Small Business Cars and Trucks

Automatic Vehicle Location Systems

Automatic vehicle location systems let you know where your company cars, trucks or vans are at any given moment. But if you think an AVL system is just another high-tech toy, you're wrong. AVLs have tons of important small business applications.

Modern technology has given today's small business owners the ability to stay on top of day-to-day operations.

With just the click of a mouse, owners and managers can now oversee remote and sometimes sophisticated workflows.

One of the areas in which there has been a dramatic increase in the use of technology is in vehicle monitoring and tracking. Automatic Vehicle Location systems (AVLs) give small business managers the ability to keep track of their fleet in real time. Using GPS and other technologies, AVL systems come with features that can be used for a broad range of business applications.

Although drivers tend to view AVLs in a negative light, they can significantly improve safety and efficiency in your company.

• Fleet monitoring. You can't underestimate the value of knowing exactly where your company's cars and trucks are at any given moment. AVLs take the guesswork out of fleet management and give you the information you need to maintain smooth operations.
• Dispatch. Companies that rely on dispatch vehicles have found that AVLs play a big role in coordinating driver dispatch. An AVL system that displays the locations of all vehicles on a single screen makes it much easier for dispatchers to route drivers and troubleshoot work delays.
• Efficiency tracking. A good AVL has reporting features that track the efficiency of each truck and driver. You'll be able to identify both systemic and driver-specific inefficiencies. In a service-driven business, AVLs give dispatchers the ability to accurately tell customers how long it will take for a driver/technician to arrive at their location.
• Personnel monitoring. AVLs are also effective personnel monitoring resources. If you suspect a driver is exceeding speed limits, taking unauthorized detours or violating company policy in some other way your AVL will provide current and historical data that can be used by HR for employee discipline and documentation purposes.
• Theft recovery. If your company is the victim of theft, an AVL can quickly and easily track down the perpetrators. To thwart AVL-savvy crooks, some systems can be hidden in the vehicle's mechanics.

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