Administrators can use fleet management apps to view the performance of company fleet drivers.
What is a Fleet Management App?
Fleet management apps are similar to location-based pricey services apps, enterprise solution asset tracking apps, and business transportation management apps.
Companies often use them to track their vehicles and other equipment in real time. Uber and Lyft offer a fleet management app (to track drivers cars) and an app that delivers food on demand.
These are recent examples of fleet management apps built with Crowdbotics.
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Similar to truckit.com, a trucking management Web/Mobile App.
Primarily, the trucking industry needs to be able to replace paper-based and manual delivery process of managing their haul sheets.
There will be three types of users: Admin, Drivers, and Foremen.
The app will be used by Foremen to manage their jobs.
A fleet management system usually has two elements: hardware (such as GPS trackers attached to vehicles) and simple software.
The software element allows drivers and bosses to easily see where their fleet is at any given moment and their performance. You can use fleet management systems to dispatch drivers, route and traffic information, monitor and fuel, and many other functions.
Its worth considering a fleet management service if your company has one. Get free quotes from top fleet management systems providers to get an idea of the additional cost by filling out our fleet management quote form.
A fleet management system is a combination of software and hardware that contains three elements.
- The Fleet Management Software Device. A set of hardware sensors and an interface are installed in every vehicle.
- The vehicle software. This collects information such as engine status and vehicle position from every vehicle.
- Management Plain interface software. The fleet manager uses this software to receive and interpret all vehicle data.
Different fleet management software code package records different data. The sensors installed in a vehicles engines will provide more detailed information than the plug-and-go dashboards.
Some business owner do "less than truckload" shipping (LTL), which means that one truck delivers goods to multiple customer satisfaction.
These fleets need LTL-friendly fleet management software that offers a specialized load optimization service, which is not available in TL-oriented fleet software.
Better fleet management software has active data trackers than passive ones. The fleet management software can refresh data as frequently as every few seconds or as little as once every ten minutes.
The passive tracker gathers data while on the move but transfers it later to the software. Fleet managers need to react quickly to any critical updates, such as vehicle faults or late deliveries. Many fleet management software can be used with smartphone apps.
This makes it easier for managers to respond quickly to any situation.
What is the average cost of building a Fleet Management App?
Businesses charge according to the amount of time they spend developing an application.
In North America, for example, it is $150 an hour. It costs $130 an hour in Europe and $190 an hour in Australia. According to data, India is the most affordable country to develop high-quality fleet management mobile apps for just $80 an hour.
For a fleet management app, the cost price ranges between $10,000 and $15,000; apps with more additional features, such as the one above, could run anywhere from $18,000 to $25,000
What is the time it takes to build a fleet management app?
A fleet management app typically takes 333 hours to create. A fleet management app can be developed in as little as 267 or 400 hours.
The complexity of your app will determine the exact time frame. It will take longer if your app has complex designs or key features that are not standard.
The following hourly estimates were given for the latest fleet management apps created with Crowdbotics:
How to Grow Your Fleet Management App Successfully
Fleet Management App Development Services apps can help grow their user base by making it easier for fleet managers to manage drivers and vehicles.
Fleet management apps can differentiate themselves from their competitors by offering unique core features such as fuel tracking or on-time delivery notifications. They must also establish relationships with partners that can offer specialized services, such as roadside assistance and insurance.
Risks And Challenges Of Building A Fleet Management Application
There are risks associated with fleet management apps, including the safety of passengers and drivers, sensitive personal information storage, driver safety records, and the safety of drivers.
Fleet management apps should verify users identities using an ID verification service. Also, ensure that the solution doesnt require drivers to be named during booking. Users should have strong customizablity privacy controls and the ability to disable GPS tracking.
Efficient Fleet Management Software has many benefits.
A fleet management software that is efficient routes can help with the following:
Low fuel consumption
The fleet management solution software will manage the vehicle and will reduce fuel consumption.
It will also be constantly updating the software to find ways to increase fuel efficiency. This includes destination path prediction. Destination Path Prediction is software that calculates the shortest route to the destination using low traffic.
As a primary factor, the shortest path calculation also includes the time it takes to get there.
Real-Time Tracking
Software tracks vehicles in real-time, making it more reliable. Customer service customer experience can also share real-time data with them so they can estimate pick up time and arrival at destination.
You are safe and secure.
The company keeps the details of all drivers who operate those vehicles. This makes it safe for passengers.
The company has all the details of every driver, so they can contact them if there is a problem. Because the vehicles location is already recorded under the software, the driver is also safe. The software will alert the team that controls the software if there are any anomalies.
This ensures both parties remain safe.
Who Really Needs Fleet Management Software?
Lets look at those companies/people who need fleet management software.
Corporate Fleet Companies
These companies manage large quantities of vehicles through corporate fleet companies.
These companies own many vehicles, which they rent out on a rental basis. It all depends on the length of the rental, the distance covered, and the type of vehicle that you choose to rent, whether it is a four-wheeler or a two-wheeler.
Transport and Logistic Companies
Companies that transport goods and services from one place to another are called Transport and Logistic Firms.
They transport items using vehicles and pick them up at the destination of the receiver. Logistic firms are online ordering platforms that allow you to order any item you wish and have them delivered to your home.
You can order from Amazon or Flipkart, among other places.
Flight and Aviation Companies
An aviation fleet is a group of many flights, usually military helicopters, that is headed by one person.
It is also known as the military flight of a country. It is a group of many flights controlled by one fleet management company.
Shipping and Marine Companies
Companies that supply large numbers of ships to their owners are called shipping and marine companies.
It offers shipping services to its owners around the globe. There are many services offered, from crew training to advanced features management requirements. Not only are ships required for commercial purposes, but they also serve national security purposes.
Select the Development Option
You should determine the most cost effective and appropriate option for your project management software provider before you begin developing custom-made software.
We will now briefly discuss 3 options available to you to build a custom logistics management system.
- Locate a technical partner/CTO
This means you can find a tech-savvy professional who is skilled in developing top fleet management software solutions for both technical and business sides.
Most often, you will find a partner by attending offline technical conferences/meetups and using online platforms that bring together top professionals from diverse backgrounds.
These are the most popular tech communities:
- Dev.to
- Angel.co
- CoFoundersLab
- Founders Nation
- Relevant Reddit subreddits.
It is expensive to hire a technical partner who can manage online fleet management software projects from A-Z embedding the correct business logic.
- Hire freelance development larger teams
While this option is more affordable, it comes with hidden dangers like a lack of transparency, control, missed deadlines, and low product quality.
These are the most popular platforms which provide top freelancers lists with ratings and testimonials:
- Upwork
- Freelancer.com
- Toptal
- Guru
- Fiverr.
We recommend that you find a team composed of freelance developers who have experience building similar online fleet management software solutions.
The tech pros will be able to identify your needs and even offer advice on other technology options.
- Outsource your fleet management software development needs to a company that specializes in this field
If you are looking for high-quality products, demand-based functionality, and staff training, hiring a reliable, experienced, and trustworthy development company is a good choice.
This option is not cheap at first, but it will pay off in the long term. Your system will be ready for any scaling or modification challenges.
We recommend that you first look at the portfolio of any software development company with which you are interested in partnering.
This will allow you to see what platforms they have built, the challenges they faced, the solutions provided and what business results achieved.
Ascendix Tech provides a detailed case study for Flibco.coms bus fleet management system design.
We cover all the challenges, solutions, and business results that resulted from building a bus ticket booking system.
The main challenges were:
- Migration of an outdated system to a modern solution
- Create powerful core tools for route generation
- Secure your home with advanced security management
- Cloud migration is possible with an advanced online ticket-booking software
- Integrate multi-payment functionality
- Use performance analytics tools to rank first.
These are the results that we delivered to Flibco:
- Software for booking bus tickets
- Management of tickets
- Integration with TomTom Services
- Integration with Google Maps
- Security Management
- Performance Analytics
- Integration of multi-payments
- Sign up intuitively
- Integration with Drupal CMS
Ascendix Tech Second, spare no time on reviewing the latest testimonials of a company so that you will know what customer specifications say about cooperation and other aspects they had while working with a specific technology provider.
You can also contact them to get more information about the cooperation and receive feedback that will assist you in making a better decision.
We have, for example, prepared an interview with Tobias Stueber (CEO of Flibco.com), where we discuss:
- Their core mission is their product
- Why did they choose Ascendix Tech?
- What challenges they faced, and how they came up with solutions using technology
- What have business results been achieved by bus fleet management software?
- What are Flibco.coms future basic plans?
You can also request a project discovery phase to see how a company approaches your business problems and the technology solutions that they offer to address them.
A fleet management software company can be a great fit for your business, regardless of what requirements you may have.
Ascendix Tech has prepared an in-depth article about the software project discovery.
This article answers the crucial question: "When and why do I really need a discovery stage for my specific project?"
Whats a fuel management system?
Modern fleet fuel management solution systems are made up of both software and hardware components, as mentioned previously.
The hardware uses a telematics device that transmits vehicle data via telecommunication devices. A fleet manager then receives the information and reviews it visually to determine fuel consumption and storage.
Digitalization is the future of efficiency. It means fleet managers no longer need to do everything manually.
It is much easier to understand your fuel-related costs, and ultimately reduce it, if you have all the data.
Why do you need to use a fuel management program?
Control fuel costs. Analyzing fuel data is the key. Its much easier to see the whole picture when you have a management system.
You will be able to see every detail regarding fuel transactions and compare fuel consumption with spending. You will be able to better understand your fleets fuel purchasing and take the necessary actions.
Prevent fuel theft. You can have constant monitoring of fuel levels in your vehicles so that you are notified when fuel leakage is detected.
The report by Softwareadvice states that 53% of fleet managers feel that fuel costs often exceed projections.
Create responsive driving. No more reckless speeding or abrupt braking. Its much easier to instill safe, fuel-efficient driving habits in your drivers when you do a thorough analysis of their driving behavior.
It is interesting to note that aggressive driving can be both dangerous and expensive.
Fuel economy has some interesting statistics: For instance, speeding or rapid acceleration can reduce gas mileage by almost 15% to 30% on the highway and 10% to 40% for stop-and-go traffic.
Manage fuel taxes. Dont waste time manually calculating taxes with outdated spreadsheets.
An FMS uses data from the vehicles GPS to calculate distance and fuel, ensuring accurate tax reports.
Benefits of using a fuel management software
Since 2022, fuel management systems have been robust enough to track actual consumption and refueling.
This is a common practice:
- Provides control over fuel purchases;
- Reduce fuel waste
- This program helps to improve the driving style and discipline of drivers.
- Reduces idle driving;
- This allows you to reduce CO2 emissions by comparing vehicle performance.
- Optimizes costs;
- Fuel reporting made easy
The most important benefits of fleet management software include improved budgeting, data analysis and cost estimation.
These systems reduce guesswork and eliminate the need for outdated spreadsheets to calculate.
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How to adopt an FMS
Data extraction
Multiple vendors offer the possibility to access data from mobile apps and fuel cards that drivers use.
Its also possible to access logs and International Fuel Tax Agreement reports. This approach can improve operational efficiency and reduce fuel extra costs. Although you wont be able to get exact insights, this approach is still valid, particularly for fleets that have limited budgets.
Integration
An electronic logging device, also known as an ELD, is a device that tracks hours of service (HOS).
This device provides driver behavior reports, but not online. These devices instead transfer data to a USB, so that you can inspect it for a period of time.
ELD in combination with telematics
This requires both hardware and software package. Telematics-powered infrastructure has the advantage of being able to collect data in real-time.
Youll also receive alerts and can set up predictive maintenance. This approach offers many customization options.
Five ways to optimize your fleet fuel management
- Analyze and monitor driver behavior: Research has shown that a drivers impact on fuel economy can be as high as 30%. An excellent telematics system must include driver behavior analytics. Look out for instances of speeding and hard braking. Also, look out for engine idling. In-cab hardware can also be used to alert drivers if they slip back into bad habits. You can use the reporting function to download reports on fleet issues and highlight any drivers with bad habits.
- Ensure that your employees communicate effectively. Studies repeatedly show that smoother drivers are more safe. Tell your employees how telematics, and driver behavior technology in particular, can help reduce the risk of them being in a collision.
- Take action if necessary Incentivising your employees is a great first step if your driver analytics reveal any issues. Driver behavior systems will calculate individual scores for each driver and generate a league table. This can be used to encourage friendly competition among employees by giving out prizes for Drivers of the Week. You may also need to invest in driver training for repeat offenders in exceptional cases.
- Maintain your fleet in top condition Every fleet manager knows that well-maintained vehicles are more efficient than neglected ones. Telematics can be used to alert the fleet manager of potential problems as soon as they occur. You can also integrate digital daily vehicle checks into your vehicle tracking system, which will help you keep track of fuel-wasting issues such as incorrect tire pressure. Trakm8 and other leading providers offer vehicle health alarms as part of their overall packages. The telematics device can be used as an early warning system, reading fault codes and notifying you immediately if there are any problems.
- Route optimization: Drivers may not always know the best routes. The software can reduce fleet mileage by as much as 18%. It is also called fleet scheduling. This software analyzes all fleet tasks and then allocates all tasks in a manner that maximizes vehicle utilisation, meets all customer specifications, and has the lowest cumulative mileage. You should look for a provider who offers a benchmarking service that is free. They will analyze your fleet data and show you the savings you can make. This will help you to build your business case for investment.
Conclusion
With the advent of new technologies, the transportation and logistics industry has seen a significant transformation.
IoT, GPS, etc. It has made it much easier for companies to track vital data about their vehicles. The industry has seen the rise of fleet management apps, which allow companies to access all information about their fleets from any location.
These apps offer a variety range of features, allowing companies to have real-time information on their fleets.
They can track the vehicle and communicate with drivers to schedule deliveries, check fuel consumption, monitor delivery times, keep detailed records of all deliveries made, routes taken, and keep track of any deliveries.
Drivers can use these apps to pay toll booths and send messages to admin for emergency situations. The entire transportation industry has a lot to gain from the development of fleet maintenance apps. These apps will be used to implement artificial intelligence and machine learning in the future, which will improve the efficiency of logistic companies
