Nowadays, owning a fleet of transport vehicles has turned out to be a lucrative business. These days, fleet managers rely on fleet management systems and other devices to help manage their cars and keep an eye on their drivers and assets. If you are new to fleet management, you will be surprised by the number of devices on the market. You will find everything from surveillance systems to tracking gadgets.
In this article, we will take an in-depth look at various surveillance and monitoring devices for trucks. We will share tips and pointers to help you buy the best devices on the market. This article will also delve into the benefits of investing in these tracking and surveillance systems.
GPS Tracking Devices
GPS tracking devices are now a common feature in most cars as a security feature and a smart device to guide the driver. Fleet owners can use GPS devices to monitor the driver’s location when in transit. They can also find the best route and help the driver avoid traffic jams and save time.
Fleet owners can also share GPS data with their clients to keep track of their goods. In typical instances, fleet managers use GPS trackers and surveillance devices to monitor the driver’s behavior and secure their cars.
Truck Surveillance Systems
Most surveillance systems use CCTV cameras and a DVR (digital video recorders) or NVR (network video recorders). The cameras often support PoE (power over Ethernet), meaning that the cameras are powered using the same Ethernet cable that supplies the internet.
CCTV cameras come in different varieties. They will range depending on the resolution and place of use. Indoor cameras will be cheaper than outdoor cameras. Cameras with high-resolution and support night vision will be costlier but worth the extra dime. The NVR or DVR is a compact-sized box fitted with a hard drive that stores the footage collected. The hard drive varies in size even though you can invest in cloud storage and have the footage uploaded to the cloud after a couple of days. Most DVR truck camera systems also allow fleet managers to monitor the truck from remote locations via a PC or smartphone with an internet connection.
Surveillance systems are pretty essential, especially for public transport buses. You can check out this homepage for more on truck surveillance systems. They can help the bus driver and fleet manager keep tabs on the passengers who are on board. The cameras can be fitted in discreet locations to avoid easy detection. You can also fit one on the driver’s cabin–a dashcam–to monitor him or her during the drive.
Benefits of Surveillance Systems
Truck surveillance systems offer plenty of benefits. The first benefit is security –both for the car and the driver-. Tracking devices can help fleet owners trace their vehicles if an accident or the driver goes AWOL. The tracking devices also share real-time data, meaning that fleet owners are always on top of things 24/7.
The second benefit is surveillance systems help improve driver behavior. Even though having driver dash cams has raised quite a storm, most believe it plays a role in assisting drivers in boosting performance and road safety awareness while being monitored. Most driver cameras also feature other smart features that help keep the driver alert when s/he is behind the wheel.
Surveillance systems also protect fleet managers from expensive insurance fees. In case of an accident, the footage from the truck surveillance camera is admissible in court if the driver is innocent of any wrongdoing. This means that fleet owners can save a lot of money in case of an accident where their driver was not the cause.
Another top benefit of the truck surveillance system is it improves productivity. Surveillance and GPS tracking data are often used to study the driver’s behavior. The information is sent directly to the fleet managers. Using unique analysis software, they can determine the driver’s weaknesses and different training to improve his or her skills.
Last is the tracking devices help save time and fuel. Spending long hours in traffic snarl-ups often leads to late deliveries due to hours lost waiting for traffic to clear up. On the other hand, spending long hours in traffic consumes fuel. GPS devices can share information on the status of the roads beforehand so that drivers can select the shortest and most efficient routes.
Bottom Line
Truck and bus surveillance systems are now becoming a must-have feature for all fleet owners. They offer a plethora of benefits that can help better manage fleets and the human resources, meaning drivers and co-drivers. When purchasing surveillance systems for your truck, check the specs for quality and don’t forget to check the warranty.
