy and handbook, make sure that you keep executive management in the loop. Getting input from every employee of your company will ensure you leave no stone unturned and assure that all challenges and opinions specific to your business are included.
The driver policy and company handbook have to be all-inclusive without being repetitive. When you build the framework, make sure that you do not repeat yourself. Every piece of information you add must be valuable.
When you edit the document, the areas you need to elaborate or eliminate will become clear. Do not forget to pay attention to the readability of your policies, avoid being convoluted, and keep the language simple. All employees have to read and understand the documents. Naturally, the information must be as clear and precise as possible.
There is one more thing to do in terms of refining the document. You must review the policies carefully before distributing them.
The more people inspect the document, the better. This will help pinpoint any snags before it is submitted to senior-level management to be approved.
You can do it annually or whenever there is a change in regulations. Regardless of what you choose to do, make sure the policies are updated. To do that, stay in tune with industry news and ask your employees to provide detailed feedback on the policies after implementation. Specify who employees can contact if they have questions or suggestions concerning the documentation. Use the feedback to improve the policy and handbook.
Are you familiar with Vyncs? It is currently one of the most reputable connected vehicle management technology providers on the market. How can a telematics product fabricated by us benefit you in creating a driver policy and company handbook?
Just think about it - what is the ultimate purpose of telematics? It facilitates monitoring cars, trucks, equipment, and even organizational assets by leveraging GPS technology and onboard diagnostics or OBD for strategizing asset movement on a digital map.
The presence of a highly intelligent computer in a vehicle capable of reporting on nearly every detail, from speeding & idling, to fuel use, low tire pressure, and more, can be nigh unto revolutionary for a logistics business.
As mentioned earlier, the sphere of transportation is fraught with aspects in need of constant monitoring, analysis, refining, identification, logging, tamper prevention, etc. Telematics is the only thing that will come in handy when you focus on these elements and help you use the results to frame your driver policy and company guidebook.
smarketingJanuary 13, 2023
Business-fleet managers are well aware of the many benefits of using telematics solutions that provide GPS location data among other useful information. When it comes to the choice of the telematics device, some opt for the battery-powered ones that can be placed anywhere in the vehicle, while others prefer to use the GPS fleet trackers that can be plugged into the OBD-II port of the vehicle. For those of you who are not familiar with the OBD-II port, it is a data port located in the area below the steering wheel and above the gas pedal in every light and medium-duty vehicle sold in the USA after 1996. This port offers access to emission and vehicle health data in addition to a pin for drawing 12V power.
While battery-powered telematics devices offer the flexibility to place it anywhere in the vehicle (e.g. under the vehicle) that may be useful in some applications (e.g. stealth surveillance by law enforcement), it is often painful in fleet applications. Batteries run out of power sooner or later and require you to charge those devices regularly. Missing out on charging batteries means no data is collected. On the other hand, the OBD-II GPS tracking devices offer all the benefits of the former device with additional vehicle health/emissions data with and the benefit of not having to charge the devices regularly using sheer manual effort. No wonder, the latter kind is increasingly becoming the choice of telematics device for most business fleets.
Here are a few more compelling reasons why OBD-II devices are better than their battery-powered counterparts.
As mentioned above, the OBD port is normally located under the steering wheel above the gas pedal area. Therefore, installing it is a breeze. You just have to push the device into the slot to gain access to the wealth of vehicle health and maintenance data. With our product, for instance, you can visit our website or use our app to get this information.
Most products are battery-powered, which requires users to charge them at least once a week. Conversely, OBD variants do not need batteries as they draw power from the vehicle. They will never run out as you do not have to unplug the device.
As an OBD device stays plugged into the car, it gathers valuable information from the vehicle to help the owner understand everything going on under the hood and below the chassis. The tracking device allows you can determine the vehicle’s mileage and fuel economy. The Vyncs device can even provide car diagnostics, uncovering every existing problem. Additionally, the AI system of Vyncs will give you personalized suggestions regarding the optimization of fuel and maintenance expenses.
An OBD product manufactured by a reputable brand can automatically detect unsafe driving behaviors, such as speeding, harsh braking, or sharp cornering. Apart from knowing where and when you or someone else is driving, you can determine how well the person behind the steering wheel was operating the vehicle on the road. Vyncs possesses features like driver scoring and associated performance graphs and tables, allowing you to evaluate data, which comes in handy if the driver is newly minted.
GPS devices let you save fuel and money while creating safer driving conditions for your drivers. They also allow you to optimize routes and reduce insurance premiums.
Now that you know about the OBD-II port, OBD-II devices, and why they are better than battery-powered products, read on to find out how telematics improves the performance standards of a fleet-business.
Connected vehicle management systems provide drivers with real-time updates and workspace management, increasing efficiency in the process. They leave a digital trail of real-time updates, which eliminates the need for paperwork. Simultaneously, the same digital trail allows business owners or managers to make better decisions. Additionally, the business will be able to focus on the core aspects of the business and its operations rather than the aspects a telematics product can oversee and manage without human intervention.
One of the lesser-known benefits of connected vehicle solutions is that it allows you to stay on top of preventive maintenance schedules. You can’t underestimate the importance of preventive maintenance if you hope to avoid costly repairs or dangerous roadside breakdowns. Once you use connected vehicle technology, you will never have to worry about forgetting an oil change, a tune-up, or any other essential vehicle service.
GPS facilitates on-road efficiency and back-office work and allows fleet managers to keep maintenance tasks on schedule. As a manager, you will never have to worry about costly breakdowns in the middle of a job again, which leaves the driver at risk and the company's reputation tarnished.
When it is about managing fuel and maintenance-related expenses, fuel cards work better than anything else, especially when tethered to a connected vehicle solution. Fuel prices tend to fluctuate from time to time. Naturally, you need a foolproof way of tracking these expenses incurred by businesses relying on fleet vehicles. Fuel cards can save the day by helping you track and control employee expenditures, online purchases, fraud identification, or company fund abuse. Simultaneously, you can curate detailed spending reports.
Combined with potential fuel savings, these abilities keep employees accountable on the field. A driver ID is associated with every transaction that informs you who spends how much and where. Apart from establishing transparency, you can set spending limits based on the product, location, and dollar amount.
Fuel cards can even be incorporated into bookkeeping, thanks to the automatic capturing of financial activity to back-end tracking systems. This further streamlines back-office jobs and preserves the integrity of financial records.
The benefits of GPS go above and beyond fuel savings. It provides transparency, accountability, and efficiency powered by tech-forward features for your business. Before you even realize it, your company and its bottom line will start growing.
Just imagine for a second that you can check and determine the entire fleet’s location from your smartphone! The deeper you dig, the more features you will unearth, including the following.
You will also receive location updates every minute after a fleet vehicle starts moving. The notifications will pop up every hour when the vehicle’s engine is turned off. The equipment tracking devices will report battery usage every ten minutes when powered on and moving. There will also be an intuitive map for you to use, which will provide fleet updates about proximate traffic conditions to inform you whether the drivers are moving or stuck in traffic.
You can optimize business performance by holding your drivers accountable to ethical company compliance and high driving standards. Driver reports aggregate essential data to help you understand which employees on the fleet drive the brand mission forward and which ones need to work on improving their abilities.
Fleet managers can ensure their drivers operate as safely as possible with telematics. Reporting features of this technology delivers daily performance scores for every driver, summaries of safe driving behaviors, and summaries of idling and stops. The same system allows managers to authorize the hours during which the fleet vehicles will be in use and investigate the details of use outside of predetermined hours.
When you have access to real-time data, comprehensive reports, and sophisticated tracking capabilities, think about how advanced your business and its operations will become! GPS improves the overall performance of the fleet --- from vehicle maintenance to driver performance & accountability. The resulting ROI goes far beyond fuel savings and benefits every aspect of a fleet-based business.
Vyncs is a telematics brand that has helped numerous fleet businesses increase their return on investment. The Fleet 4G+ is a device that Vyncs has fabricated for fleet owners operating vehicles to fulfill their organizational objectives. The device allows businesses to add numerous vehicles to their accounts. This account provides access to the fleet dashboard, gives street addresses on the trip table, provides downloadable data in an excel-friendly format, facilitates fuel cost tracking, helps create custom maintenance tasks, and a lot more.
Visit our website to find out what we have in store for you and harness the power of connected vehicle systems for your business.
smarketingDecember 29, 2022
Reducing fuel expenses is often a top priority for fleet managers, and fuel cards, combined with a telematics fleet tracker device, can make that easier to achieve. Fleets using fuel cards and connected vehicle tech can track spending and driver behavior. The card facilitates purchase profile analysis, provides real-time alerts, and allows report creation. In the end, these tools let fleet managers identify opportunities to make measurable and targeted improvements for reducing fuel costs.
Fuel cards work like debit cards, as you can use them to pay for fuel. Fuel cards accumulate data fleet managers can use to keep tabs on fuel usage, location, etc. Based on the type of car, drivers may have to include a driver number, unit, or vehicle mileage to get authorized to pump gas. Companies specializing in payment processing cards or oil brands often use fuel cards.
Every variant has its advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, businesses will benefit from various card offers. You can use a fuel card at any of the participating locations across the nation.
The perks of using fuel cards for fleet businesses are many and varied. As the cost of gas ebbs and flows, fleet managers must track fuel consumption to look for redundancies and number irregularities. Fuel cards can analyze data trends, track employee spending, and make reporting easier. Business owners can set up alerts to prevent the cards from being misused and eliminate fraudulent activity.
Fuel cards can also help save time. Tracking and reporting features of fuel cards streamline management duties and can cut down lengthy reimbursement processes. Simultaneously, these cards can reduce paperwork. Furthermore, drivers can use them anywhere without worrying about finding a specific gas station brand.
When business owners first consider issuing fuel cards to drivers, the primary factor they think about is the amount of fuel purchased every month. If a fleet uses 1,000 gallons of gas per month, you can use fuel cards to enjoy rebates. Fleets that don’t use that much gas will benefit from credit cards more than fuel cards.
There are several benefits for you to reap, starting from discounted gas prices to detailed expense reports. Here is a list of some of these advantages.
Most of the gas stations spread throughout the country accept fuel cards. It gives truck drivers a convenient way to purchase the fuel they need when they need it. You will feel confident knowing that the drivers can buy gas with the card whenever it is most convenient.
Are you familiar with the fact that fuel purchase is the highest expense in the entire fleet industry after vehicle maintenance? A few fleet cards available these
days offer additional savings at gas pumps that can lower overall fuel costs.
Nothing is as bad as arguing about fraudulent charges with the creditor. Fortunately, fuel cards for fleet businesses prevent unauthorized purchases. Drivers only need to input their ID or PIN before they can start fueling up the vehicle. Fuel cards can also make it easier for business owners to pinpoint and stop potential fraudulent charges before they turn into legal problems.
Replace chaos with order in your record-keeping system with a fleet fuel card. It is precisely what you need if you don’t want to deal with the headache of gathering receipts and figuring out how much your drivers spend on fuel every month. You only need to log in to your account and go through every transaction detail, including the amount of gas spent and other info. Users can also configure it to synchronize automatically with the accounting and bookkeeping system. Such in-depth reporting can deliver a level of transparency that saves time, money, and frustration while simplifying things for you to monitor your organizational fuel expenses.
Finally, fleet fuel cards can give companies more control over how much drivers spend at the gas station. You can enforce limitations on the quantity of fuel drivers will be able to purchase when on the road. Fuel cards also facilitate setting other parameters. When you can control all these aspects, you can manage the fleet’s overall fuel expenses better than before.
You would not buy a gps tracker for multiple vehicles without researching your options to separate the best from the rest. The same goes for fuel cards. Here is a list of the features you should look for.
It is of the utmost importance that you know where you can use your fuel card in advance. If the card limits purchases to specific locations, will your drivers be able to access those areas easily? Fleets may also have different types of vehicles running on various fuel sources, such as electricity or diesel. Naturally, the fuel card of your choice has to account for this.
Fleet managers and drivers must stay informed with mobile alerts. They should also have online access to their spending accounts. They must receive alerts about over-tank purchases and other exceptions, such as the location of the nearest fueling station, a view of their spending history, and more.
Business owners can monitor for potential fraud by setting up alerts. For instance, they will know as soon as a driver attempts to exceed their fueling limit. The system will also catch irregularities in the odometer readings entered. Fuel cards can be set up in such a way that the drivers will not be able to avoid entering their unique ID numbers while purchasing fuel. This strategy prevents unauthorized individuals from using the card.
Driver support ensures that a driver spends more time on the road and less time troubleshooting the problems arising with their fuel cards. Every driver should have the contact data handy if it has a driver support line. If a driver visits a pump and forgets their ID card or their card gets declined, they can get the support they need to complete the purchase.
Many fuel cards fabricated for fleet businesses can capture fuel data, such as the price per gallon, driver ID, odometer readings, and fueling location for every purchase. These things allow fleet managers to analyze fuel spending and identify improvement opportunities.
The presence of fuel financial data in one digital dashboard minimizes the time spent on accounting administration by reducing or eliminating the need for hard-copy fuel receipts. Reading odometer entries at the pump can help you maintain an accurate log of how much fuel the vehicles use. Financial tracking also simplifies expense monitoring, viewing trends, and generating reports.
Fuel cards are valuable tools, particularly for fleet business owners. It helps to stay organized, track spending, and improve driver efficiency. Various fuel cards are available these days, and each offers an exclusive set of features. When you explore fuel card options, prioritize the requirements of your fleet and everything you are looking for in terms of fuel management.
Even connected car solutions can contribute to fuel management. Vyncs, for instance, can tell you how much fuel you have left in each vehicle of your fleet. Of course, you will enjoy this feature only if the automobile reports the relevant data through the OBDII port. This comes in handy for detecting fuel theft, for example. When the driver fills up the gas tank, Vyncs keeps a tab on that. Vyncs also tracks fuel cost - a feature available only to our fleet users. With it, you get personalized fuel-saving tips.
Vyncs even correlates fuel consumption with how drivers control the vehicles and report the aspects of their driving contributing towards increased fuel consumption. If used in tandem with fuel cards, businesses utilizing fleet vehicles can save significantly large sums of money.
smarketingDecember 20, 2022
Opinions about Artificial Intelligence (AI) and how it will change the world differ from one person to another. Proponents have great expectations from it, and they sing praises in the name of its capabilities. AI usually deals with the problem of simulating cognitive intelligence in computing systems and its applications. While it existed as an esoteric research field from the days of Alan Turing, it gained considerable attention in the recent past because of some of the impressive applications that resulted from the massive amount of data we have started collecting and analyzing using advanced machine learning algorithms.
The disrupting power of Artificial Intelligence has been felt by numerous industries and businesses. Fleet management is no different, of course. The ever-growing need to prioritize driver safety without compromising cost-efficiency has fuelled the adoption of smart fleet management systems and devices, such as a GPS fleet tracker.
The average fleet driver relies heavily on telematics solutions and smartphones Previously, fleet managers and drivers had to deal with the hassle of determining routes on paper maps and listening to radio broadcasts to gauge traffic conditions. Today, scalable routing algorithms work autonomously in conjunction with predictive vehicle performance models and massive amount of traffic data analytics to present you with the optimal route in real-time. Moreover, OBD-II trackers and traffic applications are combining AI algorithms and GPS technology for personalizing the user experience and making the journey easier.
Fleets have much to gain from powerful systems bolstered by Artificial Intelligence that can take care of everything from recommending routes to analyzing on-road risk management data and even training drivers to do their jobs safely. Where earlier technologies failed, AI succeeded in delivering accuracy, convenience, efficiency, and ease of operation, since it simplifies our lives.
Artificial Intelligence fleet management involves leveraging AI-based technology to oversee fleet operations. In a world that is changing constantly, AI streamlines the work of fleet managers by eliminating human error from all processes.
Recommendations from AI-powered solutions ensure fleet drivers, managers, and mechanics make better decisions that improve long-term fleet performance. It works as assistive tech to ensure drivers retain autonomy during each transport cycle. Here are some of the aspects of fleet management AI can optimize.
Data collection is a mission-critical element in every operational process. After all, without conducting data analysis, it will not be possible for fleet managers to make informed decisions. Fleet managers can prioritize opportunities and risks when they have access to historical insights or data points to analyze in real time. Then, they can determine the best course of action to solve potentially problematic situations.
AI systems can accumulate data for predictive analytics, including information on traffic and road conditions, real-time weather, environmental hazards, and mechanical faults. You can use this data to predict incoming risks and make better routes, schedules, maintenance deliveries, and dispatch arrangements to improve your business activities and outcomes.
Expecting vehicles to operate entirely without human intervention may still seem somewhat futuristic. However, the feature of vehicular autonomy has been around longer than you probably know. Various household names among automobile brands have joined the race to build autonomous vehicles for a radically changing world of consumers. The history of autonomous vehicles is colorful and deserves attention. You can learn about it here.
Now, back to the matter at hand. AI can predict potential faults before they even happen. For instance, a regular vehicle with a diagnostics system will signal an issue affecting the engine only after it occurs. However, AI-powered IoT systems, data analytics, and predictive maintenance can detect faults before they even happen. Based on a study by evidence to prove that the need for automotive and diesel technicians will increase by up to 5% by 2028. Furthermore, the American Trucking Association predicts that there will be a severe shortage of drivers by 2026 - 175,000 to be exact.
Once the older generation of technicians and drivers retire, there will be a need for younger, tech-savvy replacements. Then again, it will create a problem with onboarding and training. Artificial Intelligence can eliminate the complexities by capturing the specialized skills of these workers before they leave.
This feature is particularly great for technicians who incorporate exclusive strategies to carry out their tasks. Artificial Intelligence can also suggest the most qualified drivers suitable for fulfilling the company's bottom line from a pool of hundreds and thousands of applicants, reducing recruiter strain.
Devices or software programs empowered by AI are “sophisticated" in every sense of the word, as they are made of multiple applications and devices, such as predictive data analysis & machine learning systems, IoT, sensors & HD cameras, communication & display systems, and WiFi.
You have to know about the purpose served by every component before understanding how all of them come together to make fleet management a breeze.
1.IoT: The Internet of Things is now a household topic of discussion that refers to a network of sensors and actuators. They collect data from the environment continuously. In the field of fleet management, IoT captures adequate data for analysis. Simultaneously, it promotes seamless information sharing between all stakeholders in the supply chain, including manufacturers and retailers.
2.Machine learning: ML allows fleets to learn from data collected over time and make managed adjustments based on the same. It results in the creation of smart systems in which Artificial Intelligence can learn the ability to make decisions that further enable more effective handling of practical situations.
3.HD cameras: Cameras allow fleet managers to capture and analyze video data they can access at any time to get a better view of driver behavior, hazards, or road conditions. An AI-powered system can perform the tasks mentioned below when connected to these components.
Everything mentioned above is significant because they create a future for fleet management where human error becomes non-existent in various aspects of the transport cycle. Once implemented, you may get better results and cost savings.
Right now, the automotive industry faces several problems affecting profitability and fleet activities. Artificial Intelligence and telematics devices like a GPS fleet tracker can solve these issues and build a better future for businesses leveraging vehicle fleets if properly applied.
Some of these problems include,
Prioritizing risks and generating efficiency
Other than risky behaviors, such as drowsy and distracted driving, fleet managers suggest drivers watch out for a few signs. Here are some of them,
Normally, managers depend on their drivers to avoid these signs as they have no way of knowing whether a driver has been texting while driving or dozing off at the wheel. However, you can train AI systems to detect missed exits, head turns, blinking frequencies, yawning, and other signs of risky behavior. Then, you can broadcast these signals to fleet managers in real-time to let them take corrective measures.
Changes in road conditions present challenges for managers because they are difficult to detect without the right tools. These conditions pose risks, evident from the number of deaths they cause every year - 42,000! Predictive technology powered by Artificial Intelligence can reduce the risks associated with this issue by studying and charting routes. Simultaneously, it will draw from data gathered by other vehicles. AI can even be trained to make smart predictions about the weather and detect environmental changes, such as fog before a driver reaches that area.
The future of businesses utilizing fleet vehicles looks more promising than ever because of the exciting applications of Artificial Intelligence in fleet management. Operational costs, unpredictable road conditions, and driver retention problems would become obsolete once fleets move to AI-powered devices and software. Stakeholders can benefit from the reliability and efficiency of this technology due to the reduction in accidents, costs, driver turnover, and other problems that may reflect on fleet service pricing. It can also ensure that other commuters on the road remain safe.
Vyncs is here to rethink and reshape mobility. Whether it is about location tracking, driver safety monitoring, or vehicle health reports, our connected car solutions use powerful onboard and in-cloud distributed data management and analytics platforms to access vehicle sensor data and provide valuable intelligence. We wish to roll out AI sooner rather than later, and when we do, we shall change the experience of fleet management for our customers beyond their comprehension.
smarketingDecember 13, 2022
Global car sales have dropped significantly since 2019 due to economic uncertainties and the supply chain crisis. However, one sector is growing consistently - electric vehicles (EVs). One study conducted by Meticulous Research claims that the EV market will continue to grow at a CAGR of 33.6%, citing a noteworthy shift to electronic automobiles in both Light Commercial Vehicles and Heavy Commercial Vehicles. Fleet electrification, augmented by a GPS fleet tracker, has a crucial role in driving the market of electric vehicles.
According to McKinsey, this growth in fleet electrification is the result of incentives, such as restrictive carbon emission regulations, subsidies from the government to reduce the EV purchase price, more investments in charging infrastructure, etc. Apart from these, other projects will make EVs occupy 10% to 15% of all fleet vehicles running on the roads of the USA by 2030.
Then again, the same obstacles impeding EV consumer adoption prevent fleet operators from ensuring reliability and operating optimally. In many cases, fleets have to work under efficiency and time-related constraints.
One of the most significant barriers preventing EV adoption is the distance they can cover after one recharge cycle. “Range anxiety" is the term used by experts to describe the problem. It is concerning for fleet operators as their vehicles remain on the road constantly, moving from one place to another to deliver goods and services. Fleet vehicles rack up higher daily mileage than the average consumer car. An unscheduled stop will inevitably lead to expensive delays, as it takes almost 20 to 30 minutes to charge a vehicle. Such situations are unacceptable to fleet managers.
Fortunately, a connected vehicle solution can provide relevant data to fleet operators that they can use to plan the daily routes of their vehicles while considering static factors, such as the distance and order of stops, and dynamic aspects, such as road hazards, traffic conditions, and inclement weather. When it comes to EVs, connected vehicle systems can use EV intelligence to gather info from historical data and predict battery “dead zones" dynamically along the route. Once this data is available, an intelligent routing algorithm can offer battery-charging recommendations considering factors, such as availability & charge point types along the route and wait times when the vehicle should be close to the recommended charge point, etc. It optimizes the cost and time per charge, apart from the routes. These factors also have mission-critical roles in choosing the appropriate charging partners or deciding to launch a self-owned-and-operated charge point network. Fleet managers should be able to alert drivers and alter the route to a new optimum to handle unexpected delays that deplete the battery quickly.
Another matter of concern is the availability of charging points. One report from Exro states that the public charging infrastructure is the most profound challenge blocking consumers from adopting EVs, primarily emphasizing on charging point accessibility.
Things are much more problematic for fleets because they have to complete deliveries reliably and punctually. Therefore, fleet managers should consider supplementing their onsite charging infrastructure with extra charging options. They have several ways to do so, including depot roaming via partner sites, setting up dedicated sites along the road network, and entering into dedicated agreements with the charging point operators.
The issue of charging is complicated, and it has questions that need answering for every deal or site, around-site design, the perfect mix of charging equipment, which charging provider to work with, power grid sufficiency, etc.
EV intelligence and EV data can answer most of these questions. The former, with a destination/origin matrix of the fleet’s routes, can pinpoint relevant low-battery zones and correlate them with the grid. It can also point to optimal locations to set up charging sites. The latter, on the other hand, informs fleet operators about how they utilize fleet vehicles, the distance covered, routes, and charging characteristics. When put together, these data points can help fleets create a strategy to roll out electric vehicles while maximizing ROI.
If business owners electrify the vehicles used by employees, they have to answer the question of charging reimbursements. Conventionally, ICEs utilized fuel cards. As a result, the company had the bills handed to it. Charging EVs comes with an entirely new set of challenges. Charge cards will be partially effective, but even then, they limit the driver to specific charging providers, and this situation contributes to range anxiety.
There is also the matter of calculating the cost of charging the vehicle at an employee’s house. This point requires as much consideration as everything else. By utilizing EV data, companies can determine how much they must compensate an employee for at-home charging. Fuel cards are losing relevance with every passing day, especially with a GPS fleet tracker empowered by connected car technology that makes charge reimbursement transparent to employees.
More and more people are embracing electric vehicles - a move spearheaded by fleet electrification. Fleets can start enjoying cost benefits immediately after replacing ICEs with EVs in the form of government incentives, such as tax rebates and subsidies on the purchase price. After buying the vehicles, fleets can keep reaping operational cost advantages by using EV data to optimize routing, assess suitability, manage EV charge reimbursements, plan battery-charging infrastructure, and more.
Now, what role does a telematics brand like Vyncs have to play here? Creating a sustainable fleet strategy is not going to be child’s play, especially if the business owner has mandates to handle. However, it is achievable with an appropriate plan in place. If you can pull it off, the results will be highly rewarding.
It is precisely where we can help you. We are committed not only to help our fleet customers run their businesses, but also encourage and aid them in the sustainability journey by unearthing insights from real-world data to reduce carbon emissions and expenses without affecting operational efficiency.
Vyncs is a full-service connected car solution that aims to join the EV revolution. We utilize 4G wireless networks to transmit your vehicle’s data to your account, accessible through your computer or Android/iOS smartphone.
smarketingDecember 05, 2022
When winter approaches with all its coldness and bleakness, it becomes important for fleet operators to take appropriate protective measures for their operations. It will be some time for the days to get warmer, even after the holiday season ends depending on where you are. To stay safe on the roads this winter, consider using a telematics solution powered by a fleet vehicle tracker and check out the guidelines explained below.
You should start by inspecting your equipment. Make sure you have what you need before starting the journey. Prepare for every possible situation by creating a kit containing the following items.
You may have to alter your regular inspection schedules during the winter in order to make sure that your fleet vehicles are in top shape. Prioritize the following areas of your vehicles.
Conducting paper-based walk-around inspections will be much more difficult in the cold. Instead, use connected vehicle solutions with mobile applications. They eliminate the risks of getting the paperwork wet. You will not have to worry about illegible handwriting or administrative support to input the data into a database.
Sharp, sudden movements may cause you to lose control. Similarly, rough braking or hard acceleration will reduce tire traction. Vyncs can help you control many aspects of driving, including acceleration and deceleration. Keep the vehicle steady by maintaining a consistent speed. Remember to hit the brakes slowly. Keep a safe distance between you and the automobile in front so that you have enough braking distance in icy conditions. Researchers have evidence that over 17% of all vehicle accidents happen during the winter. Naturally, drivers must do the following.
Safe winter driving does not start only with a fleet vehicle tracker but also with a set of winter tires. Visit NHTSA if you wish to review safety ratings first. Road conditions tend to change within moments during the winter months, and having these tires is the first step to being safe and prepared. Make sure that you replace existing winter tires once the tread depth reaches 4/32". Brand new tires have a tread depth of 12/32". Practicing proper tire etiquette is also crucial. Using winter tires during the warmer months will wear them down rapidly.
Tire chains have been around for some time as they are an old and proven method for improving traction on icy roads. These chains have a simple working principle - the roughness factor increases friction dramatically and delivers traction to the vehicle. Just remember that every state in the USA has different tire chain laws in place. Specific highways may even utilize more precise norms, but such instances are few and far between. These laws prevent drivers from damaging the road because the chain can dig into the surface once the protective layer of ice and snow is gone. This situation ruins the tires too.
Batteries have to work harder than usual in the winter to get the engine running. Low temperatures increase engine oil viscosity, which reduces movement speed. As a result, the amount of power needed by the battery to jump-start important processes increases. If you don’t pay attention to it, you may end up with a vehicle that does not start. Cold temperatures also affect the chemical reaction taking place inside the battery when you turn on the ignition. Fortunately, there are ways to counter this problem.
Checking the cooling systems of fleet vehicles when it is snowing outside may seem strange. However, these systems keep the engines operating optimally within the appropriate temperature range throughout the year. If you choose the wrong coolant, it may freeze and cause maintenance issues. Therefore, pick a temperature-appropriate product.
Well, there you have it - an inclusive list of winter driving safety tips for fleet vehicles and drivers. If you follow these guidelines, you can continue your business unhindered in the winter without worrying about mishaps.
Connected car technologies can also come to the rescue of fleet drivers and vehicles when winter commuting becomes almost impossible. For instance, telematics devices can tell you where your drivers and vehicles are during a severe winter storm. If they get caught up, you can relay the information to customers waiting for their deliveries.
Connected vehicle devices collect valuable data about driver behavior, including speeding, aggressive braking, sharp cornering, etc. This information can tell you which drivers follow safety protocols and help you intervene and prevent risky behavior before anything untoward happens.
Vyncs is the market-leading connected vehicle solution available at no monthly fee, no contract, a thirty-day money-back guarantee, and free-of-charge services for a year! Whether you need real-time GPS location & tracking, driver safety, vehicle health inspection, fuel management, heavy-duty vehicle support, fleet management support, or tax benefits, we can deliver.
smarketingNovember 29, 2022
Fleet insurance happens to be one of the most effective options for insuring several vehicles under one policy. Business owners can insure multiple vehicles efficiently and in a tailored way with fleet insurance. Simultaneously, they can eliminate the dependence on individual policies. This particular policy variant is convenient for organizations operating a fleet as it,
Researchers from the NIOHS say that on-the-job collisions forced employers to spend $39 billion in the USA in 2019. To avoid such situations, having an all-inclusive fleet insurance policy, along with a fleet vehicle GPS tracker, is mandatory.
According to Global Fleet, almost 8.1 million cars and trucks in the USA belong to the “fleet vehicle" category, with fleets occupying more than five automobiles. It amounts to around 3% of the total number of vehicles plying on the highways and byways of the nation. The presence of so many fleet vehicles and other types of automobiles on the road increases the possibility of collisions. Every driver should be covered under an insurance policy to ensure behind-the-wheel safety.
Below you will find the descriptions of the two primary components of commercial vehicle insurance coverage.
This insurance covers physical injuries and property damage to third parties involved in an accident. Therefore, if one of your drivers causes the collision, automobile liability will cover the medical bills of the other party and property reconstruction or provide full or partial replacement.
It refers to damage done to the vehicle you own after a collision or other mishap. Usually, there is a choice between a basic package and something more inclusive that covers other damages.
Determining the exact price of fleet insurance is challenging as there is no flat rate. However, a few factors can affect expenses. You will find a breakdown of those aspects below.
There are a few industries very popular for exhibiting risky driving habits, such as taxi service providers, couriers, and personal drivers. They belong in this category because they have to adhere to strict time factors. These organizations get higher insurance premiums as the punctuality of their drivers dictates their performance.
The vehicle you drive determines how much you must pay for insurance, just like conventional vehicle insurance. A few attributes affecting insurance costs include annual mileage, vehicle age, and the location the driver will take it to and park after use.
Generally, insurance costs go down if the number of vehicles in the fleet goes up. This adds to the difficulties of small businesses with small fleets to reduce insurance premium costs effectively.
Whenever you get in touch with a new insurance provider, you will have to show your fleet insurance history. You also have to disclose any collisions that have occurred in the past or claims you may have submitted. The insurance cost may surge if these instances are significant.
MVR is the abbreviated term for Motor Vehicle Records. Many fleet companies have to ensure their drivers update their MVR every few years. This record contains events, including collisions, moving violations, suspensions, criminal charges, etc. Insurance premiums may increase if the drivers have a history of rash on-road behaviors.
Fleet companies operating in cities with many drivers may have to pay more insurance costs. Operating in rural areas, on the other hand, is not as risky as there are not many drivers on the road.
It is assumable that a higher deductible will ensure the cost of insurance premiums remain low.
UBI or Usage-Based Insurance, also called pay-as-you-drive or telematics insurance, is calculated depending on the habits of the drivers. When you use a plug-and-play device, such as an ELD, OBD tracker, mobile app, or OEM, data is accumulated to determine the driving tendencies of the fleet. It includes data about rapid acceleration, rash driving, distracted driving, unsafe braking, and sharp turns. Insurance providers will go through this information and use it to ascertain the price of a policy that accounts for the fleet's operational safety. You will get the benefit of more savings if your drivers perform optimally behind the wheel.
Even with various factors contributing to higher insurance rates, you can keep your expenses down and ensure that you don’t spend a penny more than necessary on fleet insurance. Here are a few effective ways to lower fleet insurance costs.
Consider using driver scoring systems to identify where drivers can improve. This strategy also helps you determine which drivers require advanced training. The presence of certificates and other similar documents achieved after completing training courses will help bolster the fleet manager’s commitment to safety and effective driving from the viewpoint of an insurance company.
The presence of connected car systems can help you accumulate data from fleet vehicles, which, in turn, will allow you to save money on insurance. Telematics devices and associated software programs gather info about driver safety that you can supply to the insurance provider. In doing so, you can prove that you operate your fleet safely and cut down expenses. This insurance calculation method is suitable for usage-based insurance.
Insurer selection tends to be time-consuming, but it is highly personal. The experience is also customizable. So, it differs from one business to another.
Here is a list of how you can secure the perfect fleet insurance plan for your organization.
There is more to selecting a fleet insurance policy. After picking the one that you believe will be suitable for your business, you must pay attention to a few other aspects for as long as the policy lasts.
The insurance agent you work with should be able to create a plan that suits your needs in every way. Payment plans primarily depend on how much flexibility you require and the type of insurance you select. The policy length may also play a dictatorial role, but in most instances, the contract lasts one year. Payments take place through automatic bank withdrawals, money orders, cheques, or credit cards. Here are the three most common payment plans in the insurance industry.
This one is often the simplest choice when the insurance policy is transparent and does not allow any changes throughout the term. Paying upfront further ensures there will be no monthly service charge. As a result, you get to save some money every month.
Paying three times a year makes things more flexible. This option is suitable for you if you don’t want to deal with the stress or fees of monthly payments and don’t want to pay a one-year upfront fee, either.
Normally, insurance providers charge a service fee or interest when their clients opt for monthly fleet insurance payments. Then again, monthly payments are suitable for businesses in need of flexibility or can’t invest in year-long policies at the beginning. If you have to cancel the policy, you will not have to wait to get the prorated amount for the rest of the contract refunded. The insurance provider will just cancel the remainder of the monthly payments.
When going through the particulars of the policy with the insurer, you will notice that it includes contract length info and when you must renew. Most policies renew annually, but you can change it to monthly or semi-annually if you think you will benefit from the extra flexibility.
You may require additional coverage you did not have in your policy originally as you continue your work throughout the year. There are several additives you can include in your policy. Nonetheless, here are a few fundamentals.
If a vehicle in your fleet is in a crash with another and your driver causes it, collision coverage will pay for your repairs or replacement. In most commercial auto policies, you have to shell out money to cover the damages if it causes a collision.
This additive protects the vehicle from damage resulting from natural disasters, such as an earthquake, a tornado, severe snowstorms, or hailstorms. It even provides coverage from theft and vandalism. Comprehensive coverage is an addition that deserves your attention, especially if you operate out of a geographic zone with intense weather conditions or a high crime rate.
As you can guess, all perils coverage is for all potential scenarios. It is akin to a combination of collision coverage and comprehensive coverage.
This additive should be your choice if you need coverage for something specific. For instance, if you need coverage for only the engine, it will fall under specified perils coverage.
Vyncs is more than just a provider of a fleet vehicle GPS tracker. From location tracking to driver safety monitoring, we can give you insights on just about everything. Vyncs leverages powerful onboard and in-cloud distributed data management and analytics platforms to access vehicle sensor data and provide valuable intelligence.
As a leading connected car solution provider, we have experience analyzing vehicle sensor data and blending the same with contextual data to enhance the mobility experience.
However, that does not mean we can’t help you with savings. The fuel-related information that we provide, for instance, will help you reduce consumption and save money and fuel while preserving the environment. We can also help you utilize telematics data to cut down insurance costs and promote safe driving.
smarketingNovember 23, 2022
Human beings, especially teenagers, don’t like to be monitored. However, when parents do that responsibly and engage the kids through discussions about driver safety, they often respond positively. After all, when monitoring is not perceived as an infringement of privacy but rather a reflection of love and care, we usually enjoy and welcome that.
However, monitoring kids every time they drive is not easy. Parents have busy schedules. They do not always have the time to accompany their kids when they drive. The Vyncs GPS tracking device will come in handy during times like these. When you cannot ride along, it is definitely the next best thing to have because it remains connected not only to the car but also, optionally, to mobile devices. One could also make a case for having Vyncs onboard even when you are riding along with your teenage driver since it helps store and analyze driving data with little effort.
For instance, you can use it to create a “curfew time" window during which you will not entertain your teenage children’s demands or requests to drive for their safety. You will get a “curfew hour notification" on your phone, tablet, or PC if they attempt to turn on the engine during this time. They will have access to the keys and the privileges you provide them with before this curfew period.
In short, you can monitor your teenage kids and learn everything about their driving behavior.
About thirteen years ago, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) studied the driving capabilities of eighty-four drivers in Washington D.C. aged between sixteen and seventeen using monitoring gadgets.
After running the analysis for twenty-four weeks, the researchers determined that the automobiles outfitted with these devices rolled down the streets differently. The drivers made fewer risky moves compared to the vehicles without the monitoring devices.
Another study in 2015 took place at the HumanFIRST Laboratory of the University of Minnesota. As expected, the conclusion was the same. Three hundred teens participated in this field test that lasted twelve months and studied the effects of real-time driving monitoring.
The conductors of the analysis even informed the parents before their kids stepped out of line for any reason. Like the previous test, teenagers who realized they were under the lens of their parents did not overspeed.
Unsupervised drivers drove faster than the acceptable limit between ten and fifteen percent of the driving period, whereas only one percent of the monitored drivers crossed the velocity threshold.
Now, it is time to delve into the benefits of using an OBD2 GPS tracker.
Onboard diagnostics devices gather data every second, analyze it, and transfer it to your cloud account via a wireless network. As you can probably guess, you will be able to keep your eyes digitally fixed on your teenage kid if you wanted to. You don't have to be physically present inside the automobile to do it.
Our device lets users create “Geofences" from their accounts. In a way, they can mark the area they want their teenage kids to stay within. If they exit this zone, you will know instantly. As opposed to other products, we can provide you with a much more powerful “Geofencing" system that lets you create polygonal shapes instead of just circular ones.
Polygonal “Geofences" allows the user to map out a location of interest instead of relying on a generalized area’s beacon to run everything. The polygonal “Geofence" variant ensures that you can acquire data only from a place that interests you. It is also more customizable than the centroid type.
What if you had a way to know when the driver accelerates rapidly and crosses the predetermined limit? It is a common occurrence among teenagers, followed by harsh braking. Speed is thrilling to them, and rough braking becomes their only recourse for avoiding mishaps. Both are detrimental to the car and unsafe.
With our device connected to the automobile, you will receive notifications of these instances in a matter of seconds. Our speeding histogram displays the amount of time the driver spends in a specific speed above the threshold for extended periods.
Once connected to the car, our device will accumulate code-based data associated with any problems accessible only via the OBDII port. You will be the first to know everything that happens to the automobile by using it. Armed with this information, you can take the right action at the appropriate moment.
Whether the driver of the vehicle is aware of the issue or not, you’ll be timely informed.
Whether you need the tracking device for yourself or your teenage kid, you will inevitably have to handle the product selection. You will want to make an informed decision here - something the following pointers can help you with.
Tracking devices built for the OBDII port, such as the one we offer, are easy to install. Most people don’t need professional support but feel free to do so if you believe you require it. Ease of installation is, undoubtedly, the first point of consideration.
The next thing you need to look into is whether the device will work with the car you own or not. While OBD and other similar connected car devices are compatible with various vehicles, there are never any guarantees regarding suitability.
Therefore, remember to check with the brand and manufacturer.
OBD systems, like car alarms, can drain a significant amount of battery. It is probably a concern to you as much as it is to many others. After installation, the battery can be under constant strain, no matter how insignificant. Eventually, it will wear out the power source.
Instead of choosing a product arbitrarily, you should go for one that has a “power conservation mode" or “sleep mode." The device will enter the power-saving phase as soon as the driver shuts off the engine, which will reduce the pressure exerted on the car battery. Usually, during this phase, the best trackers drain not more than 5mA.
When it comes to vehicle monitoring and security, every device will exhibit different abilities. Naturally, you must determine the types of information the device will monitor before you decide anything.
These machines, including the one we have created, can gauge driver behavior, overall vehicle health, speed, and several others as soon as you connect them to the OBDII port.
Teenagers display eagerness and urgency to earn their parents’ trust and confidence. After all, it is the only way they can secure more driving privileges than they already enjoy. They will go to any lengths to avoid losing the car keys for a while.
You can enforce the predetermined driving norms and reinforce the importance of developing appropriate driving habits by using Vyncs. This strategy is profoundly more effective than punishing the kid.
smarketingSeptember 26, 2022
Let’s face it! While Mother Nature is incredibly generous in the way it provides, it can be unforgiving at times. This is especially true for fleets that are not well equipped with the data-oriented approach to inspection and replacement to reduce downtime. This is where using a GPS tracking device for effective fleet management becomes all the more necessary.
As the “cooling off" month (fall) starts rolling in, fleets that don’t take seasonal maintenance seriously can encounter a unique set of challenges. That’s why, it’s critical for fleet managers to ensure that no dead battery, for example, or faulty equipment has the potential to cause delays in effective operation.
With summer but a fading memory, and fall around the corner, it’s time to prepare vehicles for the upcoming winter months. Now that summer is gone, it's easy to overlook how heat took a toll on a vehicle’s performance. Engine overheating, issues in the sensors, & air conditioning system happen as a result of extreme humidity and heat in the environment.
Roads play a vital role in ensuring the smooth operation of your fleet. Fall and winter tend to bring unique road challenges for fleet drivers, which can be overcome with an effective fall vehicle maintenance checklist.
It’s no secret that winter breezes can create an outright roadway challenge in the form of ice, and snow. As cooler temperatures start to settle in, rain showers and storms are about to come our way. Due to a notable change in the weather, it becomes quite difficult to drive during winter. Not only do the dropping temperatures affect your vehicle’s health, but significant changes in road conditions also follow.
Extreme weather elements like snow and storms could result in flat tires, dying batteries (due to freezing temperatures during winter), and faulty heating systems.
Now the question is, “How do you ensure your fleet vehicles are prepared for driving in the upcoming season?" It’s as simple as servicing the essential parts of your vehicles ahead of time. Fleet vehicles that are not inspected and serviced on and ahead of time can lead to increased downtime and decreased fuel economy.
We have all heard myths about how we should maintain vehicles. Often, we don’t know for a fact if they are true or not. So, let’s debunk a few of those to start with.
Myth: There are lubricants and other additives in modern engine oil that help extend the oil’s lifetime. For vehicles that are 15-year-old or newer, it’s recommended to change oil at intervals of 5,000 to 7,500 miles.
Fact: Soot and other impurities are derived from the combustion process, which in turn, get absorbed by the engine oil, compromising the quality of the oil. The US Department of Energy suggests checking with the vehicle’s maintenance manual to determine the proper oil change frequency.
Fact: Brakes are the most essential safety tools on vehicles. Ensuring they’re in good working condition should be a priority for fleet managers. The recommended intervals for changing brake fluid are two- or three-year. However, it depends on the vehicle’s make and model, so it’s best to follow the car’s maintenance schedule.
Myth: Tires should be replaced once the tread depth reaches 4/32" during winter months, and 2-32" during summertime.
Fact: While most manufacturers, these days, and certain regulations in most states suggest that drivers should wait until tread depth reaches the above-mentioned levels, it causes a potential safety hazard for the driver and the occupants inside.
Nothing is more effective than inspecting your vehicle’s battery before it’s too late. That way, you know that the cables and terminals are well-protected from harsh weather elements. Batteries tend to wear down over time, so, it makes sense to be proactive about replacing or repairing them.
Did you know that your vehicle’s mileage can be increased by 0.6% by keeping tires inflated to the optimal pressure? Without proper maintenance (like correct inflation pressure), tires are more likely to fail, causing drivers to lose traction on the toad. Worn tires can be dangerous, especially when the roads are wet. So, experts recommend measuring your tire’s pressure at least once a month. Also, before inflating the tires, it’s good to check the recommended tire pressure.
Before the temperatures start dropping, checking the heating system of your vehicle can make a world of difference. After sitting idle for months, the heating system of your vehicle may not function up to par. Without checking its efficiency before fall and winter, you are more likely to get stranded on the road.
Headlights are vehicles’ first line of defense, especially at night and in adverse weather conditions. With time, exposure to the elements can cause them to become damaged. Dirt and debris can accumulate on the surface, causing the lenses to grow unclear, and lessen the intensity of light coming out. That’s why it’s important to regularly check the headlights and make sure the glasses are crystal clear.
Besides taking measures to keep your fleet’s costs under check, creating a safer experience for your fleet drivers is important too. With automation taking the world by storm, fleet managers are now in a better position to deal with complex vehicle maintenance tasks with greater accuracy.
In this era that we live in, the advent of digital fleet tracking is not only vital in managing a fleet of vehicles but it also helps create and stick to a regular vehicle maintenance schedule.
With GPS tracking technology, now fleets can keep tabs on the vehicles, streamline vehicle maintenance, optimize productivity, and more. from keeping records, setting up alerts regarding vehicle health & maintenance, tracking driver habits & giving them the necessary training, and creating schedules to tracking records in real-time, there’s virtually no limit as to how much you can gain.
Want to know how Vyncs can help? Do reach out to us for further information!
smarketingSeptember 01, 2022
Today’s demanding business environment needs fleet managers to deal with the supply chain from a unique and cost-effective standpoint. At its core, the fleet manager’s job is to boost productivity, while decreasing operational costs. Managing transport logistics is a huge responsibility, and your decisions will always have an impact on your business’s bottom line.
Fleet vehicles are the backbone of the economy of a nation, supporting a diverse array of day-to-day functions. Fleet vehicle maintenance plays a crucial role in a successful operation of a business. Data suggests that operating costs in fleets had increased since 2018 after remaining flat for five years, largely because of higher fuel prices and vehicle maintenance costs (Automotive Fleet). Therefore, coming up with an updated plan by leveraging telematics technology (e.g. a GPS tracker for cars) to reduce costs has become more necessary than ever.
Powerful forces in the market continue to shape the commercial and transport industry. The economic upheaval following the COVID-19 crisis made it even more difficult for fleet managers to keep pace with the change. However, a crisis can pave the way for a host of opportunities to approach things differently and drive change.
This is where, fleet management technologies can play a vital role in reducing maintenance costs, and helping fleet managers to reduce downtime. After all, your business is unlikely to benefit when your fleet vehicles are down and off-the-road.
By 2024, approximately 83% of all new on- and off-road vehicles will have telematics embedded (PTOLEMUS Consulting Group). Forward-looking fleet managers that are keen to extend vehicle life and improve operations across their fleets are already realizing and reaping the potential benefits of telematics.
Fleet vehicle telematics is an emerging trend in the connected car ecosystem that enables managers to diagnose faults before they become critical. A more proactive way to manage vehicle maintenance relies on the insights collected from vehicles. The automotive industry is undergoing a digital transformation, allowing fleet managers to minimize vehicle downtime with data-driven maintenance and insights.
Vehicle preventative maintenance with the help of fleet telematics devices can mean a world of difference. Most fleet managers, if not all, consider fleet telematics solutions a way to track vehicle location. However, the concept behind telematics technology goes much beyond monitoring vehicle locations. It provides fleet managers with more information and control over their vehicles. In fact, telematics devices do a phenomenal job by providing a massive amount of vehicle performance data, including but not limited to:
Knowing what is going on with your vehicles in real-time means you can reduce downtime and get them back on the road faster when they break down. Ignoring a “check engine" warning light induced by a faulty oxygen sensor can worsen the performance of the catalytic converter, which is usually 6 times more expensive (Official Magazine of the Automotive Service Association) and can result in poor fuel economy.
Real-time GPS tracking devices with the help of telematics can provide you with insights related to faults with your vehicle ahead of time. Thus, you will be able to carry out proactive maintenance and prevent further breakdowns even before they take place. It has been estimated that businesses can save between 12% and 18% through preventative maintenance over reactive maintenance (Webinar Care).
Using a telematics-based fleet maintenance plan can mean that you are better able to avoid the risks of sudden breakdowns. The lifespan of fleet vehicles depends on the maintenance and repairs being done on or ahead of time. Leveraging real-time GPS tracking technology to handle fleet maintenance enables you to schedule maintenance, create predictive & preventative maintenance programs, and encourage annual maintenance.
With rapid technology advancements, there are more opportunities to integrate telematics with vehicle maintenance can deliver greater efficiency, more accurate performance, and reduced costs, among others. Would you like to know how Vyncs can help you work out a plan to ensure better management? Contact us today to learn more.
smarketingAugust 29, 2022
At the beginning of the year, gasoline prices were at record highs, largely due to increased demand as the pandemic receded. However, after months of incessant high prices at the pump, there has been a sigh of relief in recent weeks.
The national average for a regular gallon of gasoline dropped to $3.95, according to data released on August 15, 2022, by the American Automobile Association.
While average gasoline prices have dropped below $4 per gallon in 9 states, it accounts for a significant monthly expense for many fleets and motorists in the USA. With global oil and gas prices being highly volatile, they are struggling to find ways to reduce costs and increase mileage.
In such a scenario, when fuel prices are extremely volatile, how to improve gas mileage and reduce costs? Since fuel is a major contributor to a fleet’s operational costs, it’s important for fleet managers to keep tabs on fuel consumption and take the right measures to make the most of it. Thus, they will be better able to keep operational costs down.
Since driving behavior plays an important role in reducing fuel consumption, it would make sense if you knew the key components of driving behavior in the first place. Learn about the factors influencing fuel use and costs.
Poor driving habits are not just detrimental to one’s safety, they can dig a hole in your pocket too. Even little changes in your driving and vehicle maintenance habits can help reduce costs. The introduction of vehicle tracking devices has made it easier for you to analyze the areas where changes are needed in terms of getting better mileage and reducing costs.
While fuel prices are volatile now, using GPS tracking technology is a sure-fire way to stretch your gas mileage and enjoy better fuel economy. Let’s delve into the tips provided by the American Automobile Association.
We cannot put enough stress on the importance of driving within the speed limit. On the highway, when speed increases over 50 mph, aerodynamic drag causes fuel economy and gas mileage to drop off (AAA). Maintaining a steady speed throughout can help you save money on fuel. Make sure your fleet drivers are trained to abide by speed limits and understand the need to maintain reasonable speed both for safety and savings.
To ensure this, you may consider using real-time GPS tracking technology to keep track of aggressive driving habits including speeding, harsh braking, acceleration, tailgating, and more.
The US Department of Energy recommends against unnecessary idling as it can be a significant source of fuel waste, leaving residues on the engine that eventually damages its components, causing higher maintenance costs in the long run.
Vehicle manufacturers think that idling is unnecessary in modern vehicles. This is why they encourage eco-driving to increase fuel economy and reduce carbon footprints on the planet.
A significant boost in gas mileage comes from reducing weight in a vehicle. A lot of us don’t realize how harmful it is to accumulate stuff in the trunk of a vehicle. Not only does it hamper the vehicle’s aesthetics but also its efficiency. According to the data released by the US Department of Energy, de-cluttering 100 pounds can help improve a vehicle’s fuel economy by 2%.
Maintaining proper tire pressure, using the grade of motor oil recommended by the car’s manufacturer, changing air filters at regular intervals, and ensuring the engine is tuned properly - are crucial factors that contribute to a greater miles-per-gallon.
The harder the engine works, the more gas it consumes. Harsh braking makes the engine work harder, sucking up more gasoline in the process. While hard braking is required occasionally if a vehicle ahead stops abruptly, drivers that frequently demonstrate harsh braking behavior are at a greater risk of rear-end collisions.
Apart from hard braking increasing the likelihood of a traffic accident, excessive occurrences of it can cause brakes to overheat. This causes significant damage to the metal components or glazing brake pads.
Harsh braking on the highway or city roads can reduce fuel economy by 33%. GPS vehicle tracking technology gives you a comprehensive view of the driving styles of your drivers. Thus, fleet managers are in a better position to decide if their drivers need training. These systems help you monitor speed, idle times, harsh braking, fuel consumption, and more.
Managing a fleet efficiently is not an easy feat. It takes a village to ensure smooth operation, curtail unnecessary fuel costs, and maintain safety across the fleet. Fortunately, GPS tracking technology provides businesses with an opportunity to increase their fleet fuel efficiency and reduce costs.
As the US gasoline price continues to remain volatile, fleet managers need to respond to such uncertainty by leveraging the power of telematics and actionable intelligence. That also means promoting fuel-efficient practices that help owners keep operational costs in control.
Ensuring better fuel economy lies at the heart of what Vyncs does for you. Contact us today, if you are interested in learning more about how Vyncs can help with reducing overall fuel expenditures by identifying the contributing factors and helping you take measures accordingly.
smarketingJuly 27, 2022
Approximately 1.6% of total fatalities in 2020 involve drowsy driving according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). While drowsy driving is responsible for a substantial percentage of road traffic accidents in the US, it had not received as much attention as driving under the influence or drunk driving until recently. As a result, highway safety professionals are taking a comprehensive strategic approach to put an end to deaths caused due to drowsy driving.
While it may sound not-so-serious, the ramifications of this risky behavior should not be overlooked. Drowsy driving is a practice demonstrated mostly by drivers when they feel fatigued and find it difficult to stay alert at the wheel.
Fatigue is a state where mental alertness is compromised, and it arises from lack of adequate sleep. It involves cognitive impairment that indicates the time right before sleep occurs. Fatigue leads drivers to have less awareness of road hazards, slowing down the reaction times, and increasing the likelihood of a crash.
Driving while feeling sleepy, drowsy, or tired is a disturbingly common safety concern on US roadways. The phenomenon can be as deadly as Driving Under the Influence (DUI), with even milder and shorter-term sleep deprivation that can lead to driving impairment. Recent studies suggest that getting less than 5 hours of sleep causes the same level of impairment as drunk driving.
Sleepiness (also known as drowsiness) is defined as the need to fall asleep, which is essentially the result of circadian rhythms, inherent in the human body. It consists of 24 hours biological patterns impacting a person’s fatigue level.
Research has confirmed the fact that neurobiologically based sleepiness leads to human error in various settings. Driving is no exception. When drivers are drowsy, sleepy, or fatigued, they tend to respond slower than usual and find it more difficult to concentrate on the surroundings. Fatigue is the result of prolonged wakefulness, variations in circadian rhythms, accumulated lack of sleep, sleep disorder, among others.
While sleepiness is an inevitable biological phenomenon, falling asleep at the wheel can have serious consequences. They might include but are not limited to impaired cognition & performance, fatal accidents & crashes, slower reaction times, erratic speed control, sloppy steering, and more.
An estimation of the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety suggests that around 328,000 drowsy driving crashes occur every year. Apart from causing crashes, drowsy driving can take a significant toll on the nation’s economy. According to NHTSA, drowsy driving-related crashes that result in death or injury tend to cost $109 billion annually.
Young drivers, especially males are more likely to fall asleep while driving due to their lifestyle or behavioral choices. This may include staying up late, working long hours, or consuming alcohol.
Those with untreated sleep disorders do not get enough sleep at night, which causes them to stay tired during the day.
Drivers that do not get adequate sleep at night and drive in the early morning hours are more likely to be at greater risk than drivers who slept well the night before.
Drivers working in the night or rotational shifts have a hard time sleeping.
Business travelers that cross many time zones during a flight suffer from a lack of sleep. They tend to stay less alert while driving, increasing the chance of a major crash.
A study conducted by the Gyeonggi Research Institute (GRI) found that individual conditions such as sleep time are not the sole contributors to falling asleep at the wheel. Working hours seem to have a profound impact on drowsy driving. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine suggests being aware of the following warning signs to reduce potential risks:
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), approximately 83.6 million people get less than 7 hours of sleep every day. This leads to a shocking number of deaths (approximately 5,000) in drowsy driving-related crashes every year.
The modern values and views have caused our society to be a victim of a deadly problem: drowsy driving. Unfortunately, it is the most overlooked phenomenon, with more and more drivers driving without realizing the influence of sleep deprivation. Due to a combination of factors including but not limited to a lack of education and awareness, people are either unaware or downplay its impact on one’s ability to drive.
The most effective step in changing drowsy driving behavior is making sure drivers understand the risks, and countermeasures so they can make an informed decision about their behavior. Fatigue management programs, if implemented successfully by workplace managers can drive success in the long run.
Today’s vehicles are designed to rely on significant computer processing capacity and digital sensors. The computer systems not only assist with the comfort and entertainment of the occupants but are also increasingly used to enable vehicles to carry out certain driving tasks without human intervention.
As technology advances with time, new vehicle functions are constantly developed by manufacturers that can collect a substantial amount of real-time data, and perform complex algorithms. An increasing number of driver-state monitoring systems are gaining momentum. These systems are successful in detecting impaired attention while driving (including drowsiness).
Reducing the odds of a crash requires a powerful combination of intelligence, automation, and connected data. That’s where Vyncs comes into the picture. After analyzing vehicle sensor data, Vyncs, a real-time GPS tracking device can provide actionable intelligence, which can further help drivers to be safer and more efficient on the roads.
For example, the Vyncs device has a 3-axes accelerometer, which can detect acceleration and decelerations along 3 axes. This allows one to detect unusual driving behavior. The Vyncs system also scores the drivers based on their quality of driving. That helps a parent or a fleet manager to identify emerging problems in driving behavior before those become the reason behind an accident.
By letting you monitor your drivers’ driving behavior, Vyncs empowers you to take action to prevent driving without falling asleep behind the wheel. Also, by reviewing driver safety reports generated by Vyncs, you can keep tabs on changes (if any) in their driving performance - and be proactive about it.
So, take your first step towards eliminating the risks of drowsy driving with Vyncs!
smarketingJuly 21, 2022
Preparing for taking trips this summer? Make sure your car is secure at all times. The average number of auto thefts a day was 2,207 during the summer of 2019 (NICB). After years of decline, auto thefts appear to be surging in metropolitan areas all over the country. In fact, summer-time is the peak of vehicle theft in any given year. While the reason behind this is unclear, it might be due to the greater number of vacations and road trips being taken place mostly in the summer.
An unfortunate byproduct of Covid-19 was a surge in vehicle thefts since many vehicles were left parked as a result of shutdowns to help curtail the spread of the virus. During that time, people were forced to leave their vehicles unattended for longer than usual, enabling burglars to pick their targets easily. With 29,162 thefts reported in 2020 alone in Colorado, vehicle thefts rose to its peak due to the pandemic.
The make and models of vehicles frequently stolen by thieves vary by a plethora of factors including ease of theft, region, the presence of security systems, scrap metal & spare parts prices, among other. As key-less entry technology has taken its roots across the globe, criminals have been indulging in purchasing equipment online that can reprogram keys without a hassle. They are increasingly taking advantage of car owners that leave key fobs in their cars.
Statistics show that such thefts (also known as freebie thefts) occur every six and a half minutes in the US. The number has grown by 22% since 2014 (National Insurance Crime Bureau). According to NICB, the following vehicles are the most frequently stolen vehicles in the USA:
Vehicle theft has spiked with the increased adoption of key-less start technology. This made it easier for thieves to steal vehicles when people leave their key fobs inside, whether intentionally or unintentionally. The NICB notes that more and more people are leaving key fobs in their vehicles, allowing thieves to easily enter the vehicle and drive it off.
The pandemic resulted in an increase in unemployment, leaving many Americans with more time to sit idle. It has been estimated that jobless young people are more prone to committing this multi-billion-dollar crime. The pandemic also led thieves to steal catalytic converters at an alarming rate due to a surge in the price of rare metals such as platinum, rhodium, and palladium. In 2018, 108 average monthly catalytic converter thefts, and 1,203 average monthly thefts were reported in 2020 (NICB).
Auto theft is on the rise in the USA. Having said that preventing your car from getting stolen is a must. Experts at the National Insurance Crime Bureau believe that the following precautionary measures will help people protect their vehicles.
Warning devices are deterrents to thieves, discouraging them to steal vehicles in the first place. Audible car alarms, flashing lights, and theft-deterrent decals are designed to provide you with added protection against getting your vehicle stolen.
This era that we live in is marked by the use of technology in every facet of our lives. Real-time GPS tracking technology is one such innovation that you can leverage when it comes to protecting your vehicles from theft.
Imagine your car being stolen and you getting it back by monitoring its real-time location through an OBD tracker like Vyncs. What is interesting about using Vyncs as your vehicle theft prevention system?
You get to hide your GPS tracker using an OBD-II Y cable (splitter cable). All you need to do is to connect the Y cable’s open OBD-II port end to the OBD-II port of your vehicle and connect the tracker to the female end of the Y cable. Once you are done, conceal it behind the dash.
The best part of using the OBD-II Y cable (instead of a regular extension cable), you can make it look like there is no device whatsoever. This is a smart way to trick thieves into believing that the port is empty and there is no GPS tracker.
The use of steering wheel locks used to be prevalent in the 80s. However, today, more and more people are using them as they work just as great as they used to. Upon installation, it is impossible to turn the steering wheel, making the vehicle un-drivable.
Etching your Vehicle Identification Number into the windows or other vehicle parts reduces the resale value of parts. Also, having a visible VIN can make your vehicle less appealing to criminals as they will need to take extra steps to get the car ready for resale.
With an increasing number of motor vehicle theft incidents being reported, anyone could fall prey to it. If you are a victim of it, do not hesitate to:
Your vehicle is perhaps the most valuable asset of your life. Therefore, it makes sense that you do everything to help protect it. So, it makes sense that you use the Vyncs bumper sticker on your vehicle advertising the tracking device. This acts as an obstacle in their way as they barely want to deal with the risk of stealing a car that the police can easily track.
Apart from taking the above-mentioned measures to prevent auto theft, make sure you check with your insurance agent to determine whether your policy covers stolen vehicles.
kadminJuly 13, 2022
Summer is around the corner! For many Americans, it is the time for long road trips. However, with gasoline and diesel prices rising to levels not experienced in the United States before, the price of fuel has become a real financial concern for a growing number of Americans.
Whether or not fuel prices will stabilize in the near future, there has been a renewed interest among consumers in improving vehicle fuel economy. More than 172 billion gallons of fuel has been consumed by US vehicles in 2009 (Federal Highway Administration of the US Department of Transportation). Studies suggests that on-road fuel economy greatly suffers due to changes in driving style or vehicle maintenance.
While driving behavior is one of the most crucial factors influencing fuel use, its impact is often paid less attention to. Adopting ecological driving behavior can greatly reduce the amount of fuel used by vehicles. The variables used to demonstrate driving style include speed, acceleration, or deceleration, among others. The level of speed can affect fuel consumption, considering that each engine has an optimal range of speed value, at which it operates with optimal efficacy. Fuel consumption at a very low speed is higher due to increased heat loss, whereas at very high speeds; it increases further due to friction losses in the engine. On the other hand, fuel consumption is also higher when the vehicle is driven at a high speed.
Frequent deceleration may result in frequent acceleration. Thus, more fuel is used to increase kinetic energy and restore the vehicle’s speed. Moreover, during harsh acceleration, the engine operates at a higher speed, which again increases fuel consumption.
Idling is yet another contributing factor to fuel consumption. Motorists are, therefore, urged to switch off their vehicles’ engines if it is to remain stopped for more than half a minute. This is because the fuel required to start the engine is a lot less than that consumed if the engine was running.
Revolutions Per Minute (RPM): Driving in the highest gear at the lowest RPM can make a difference. The lower the RPM, the lower the fuel consumption is due to friction.
Steady speed: Fuel consumption is higher during acceleration. Hence, it is beneficial to avoid frequent braking and accelerating and maintain a steady speed throughout.
Weight and air resistance: Both tend to increase the load on the engine, leading to higher fuel consumption. As a starter, clear up your car by removing all the stuff sitting idle in the trunk.
Idling: Modern vehicles’ engines are more efficient, and can perform well without the need for idling. Data shows that a compact sedan car with 2 litre engine size consumes 0.16 gallons per hour of fuel at idle without using accessories like air conditioners (the US Department of Energy). Therefore, it is more fuel-efficient to turn off the engine than leave it running.
Tire pressure: Low tire pressure increases the vehicle’s rolling resistance, which further translates into increased fuel consumption. So, get air and keep the tires at the recommended tire pressure.
Braking: Slowing down the vehicle with the use of an engine brake or the neutral gear instead of the actual brakes is a great practice. This is because no fuel is consumed when the engine brake is used in modern vehicles.
Speeding: Fuel consumption tends to increase at higher speeds. Therefore, drivers should always drive at or below the speed limit.
Driver behavior is the most significant contributor to improving fuel economy of a vehicle. Speeding, idling, and inappropriate use of the accelerator & brake pedal - all contribute to inefficient fuel consumption. Improved fuel-efficient driving habits including not speeding, and not driving aggressively are among the most beneficial measures one can take to reduce costs.
Technologies such as a car GPS tracking device that help reduce fuel consumption and encourage responsible driving habits have massive potential. Today’s businesses and consumers increasingly rely on real-time vehicle tracking technology to keep track of the key fuel and safety performance variables. In fact, average fleet fuel economy improves up to 15% with the help of real-time vehicle tracking devices (the US Department of Energy).
Thanks to the Vyncs connected car tracking device, users can explore unique ways to improve driver performance and increase fuel economy by having access to a great variety of data. To ensure you get the most of your fuel, create an account on Vyncs today. Learn more about us here.
kadminJuly 07, 2022
A fleet’s overall performance is highly dependent on vehicle efficiency. Data shows that on-road vehicles account for roughly 60% of total US oil consumption and over a quarter of the country’s Green House Gas (GHG) emissions.
According to the US Department of Energy, a conventional vehicle will suffer a 10% to 20% fuel economy loss in city driving compared to highway driving. For hybrids, fuel economy may decrease by 20% to 40% in city driving. Also, the United States Environmental Protection Agency identifies that a conventional truck (made between 1980 and 2001) consumes 0.80 gallons per hour of diesel fuel and emits 140 grams/hour of NOx and 8,200 grams/hour of CO2.
For fleet owners, vehicle costs and productivity are two key concerns. Top that with more frequent stops, increased idle times and fuel use, and additional miles driven, the challenges become harder to overcome.
Considering the hazardous road conditions on snow-covered highways during winter, safety is another crucial factor. This makes vehicle maintenance crucial as fleets take a beating during extreme weather conditions. In such a scenario, a GPS tracker for vehicles can come in handy. Not only do they help fleet owners track real-time vehicle data (such as location, miles driven, and more), but informed decisions can also be made based on the data, ensuring smooth operation across fleets.
Idling for prolonged periods causes large amounts of fuel to be wasted. Researchers at the Argonne National Laboratory have noted that if every vehicle in the USA idles for about 6 minutes every day, about 3 billion gallons of fuel are wasted annually (Argonne National Library). In fact, more than 10 seconds of idling wastes more fuel than starting up the engine.
There are different factors that may affect the idling fuel consumption rate including engine temperature, idling speed, ignition timing, and combustion efficiency, among others. The age of a vehicle may also have an impact on the idling fuel consumption rate.
Emissions from prolonged idling are an issue that needs a more systematic solution. Using an Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) to get access to electricity while not driving is another method to expel idling in diesel engines.
Idling behavior falls under two categories, including “idling for power", and “idling out of habit". Some drivers idle out of a belief that idling uses less fuel than stopping and restarting. Some believe that extra starts will wear out the battery soon. Reducing such idling can surely lead to reduced fuel consumption and emissions reductions.
Many long-haul sleeper trucks idle overnight to provide “hotel load"—heating, cooling, and electricity for drivers taking their mandated rest periods. Researchers at Argonne National Laboratory estimates that rest-period idling of long-haul sleeper trucks consumes up to 1 billion gallons of fuel annually at a cost of roughly $3 billion. The associated emissions consequences for CO2 are 10 million tons annually. Extended idling also occurs at loading docks and border crossings, where trucks must wait for prolonged periods in queues.
While drivers often leave their vehicles idling out of habit, the challenge is when fleet drivers idle because they need power while being stationary. In such scenarios, advising them against idling does not work. A real-time GPS tracking technology solution, therefore, is needed to keep track of idling patterns and come up with ways to reduce idling in a cost-effective way.
When you get a bird’s eye view of your fleet’s daily operation, you know how to reduce fuel costs (for example: by reducing excessive idling), increase productivity, and make the most of your business. So, if you are interested in increasing fleet visibility with the Vyncs connected car tracking device, get in touch with us today!
kadminMay 31, 2022
According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), approximately 34.9 million people will hit the road on the Memorial Day Holiday weekend. Considering the recent surge in gas prices, as we head into the holiday weekend, vehicle owners must be wondering, "How to save money on fuel?"
There is good news for you! In fact, the rising fuel cost should not keep you from preparing for the much-needed trip you have been planning for long. With the latest connected car tracker technology, you can enjoy more saving on fuel cost than you could imagine.
We understand that there is nothing like the feeling of hitting the road with a full tank of gas, an open road, and plenty of adventures that await you out there. While you cannot do much about surging gas prices, you can still pay less at the pump, and ensure your vehicle gets the best possible fuel economy. Wondering, "How is it possible?" Well, you can do a few little things to make sure that your vehicle is in good shape for getting the optimal gas mileage. Also, a product like the Vyncs connected car tracking device can help you save a fortune on gas with its various tools to optimize fuel economy.
Vyncs comes with a tiny little 4G device that plugs into the OBD-II port of your vehicle. It transmits all sorts of vehicle performance (including fuel economy) data to your personal account over the wireless network, accessible from your Android/iOS and PC. So, if you are serious about reducing your fuel costs, Vyncs is there for you!
Well, for most people this is a no-brainer. However, let us quickly review this question and get it over with. First of all, there is no denying that the recent spike in gasoline prices can take a toll on your travel budget. With gas prices likely to stay on the higher side for the near future, motorists are urged to evaluate their personal driving habits in an effort to reduce overall fuel consumption.
By taking simple steps, one can ensure better fuel economy that may include but are not limited to:
With gas prices reaching an all-time high, everyone seems to look for better ways to gain the upper hand. The use of real-time GPS tracking technology has become mainstream --- a unique, cost-effective way of reducing costs.
Filling up at the right time and at the right place can save you money on gas. Your vehicle is more likely to offer you the best mileage possible when you fill up the tank at the right time with the right kind of fuel. This, in turn, translates into better mileage for the long run. With Vyncs, since you can easily find out the gas tank level and the kind of gas mileage you got from the gas you purchased from a gas station, you are always in a better place when it comes to improving the overall fuel economy.
Also, the smart fuel-saving feature of Vyncs helps you keep track of the amount of fuel left in the vehicle and how you can optimize your gas mileage. Once you plug in the Vyncs device to your car’s OBD-II port, it will start sending driver performance data to your account. All the gas guzzling events such as rapid acceleration, harsh braking, and speeding are identified and presented to you so that you can cut down on fuel cost if you wanted to. If you are running a business fleet this is a life saver and of course a cost saver for the operations. With price for everything going up, isn’t it great to have something that brings the cost down? Vyncs identifies and reports the factors contributing to increased fuel consumption. That means you have a scope to take immediate actions to solve the issue right away.
Saving on gas has never been easier. If you have a Vyncs device in your vehicle, you can find out nearby gas stations and compare their prices and previous performances. The device lets you keep tabs on the number of times you filled up your vehicle from different gas stations. That means you will be able to know which gas stations offer you the best deal possible.
The importance of vehicle maintenance cannot be overstated. One cannot overlook this important aspect. While it might be tempting to want to avoid your valuable time at the service stations for oil-changes and tune-ups, neglected engines are more likely to make you spend more on gas. Getting ahead-of-time vehicle maintenance alerts or recall notices on your smartphone means you never miss out on getting your car maintenance done right and on time. When you have Vyncs car GPS tracker, in your car, it helps you to address and fix vehicle issues before they get bigger.
Another important thing to note is that fuel economy is not a constant. It changes over time depending upon the condition of the vehicle and how you drive it, among other things. Consider Table 1 which compares the fuel economy values computed by averaging the gas mileage values from a sample set of vehicles with the corresponding EPA fuel economy data.
As you can see from the table, real-world fuel economy data may vary. For example, for the 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan, the EPA gas mileage is 22 MPG whereas the average gas mileage from the sample pool of vehicles reported here is 24.29 MPG. So, it is important to stay informed about the current gas mileage you are getting from your vehicle and that’s where Vyncs can help.
Whether you are concerned with saving money on gas or reducing your carbon footprint on the planet, reducing fuel consumption by using Vyncs is a win-win all round. The device helps you to keep track of the fuel level and recommends the best way to save fuel, hence reducing your total costs on gas. With built-in gas price & fuel level reporting, fuel purchase & cost tracking mechanisms, and effective fuel-saving tips, you will have the peace of mind and not spend a fortune on gas. Vyncs syncs your car with your life and makes it better. Learn more about Vyncs. Connect with us today!
badminDecember 23, 2020
kadminApril 08, 2020
The current Coronavirus pandemic, the spread of COVID-19, has many businesses scrambling to understand how to protect their staff from illness and keep the doors open. When you own fleet vehicles where more than one person might be in the seats, and dozens of people might load or pack items that touch the truck or car, it’s important to sanitize your fleet vehicles to reduce the spread of the virus.
As a fleet owner, you have a lot of challenges already. You probably use a GPS tracker to make sure deliveries are made on time and maintain your vehicle engines meticulously. Now you have a new challenge: Keeping your drivers and staff safe from the novel Coronavirus.
In this blog, we’ll talk about the current understanding of how the virus is spread, the potential risks to your staff, how to sanitize your vehicles, and how you can make your own hand sanitizer.
How Coronavirus is spread
As information about Coronavirus continues to evolve, so does our understanding of the disease and how it’s transmitted.
“The virus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person.
· Between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet).
· Through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
“These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs.
“It may be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes, but this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads.”
-World Health Organization (accessed March 31, 2020)
Based on the current guidelines from the World Health Organization (WHO), the best guidance is to assume that the novel Coronavirus can be spread on surfaces for up to three days. This is especially true of hard, nonporous surfaces, like painted surfaces and plastics. It appears that the Coronavirus is not as viable on porous surfaces, like cardboard or cloth.
Employees at Risk in Fleet Vehicles
Employees are potentially at risk in fleet vehicles in several ways.
The first, and most concerning, is person-to-person. A team riding in the cab of a truck or in a car are in much closer contact than authorities advise. The danger can be mitigated by enforcing a policy that employees stay home if they aren’t feeling well. Paid leave for ill employees has become more common in this time of uncertainty.
Other interactions, such as for loading dock staff, can be mitigated with as much social distancing as the facility will allow, enforcing the “stay at home when ill” policy, and providing hand washing and sanitizing stations everywhere.
The second potential danger is the vehicle itself. The nonporous surfaces of a truck or car might keep the virus viable for days. Vehicles should be disinfected after every shift, even if it means a delay of a few minutes leaving for the next trip. Each vehicle should be provided with hand sanitizer, and employees should be advised to be very careful as they go about their duties. If employees will have frequent contact with surfaces, they should be provided with gloves.
How to Sanitize Vehicles
The key to sanitizing the inside of vehicles, and even the cargo space of trucks, is soap and water.
It might seem strange, but plain old soap kills the Coronavirus on our hands and on surfaces. There’s a complicated chemical process that involves soap’s ability to disrupt the exterior membrane of viruses, but science has shown that, even better than alcohol-based cleansers, simple soap can kill viruses. If you’d like a complete explanation of how soap works to kill Coronavirus (and a host of other scary viruses), the New York Times article “Why Soap Works” does an excellent job.
To clean your vehicle, all you need is soap and water. Put a few drops of hand, dish, or laundry soap in water and wipe down the surfaces of the car or truck. Dry it all with a clean cloth.
If you have a stash of vehicle cleaners, like Armor All wipes, you can use those. They have a little bit of detergent in them. Don’t use anything that says “detergent free”; it won’t contain the soap that kills the virus.
If your vehicle has leather, you want to look for a product that cleans and conditions. Don’t use bleach or alcohol. There are many leather cleaners on the market. You’re looking for something that contains a small amount of detergent. Because whatever you use can’t be allowed to damage the leather, look at the packaging carefully. Test it in a hidden area before using it everywhere.
Don’t use solvents, like alcohol, acetone, kerosene, or bleach. They aren’t as effective as soap, and they’re much more likely to ruin the interior parts of the vehicle.
When using soap and water, remember to wash each surface for 20 seconds, just like you do for your hands.
For the trailers or backs of trucks, you can spray the inside with soapy water, leave it for a minute or two, then rinse with hot water. Let that surface dry naturally. That will keep the cargo area clean and safe.
How to Make Your Own Hand Sanitizer
For most drivers that must get in and out of their vehicles, washing their hands every time is difficult. You’ll need hand sanitizer in the cabs of your fleet vehicles or front seats of your cars.
The store shelves have no hand sanitizer, but fortunately, it’s something you can make for yourself easily.
You’ll need four ingredients:
· Ethanol – This is just drinking alcohol. You’ll want grain alcohol, “Everclear,” “moonshine,” “white lightning,” or whatever 90% grain alcohol is called locally. Many liquor stores sell a form of alcohol that can be used for this purpose. Isopropyl alcohol (90%) will also work, but that has been in short supply in most of the world.
· Hydrogen peroxide – 3%, which standard for household use, will be great.
· Glycerol – Known in the US as glycerin, this is a jelly-like substance that will help the alcohol stay on the skin. Pure Aloe Vera gel that is often found in the skincare area of a store, will also work.
· Water – Sterile or boiled and cooled water will be perfect.
Alcohol: 833 ml (3.5 cups)
Hydrogen Peroxide: 417 ml (1 1/3 cups)
Glycerol: 145 ml (2/3 cup)
This will make about 3.5 liters or 1 gallon.
1. Pour in alcohol and hydrogen peroxide. The glycerol/glycerin is very thick and will stick to the sides of the container. Rinse it with the water. Top off the container with the water.
2. Divide this immediately into the final containers. While pump bottles are the norm, it’s still easy to find small squeeze bottles to put the hand sanitizer into.
This can be placed in each vehicle or handed out to your staff.
Whenever they touch anything, return to the vehicles, or switch vehicles, they should sanitize their hands.
For quick cleaning, any wipes that have a small amount of detergent on them will work. You’ll find this type of disposable wipe in the car care section of a store, or even some face wipes will work well.
Keep Your Fleet Clean
Unlike any other time in history, now is the time to keep the interiors of your vehicles spotlessly clean. The world is changing, and keeping your staff healthy is more vital than ever before.
Fleet management was tough enough already. A global pandemic isn’t making it any easier, but with some attention to detail and a little soap and water, everyone can be better protected from this very virulent, silent enemy.
kadminApril 07, 2020
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The Coronavirus Lockdown Opportunity
kadminMarch 29, 2020
kadminMarch 23, 2020
Mom sent a picture of how their street is socializing pic.twitter.com/NsDxMyAGXt— caveheraa (@caveheraa) March 17, 2020
Mom sent a picture of how their street is socializing pic.twitter.com/NsDxMyAGXt
I was bored so I made this drawing when I saw Steven Universe the movie pic.twitter.com/xrIIA13YdV— Mash Art ??(@MashArt_ST) March 19, 2020
I was bored so I made this drawing when I saw Steven Universe the movie pic.twitter.com/xrIIA13YdV
jguptaSeptember 26, 2019
Businesses which rely on transportation employ fleet management to control productivity, costs, fuel management, and consistency. As such, fleet management is composed of different tasks to keep vehicles and operations running smoothly and effectively. Fleet management practices involve the use of technology and software solutions to help in reducing costs, minimizing risk, enforcing driver safety, increasing productivity, and scheduling preventive maintenance to reduce downtime.
But how can fleet maintenance help extend equipment’s lifespan?
Benefiting from your vehicles means being cautious about precaution support. It is shown that proper maintenance – for instance, keeping tires at a correct weight and turning them routinely, will build their mileage.
In a Financial Times article from 2016, telematics was acclaimed as “a vital part of fleet management,” for any commercial/business fleet owners. Telematics track the various data points and utilizes the frameworks installed into vehicles to record the data grouped somewhere else. How this information is interpreted is the place where much of the variation in fleet management software is.
The benefits of fleet management are innumerable.
Many other reasons state why this is important. Fleet management is greatly enhanced with a GPS tracking system in place, with telematics, fuel management software, and gas tank monitoring providing an increase in productivity to all business owners. To be specific, efficient fleet management yields an increase in productivity, fuel savings, and improves customer service. Here, we will discuss five of them.
While fleet management programming is a huge instrument for assessing fleets, it's not held for larger fleets of vehicles. Regardless of whether you have five vehicles or five hundred, driving vehicles as a moving company, bringing produce or driving commuters, there is no drawback to progressive fleet management programming.Still considering if the investment you have to spend is equal to its benefits?Think again!
jguptaSeptember 10, 2019
The greatest advantage of a car tracker is that you can go on with your life while receiving all the information about your vehicle. Once successfully installed, a GPS tracker gives you real-time location and other information about your vehicle on your computer, phone, tablet or any other gadget irrespective of your distance from the vehicle. With the history tab, it enables you to review what route you took a week ago or precisely what spot you stopped at last night. It also reveals speed and zone alerts.
Devices such as Vyncs allows parents to monitor the speed and location of their children and can be tailored to notify them if the child goes to an 'off-limit' location or drives “off-limits” This technology makes sneaking out of the house a thing of the past. Vyncs not only helps in monitoring vital statistics but also real-time location updates. All the information can be accessed remotely and an alarm sounds if an issue occurs.
If you are a business owner, these car GPS trackers are also a great plus when managing your fleets. You can easily handle your fleet of cars and employees by tracking their GPS location or speed. In case of a breakdown or any other kind of emergency, you can pinpoint the exact location of that vehicle and even ensure that both the driver and the vehicle are back safely.
Car GPS trackers are a great way to minimize your spendings. It provides a great platform where you can easily fit your own custom speed limit and information that will, in turn, cut your expenses. Vehicles being part and parcel of our day to day lives require maintenance and service. These technologies can go in-depth even providing you with when to service the car and check on issues such as low battery and tire depth. Clearly, taking out separate time to keep a note of every single issue within your car is now a thing of the past.
jguptaJuly 25, 2019
“Where are they?”
“How far are they?”
“When will they be back?”
All these questions tend to make us worry even more, and while you’ll always be a little bit anxious, Vyncs Groups will definitely help ease your qualms. Introducing the all-new Vyncs Groups app for your Android or iOS phone. It’s your one-stop app for real-time location sharing with your loved ones without using any additional GPS device.
You must be wondering. What is Vyncs Groups? For starters, it’s an app made by the company Agnik LLC, the manufacturer of Vyncs GPS tracker for cars and fleets. It can be installed on your phone and provides real-time location updates.
About Vyncs Groups:
Now forget about a GPS device for tracking and monitoring your loved ones.
As we learned, Vyncs Groups is an app that provides real-time monitoring of your loved ones.
It’s quite easy to use for keeping an eye out for the people you love. Now no more waiting around. Just install and check in with them whenever you need to.
You will get instant updates on your phone and never lose track of your loved ones, friends and family members because, with the Vyncs Family Locator app, you can monitor them on the go.
It’s now easier than ever to stay connected with your friends and family and keep them safe.
How It Works:
Vyncs Groups lets you create a group and invite your loved ones with a custom group code that you can reset at any time. Send the code to anyone and once they enter the code into the Vyncs app on their phone, they’ll become a member as well! This custom code enables group members to locate each other, anytime anywhere. You are also able to turn location sharing on and off whenever you would like to, for any group.
There is also a feature in the Vyncs Groups app known as “On-Demand” which allows you to request a location update of any group member with a simple click of a button.
With 3G/4G technology and simple, easy-to-use design, the all-new Vyncs Groups feature on the Vyncs app makes it super easy to locate your loved ones.
Why Should You Install Vyncs Groups?:
One question that might be left in your head is, why do I even need to install this app? Well, the most basic answer is SAFETY.
Vyncs Groups helps us to stay connected with our loved ones without constantly bickering with them to know where they are..
In short, just don’t worry. Vyncs Groups has got your back and your loved ones’. Live life as it should be: in the moment.
INAdminOctober 12, 2018
GPS tracker have become an essential part of our lives and they can help you track almost everything. We use GPS enabled devices in our daily lives to track and locate many unknown places, but did you ever wonder how GPS trackers work? Well, let's find out.
In this article we will walk you through all the in-depth details about GPS tracker.
We are going to cover the following:
A GPS tracker is a device that makes use of a cluster of satellites in order to locate your position on the face of this earth. GPS trackers often provide latitude, longitude, altitude, and heading data for a given location. These days GPS trackers are widely used for many applications ranging from fleet monitoring to pet tracking.
GPS tracking and GPS navigation are somewhat different. If you thought navigation GPS and GPS tracking are two different terms with same meaning then this should clear your concept about both.
GPS navigation finds your location and helps you with the directions, while GPS tracking documents your GPS location so you can see where you have been. While the former tells you where to go, the latter tells you where you’ve already been. With a GPS tracking device, you can keep a trip log and this can perhaps help you with fuel costs and vehicle maintenance in the long run.
The GPS or Global Positioning System was initially created by the United States government in 1973 for the Department of Defence to serve military purposes. It was in the 1980s when the technology was made available to the civilians by President Ronald Reagan. The quality of GPS was curtailed by the government in the 1990s so that to make it selectively available for the security and privacy reasons. By 1995, the Global Positioning System was functioning sound, but by 2000, the GPS system was made globally accessible by President Bill Clinton. This improved the GPS globally for the civilians and commercial users, as they had access to the full capabilities of the GPS. The Global Positioning System continued to advance and improve, with newer and better satellites being implemented and used for more accurate location tracking. As the GPS is run by the United States government, there is still a possibility of GPS service being degraded again, or even denied. For this reason, other countries are developing their own location/navigational systems and working on improving accuracy. While Russia has Glonass, in China there's BeiDou Navigation Satellite System, Galileo in EU, QZSS in Japan, IRNSS in India and so on. Scientists and engineers from different countries are also working on improving GPS accuracy. One of the upgrades that are being worked on is using L5 frequency in GPS devices. With L5 frequencies, devices will have a significantly higher level of accuracy than before, with location precision within 30 centimeters, or less than a foot. This update was aimed for public release in the year 2018, but at this point, it is still pre-operational and thus not widely used.
Vehicle GPS trackers: Features &Benefits You’ll find GPS trackers commonly in most of the mobile devices nowadays, and this is one of the prime reasons why GPS tracking system has become quite popular. Few of the features & benefits that you get with your GPS-enabled electronic device is as follows.
Access trip history easily - GPS trackers collect and store your location data so that you can go back and look at the trips you made. In addition to collecting information about location, some GPS trackers also have the capability of measuring speed. GPS trackers which are data analytic-driven can provide additional information about your trips.
Easy Real - time tracking - Many GPS trackers provide real-time tracking, which means that the location is updated live. This allows you to use your tracker whenever you need.
Access to data on the server remotely - Not all the GPS trackers allow you to access the data remotely on a server, as some trackers store it in the internal memory of the device. Although, most modern GPS trackers will have the data accessible from a server so it can be accessed remotely from anywhere and at any time, which means you can access your vehicle or anything even when you are not present in your base location.
Geofencing & creating zone alerts - The term- ‘’Geofencing’’ is used widely nowadays. With this capability , you can create a virtual “fence” around a certain area and you wold receive arrival/departure notifications whenever the tracker enters/exits that particular zone.
We can broadly divide GPS tracking devices into three categories based on their primary functions -
Data loggers record location in routine intervals and save the information in the device’s internal memory. Some cameras use data logging to display the location like where the photo was taken at, and data loggers can be used to track vehicles as well. Data pushers are the most common GPS tracking units & are commonly known as “GPS beacons.” Rather than saving the location data on internal memory as data loggers do, data pushers send and store the information on the server. This means the storage space of the information is not as limited as for the data loggers. Data pushers can also collect information about speed or altitude, and store all of the information to the predetermined server at routine intervals. Data pushers are used for personal purposes as well as commercial purposes. The GPS tracker in your phone is a data pusher, and so are many vehicle tracking devices. Data pushers are also the type of GPS that is used on store items to prevent theft. Data pullers are the last type of GPS trackers, and they are also called GPS transponders. The data puller GPS does not send location updates at routine intervals, but instead, you have to request the data from it. This type of GPS is sometimes found in computers or for items where the location does not need to be known constantly.
OBD GPS trackers plug into the onboard diagnostic (OBD) port of a light or medium duty vehicle. Usually, an OBD GPS tracker device draws power from the OBD port itself and contains a built-in antenna along with a GPS module in order to receive the GPS signal. In addition, OBD trackers communicate with the different vehicle subsystems for receiving vehicle diagnostic and fuel consumption related data. A cellular OBD GPS tracker directly communicates with the cell tower in order to send the location and other vehicle performance data to the server over the cellular wireless network. Users can view the information using standalone software or web browser from a desktop/laptop computer or using smartphone apps. A comparative discussion on OBD GPS trackers and generic GPS trackers can be found at here There is a huge growth in the OBD tracker’s user base and vehicle owners now prefer OBD GPS trackers over ordinary GPS tracking devices as the former one can keep a check on the vehicle’s health along with tracking the vehicle's location.
Advanced GPS trackers do much more than just tracking – they provide you with engine health diagnosis and other onboard diagnostics that sums up to provide you with vehicle performance information. The best thing is about the advanced GPS trackers are that they are predicted to hold the largest market share in the whole GPS tracking market which would make it the future of GPS tracking technology. According to the statistics, there is a huge growth in the GPS tracking and onboard diagnosis market. The Asian-Pacific (APAC) region is expected to experience large growth in the GPS tracking market. Currently, GPS tracking device usage is relatively low in the area, which means that there Is a lot of room for growth. One of the biggest examples of technologically advanced GPS trackers is Vyncs, that provides you with real-time tracking, vehicle health status, trip logs, trip time reports, fuel cost tracking and much more. The GPS tracking market is growing fast and mentioned below are some statistics based on the advanced GPS tracking market that are quite interesting enough-
There are many GPS trackers that exist for cars and other vehicles, as well as commercial vehicle fleets. Most of them are battery operated. These GPS trackers can be placed in the car, and the tracking data can be accessed remotely from a server. These are a type of data pushers. A data logger GPS isn't of much use for the vehicles particularly if you are interested in real-time tracking, because it cannot be used for remote tracking in real-time. Other types of trackers can be plugged into the OBD-II port of the car and are mostly used by mechanics to collect more data and provide more analytical information. GPS trackers for fleets have advanced features compared to the Car GPS trackers. They use the same GPS technology, but the analytics portion is more complex because there are more vehicles to keep track and the user needs data for each and every fleet distinctively. Fleet trackers use telematics technology and can be placed under the category of data pushers.
Vehicle GPS trackers: When it comes to GPS tracking for Vyncs and Vyncs Fleet, one must go for the one that provides best of features and is the most cost-effective. As per the survey reports, Vyncs is currently the best-selling car GPS tracker available in the market. It plugs into the OBD-II port of the car, so it doesn’t use batteries, and uses a minimal amount of energy from the car. This means you don’t have to worry about replacing them, just plug in and use for an entire year without paying anything. As mentioned before, Vyncs is a data pusher, and it provides standard location updates every 3 minutes. Upgrades are available for 60/30/15 second updates as well, as ‘’Live Map Auto Refresh’’ feature. Apart from GPS tracking, Vyncs provides a variety of analytics such as driving safety and fuel tips. As it is plugged into the OBD-II port, you get a detailed health report of your vehicle. Vyncs Fleet is made for commercial fleets and provides GPS tracking for an unlimited number of vehicles. Managing your vehicle fleet is much easier with the advanced features such as automatic tracking and analytics, which are accessible through the web server and mobile application. You can keep a track of your vehicles, the productivity of your workers, the costs, and much more. Know why Vyncs.
In layman's language, if there's any obstruction between the satellite and the device that results in weakening of signals, it may give inaccurate GPS map reports. If you are not getting accurate location data about your car then here are some possible reasons:
Reliable Real -Time GPS Tracking - Get data from the Vyncs device in your account through the cloud-based technology over a 3G/2G wireless network in real-time. It comes with all the bell and whistles that you would expect from a great GPS tracking product. Trips, zone arrival/departure notifications, start/stop street addresses, live maps, geo-fences are few of the examples. Trip logging - With Vyncs GPS tracking, you can access the log all your car trips automatically. Car theft prevention - It helps you in car theft prevention as you will know where your car is at all times. You will know if someone tries to steal your car. If you want you can even hardwire it and hide the Vyncs device using a Y-OBD-II extension cable so that the thieves have a hard time finding it. Monitoring teen driving - The Vyncs GPS will allow you to know where your teen is driving at all times, and you can monitor additional habits such as driving speed, sharp turns, rapid acceleration, and harsh braking. You can also add advanced features like curfew hours alert and speeding policy violations reported on the map. Reliable Real-Time GPS Tracking - Get data from the Vyncs device in your account through the cloud-based technology over a 3G/2G wireless network in real-time. It comes with all the bell and whistles that you would expect from a great GPS tracking product. Trips, zone arrival/departure notifications, start/stop street addresses, live maps are few of the examples. No Monthly Fee - In general GPS tracker prices are hefty but Vyncs offers you all the valuable information at an unbeatable price. The best part is that it does not change any monthly fee. Web based & Android/iOS GPS app: The vehicle tracking data can be seen through a web or mobile-based app. The user has to download the app, log in with the credentials and set up the vehicle/driver details. Each and every driver listed in the app can be tracked with the device.
INAdminAugust 31, 2018
In 2016 alone, all motor vehicle thefts totaled a loss of $5.9 billion, including automobiles, trucks, buses, motorcycles, and all other motor vehicles. By the first half of 2017, the number of vehicle thefts increased by 4.1%. There is constantly an increase in vehicle theft/car break-in statistics as the years go by. How can we fight against car thefts and make sure our vehicles are secure?
This article will tell you how you can prevent your car from being stolen, types of car thefts that you should be aware of, and what you should do in case your car does get stolen. You’ll be equipped with everything you need to deal with these situations.
There are many different types of vehicle thieves, and understanding their intents and common schemes will help us better prevent car thefts.
Some thieves only want your car for parts. Sometimes, they might just steal some car parts and not the car itself. This is a situation in which parking in a public well-lit location can prevent this. Additionally, parking close to the curb with the wheels turned in will make it difficult for the thief to steal your tires. These kinds of thefts are usually done by professionals, and if you do retrieve your car in the end, it probably won’t be in one piece. Time is even more important in these situations, so give the police as much information as you can so you can hopefully get your car back intact.
Some car thieves steal luxury cars for a joy-ride. In these situations, they are likely not professional car thieves, so loud alarms and blinking lights are more likely to scare them off. People often get their cars back in these situations, but the damage may be sustained to the vehicle. For those who simply steal the car for a joy-ride and then ditch the car somewhere, Vyncs GPS tracker will be very helpful for retrieving your car.
Steal car for valuables: There are also thieves that will break into your car just to steal valuables, and the best way to avoid these thefts is to of course keep valuables out of sight of possible perpetrators.
Other vehicle theft scenarios: In some vehicle theft scenarios, one person will rear-end your car so you get out to check it. Then, another person will then steal your car, and both people will drive off. This is why you should never leave your car running when you’re not in the car! If you need to leave your car to check a rear-end, turn your car off and LOCK IT. If you are rear-ended and it appears to be a car theft situation, just stay in your car and call the police to report the situation. Make sure to get the license number of the car that rear-ended you. If the rear-end bump is part of a car theft scheme, collecting as much information about them as possible to report them to the police will help prevent more vehicle thefts.
Vehicle theft can be prevented with the following steps and we will discuss some of the most effective methods for preventing vehicle theft below.
GPS trackers are devices which you can keep in your car at all times to track the movements of your car. The Vyncs GPS tracker plugs into the OBD-II port of your car, so it does not use a battery that will need replacement. This means your GPS tracker will always work, and you won’t have to worry about it dying when your car gets stolen. You can also use the GPS tracker to periodically check up on your car to make sure it’s still exactly where you parked it. Vyncs provides remote GPS tracking through their Android and iOS phone app and through their web portal from your computer. With these features, you can track your car anytime, anywhere. With 3 minute GPS updates, upgradable to as fast as 15 seconds, you’ll always know where your car is. Even when your car is off, the Vyncs GPS tracker will still work. The device will turn on and update the car’s location every 1 hour. Hiding your GPS tracking device is essential. You don’t want a thief to see it and unplug the device, or you won’t be able to track your car anymore. OBD cables are a perfect solution for keeping your GPS tracker away from the eyes of thieves.
Extension cables and splitter cables are handy in deceiving thieves so they cannot find or see your GPS tracker. The extension cable can allow you to hide the tracking device in your glove compartment or another hiding location. The splitter will allow you to plug your tracking device into one of the wires that can be hidden. The other wire will appear empty so a thief wouldn’t think there’s a tracking device plugged in. This will prevent them from disconnecting your device, so you can always track your car. If your car does not have an OBD-II port, power supply cables can plug into the Emergency Power Supply or cigarette lighter and you can then plug your OBD device into that cable. All of these cables are not sold by Vyncs but can be bought from Amazon for less than $10.
These are the three types of extension cable:
Preventing car theft is difficult no matter how much you do to protect your car, but it might still get stolen. If you get into this situation, we’ll tell you what to do so you can be prepared and can get your car back!
If your car is stolen, remember not to panic. The first thing you’ll want to do is call the police and report the theft. Make sure to tell the police your license plate number and the year, make, model, and color of the car. If you noticed any suspicious behavior before your car was stolen, or even saw your car being stolen, make sure you report all the information and descriptions that you can. Do not attempt to chase down the vehicle yourself because you may be putting your life at risk. Your life is more important than your car! If you have Vyncs GPS tracking device, you can immediately start tracking your vehicle and notify the police of the thief’s location, and they can help you get your car back.
badminJanuary 29, 2018
OBD trackers work through a vehicle's OBD-II port. If you've ever seen car mechanics plug a small device into your car, they were likely using an OBD-II scan tool to get information on what is wrong with your car. Likewise, OBD car trackers can get information from your car through the same port. Unlike other car trackers that only use GPS location information, OBD trackers get location information in addition to information from the vehicle. Meanwhile, generic GPS trackers are what most people think of when they think of tracking. They use satellite technology to find the location of the device. Depending on the size of the device, a generic GPS tracker can be used to track many different things, from cars to people. However, they only track one thing: location. Generic trackers sacrifice richness of information for versatility. So when it comes to tracking cars, which OBD trackers specialize in, generic trackers don't seem up to snuff.
It's easy to install and use. Once you find the OBD port in your vehicle, which is normally located under the steering wheel above the gas pedal area, installation is a breeze. You simply place the small device into the slot, and it takes car health and maintenance data from the port. With the Vyncs OBD tracker, for example, either log on to the Vyncs website or the Vyncs app in order to view the data. It doesn't need charging. Most car trackers contain a battery that needs to be charged regularly about once a week or so. OBD car trackers don't have a battery and don't need charging. They essentially never need to be removed, so there's no fear of having it die just when you need it. It collects more data. Because OBD trackers are plugged into the car, it can collect information from the car to help you understand your car better. By using an OBD tracker, you can track your vehicle's fuel economy and mileage. An OBD tracker such as the Vyncs tracker can also provide diagnostics for vehicle problems. Even better: the smarts from the Vyncs AI system will provide personalized suggestions on how to optimize fuel and maintenance costs. It helps you drive better. The Vyncs GPS tracker automatically detects unsafe driving behaviors such as speeding or sudden braking. In addition to knowing where and when you (or others) are driving, you know how well you drove. Vyncs scores drivers and provides graphs and tables to evaluate the data. Comes handy if you have newly minted drivers at home. It costs less than you think. Vyncs OBD trackers work on an annual plan, with regular Vyncs at $72.98 per year and Vyncs Fleet at $99.99 per year. Don't let the large numbers fool you; other trackers often charge per month, but when added up their annual rate is much more than that of Vyncs. For the added efficiency, data, and peace of mind it can give, it's well worth it. If you're looking for a way to track a vehicle, it's worth thinking about what kind of tracker you want. If you favor versatility, go with a generic GPS tracker. If you want to track a vehicle in multiple aspects, not just location, OBD trackers are the way to go.
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