Software Continues to Drive Fleet Payment Solutions

Best Choices in Fleet and Payment Solutions

When most people hear the word fleet, they think of a quantity of ships moving together under a single command. The reason we associate the word fleet with ships is simple — it comes from the Old English term fleot for floating vessel, ship or raft. It also held meaning as an inlet, flow of water or stream, as well as an adjective meaning swift-moving. So the association with naval ships makes sense. However, the definition has evolved over the centuries and is familiar today in describing a quantity of most large vehicles, including tractor trailer trucks. In fact, the real impression the word “fleet” conjures now is in reference to the physical management of the vehicles as they operate together under the same guidance or ownership. Today software drives most of the logistics of the vehicle/hardware — software in many forms, not the least of which is fleet payment software.

Dispatch Is the Lifeblood of a Trucking Company

Large company or small, flawless dispatch capabilities can differentiate a company from its competition. Trucking companies know this, which is why most of them rely on state-of-the-art software to help manage their moving assets and vehicles. Just as with any technology, whether hardware or software, companies have many choices, and what most need to consider is how comprehensive the software is, what it can handle, and how many aspects of the company it touches. Many dispatch software options include routing, scheduling and monitoring, while others go further and offer integrated accounting and fleet payment solutions. The standard is to choose the best software with a focus on the moving assets and leave fleet payment to the fleet payment professionals. Let’s take a look at what the best dispatch solutions can offer.

The Top 5 Trucking Dispatch Software Solutions

1. Samsara is a cloud-based fleet management solution that offers features such as GPS tracking, trailer tracking, dashboard camera, routing and dispatch, reefer monitoring and more. It is designed to help small and midsize fleet business operators track the physical location of their fleets and monitor their drivers’ behavior so as to stay compliant with ELD and FMCSA regulations. The installed GPS device provides real-time traffic updates and displays the best available route to drivers. It collects data on unnecessary halts, vehicle performance, breakdowns and fuel waste for back-office managers. The solution combines hours of service with the GPS tracker and other sensors installed in the vehicle to record the driver’s working hours for HoS logging and ELD mandate.

2. Verizon Connect Reveal is a cloud-based fleet management solution suitable for small and mid-sized companies. Users can view all drivers on a map and automatically detect their behavior such as harsh braking, quick starts, hard cornering and other vehicle misuses. The solution sends real-time push alerts to notify dispatchers and supervisors of dangerous driver behavior. It provides a dynamic map view of drivers so that dispatchers are able to quote arrival time to customers.

Verizon Connect Reveal provides mobile apps for iOS and Android devices so drivers can track their own performance through a smartphone. Once drivers log in, they can view nearby company vehicles and receive their assignment. The Today view shows them what stops are scheduled and a scorecard comparing with other drivers using metrics such as number of stops, idling and speeding. The mobile app provides turn-by-turn navigation through Google maps.

3. AUTOsist is a cloud-based fleet maintenance management solution for businesses of all sizes and types. Key features include maintenance tracking and reminders, inspection checklists, fuel tracking, records management and reporting.

AUTOsist includes dedicated service areas to track service and maintenance records as well as fill-ups. Receipts can be attached to monitor budget and mileage. Managers can assign users to vehicles and other assets with permission control. Recurring reminders can be set up for important tasks by mileage and date with the ability to notify multiple users.

4. Silent Passenger from Vehicle Tracking Solutions is a cloud-based fleet management solution that offers resources for tracking and managing moving assets and vehicles. It is designed to serve businesses of all sizes across construction, field service, utility and delivery.

Using the built-in Google Maps functionality, users can pinpoint the location of their fleets. The split screen views and real-time monitoring assist in tracking multiple vehicles in different regions simultaneously on a single screen. Businesses can also keep records of fleet maintenance and plan their maintenance schedules and budgets.

5. Dossier is a hybrid fleet maintenance solution that helps fleet owners and managers manage business operations involved in maintaining a fleet. Key features include a central automated dashboard, predictive scheduling and maintenance and performance analysis.

Dossier fleet maintenance management solution is designed to help executives, fleet managers and line staff capture, measure and analyze the dynamics of their company’s fleet maintenance and operating costs. It also provides reporting capabilities with decision support tools.

Fleet Payment Is the Heart

Dispatch capabilities may be the lifeblood of the trucking company, but fleet payment is the heart. A robust and fit fleet payment solution is not just smart – it can also determine the life of the company. Fleet payment companies like EFS have evolved to help keep a company strong by keeping payment efficient, consistent and reliable. A delivery is only as good as the payment provided and the same can be said for the driver. Fleet managers rely on consistent payment to maintain the business while the driver relies not only on payment for delivery but also on a steady and consistent payroll and a dependable resource for fuel purchase. EFS can provide all of these and more. Payment is the conduit to every transaction. EFS can provide the tools and the systems that keep the conduit clear and unobstructed and so keep the company moving.

So, while dispatch software can maintain and manage scheduling, tracking and maintenance, fleet payment software can manage and maintain fuel purchases, expense management, vendor payment and more while generating data that can inform smarter decisions for sustainability today and strategies for growth in the future.

RESOURCES:

https://www.etymonline.com/word/fleet

https://www.rtsfinancial.com/articles/dispatch-software-products-trucking-companies

https://www.softwareadvice.com/fleet-management/trucking-dispatch-comparison/

https://www.fleetowner.com/technology/7-truck-technologies-you-need-and-why