Technology Trends for Fleet Management

From self-driving cars to electric vehicles, when the topic of the future of transportation arises, the discussion invariably always centers on how these advancements will impact the world at the consumer-level. While an important part of the conversation, this focus leaves little room for a discussion about how changes in technology are impacting the world at the enterprise-level.

The reality is that with the continued adoption of the Internet of Things (IoT) and Cloud Computing, dramatic changes are on the horizon for fleet management software and productivity tools. As new technologies pop on the scene, the flexibility created by the IoT is allowing trucking companies and logistics providers to embrace technological advancement at a rate that was previously not possible.

The result has been an exciting change in how trucking operations and logistics providers are servicing their customers. Once thought of as a “nice-to-have” feature, accurate load status updates, real-time asset visibility and instant quotes are no longer key selling points. Instead, they have become an expected part of doing business.

In addition to these real-time visibility expectations, transportation and logistics providers are faced with any number of continually evolving economic and environmental regulations. From rising fleet maintenance and fuel costs to continually evolving government regulations, adopting advanced technology is fast becoming the standard practice across the fleet management sector.

Three Fleet Management Trends to Be On the Lookout for:

While it’s true that managing a fleet does continue to grow in complexity, any number of new trends in technology are helping to ease some of this complexity. Here is a look at a few ways technology advancements are helping businesses optimize their fleet management operations:

• Leveraging Big Data: More technology means that trucking companies and fleet managers now have access to major amounts of data they can use to make decisions. From driver behavior to maintenance requests, all this information can be used to increase efficiency, lower fuel costs, enhance service offerings and improve customer service
• Integrating Tracking System: From TMS systems and accounting software to GPS asset tracking, system integration is becoming a critical component of any fleet management operation.
• Rising Demand for Real-Time Tracking: Today’s shipping and freight customers now expect on-demand visibility on the exact location of their assets. They want to be able to see where their products are and how long it will take for them to arrive.

In truth, the world has evolved to a point where technology is impacting almost every part of our lives— and the trucking and fleet management industry is certainly no exception.