GPS tracking your fleet has a host of additional benefits on top of reducing operational costs and improving driver behaviour.
It is also perfect for knowing exactly where your vehicles are in real time. And that’s ideal if one has just been stolen.
Nationwide TV and satellite installation company TVSAS recently lost a van when an installer accidentally left the keys in the ignition while parked on a customer’s driveway.
Paul Edwards is one of the director of TVSAS.
He said: “We notified the police of the theft and then called our GPS fleet tracking provider VeriLocation. We could immediately see where the van was and pass that information on to the police.”
VeriLocation’s GPS tracking device received constant signals from the GPS satellites, meaning it knew its exact location at all times.
The device then constantly communicated its position to a central computer using the mobile phone data networks.
And that meant that the location of the van could be monitored in real time, overlaid over interactive maps and satellite images.
VeriLocation and TVSAS were able to guide police officers to the parked van within 90 minutes of the theft, removing the need for dangerous high speed chases.
And while the criminal wasn’t caught this time, the van was recovered undamaged and with all equipment intact.
In fact the only thing missing was the installer’s iPod and brand new mobile phone.
“That will teach him to leave the keys in the ignition!” Paul added.