Follow Your Shipments With Easy-To-Use GPS Tracking System

How Does GPS Tracking System Work?

GPS is dependent on Earth-orbiting satellites. These satellites circle above us continuously broadcast information about their locations and status.

To ensure accuracy and proper function, the GPS Master Control Station and other tracking and monitoring stations here on Earth are monitoring this constantly. 

Maintenance and correction are also performed at the Master Control Station in case of problems. GPS receivers on Earth can interpret each signal's unique data.

By mapping the sites of four or more satellites about the tracking device, it can triangulate its exact position in three-dimensional space. In many cases, satellites provide a more accurate location reading by validating the data.

Why Do You Need To Track Your Shipments?

GPS tracking is an essential tool for couriers and online merchants. There are several reasons why the tracking of shipments is vital, including

• It is reassuring to know that you can virtually follow your shipment in transit, allowing you to feel confident that your orders will arrive on time. 
• A tracking system provides a streamlined communication channel between online merchants, courier companies, and customers.
• Providing consistent tracking services allows online retailers to provide a high level of accountability to their customers. Your brand will increase customer confidence if you know where your parcel is. 
• The consistency of tracking allows both merchants and customers to know where each parcel is, reducing lost orders significantly.
• The ability to track your customer’s orders allows you to spot possible delays, and you can then take proactive measures to resolve them or appease your clients.
• Having accurate information regarding your customers’ orders during transit makes them happy. 
• Shipments tracking can make it easier to schedule and plan deliveries, allowing retailers to streamline their fulfillment processes. 

In addition to all of the above, tracking shipments allow you to maximize fulfillment, avoid unnecessary standoffs with customers and minimize delivery-related mistakes. 

The Legality of GPS Trackers

To use a GPS tracker to track your shipments, you need to learn about the legality of a GPS tracking system. 

GPS tracking devices are subject to legislation regarding how we can use them due to privacy concerns. Adding a GPS device to an asset or vehicle you own is entirely legal. 

When using a GPS tracking device on a person, vehicle, or property of another, make sure you check all relevant state, federal, and local laws.

New cases constantly change the law, so it's imperative to keep up with them.

Here's what you need to know.

• Using GPS tracking devices is legal if you or your business own the asset or vehicle being tracked.
• Employees must realize that they are being monitored while at work.
• Employers need to ensure their vehicle tracking solutions are used only for business-related purposes.

Use GPS tracking data transparently and clearly. A GPS tracking system can adversely affect employee morale, trust, and understanding and lower employee morale.

How to Track Your Shipments Using GPS?

Each GPS tracker is built upon several technological pillars:

• The container is connected to a smart device
• Using cloud-based platforms to collect, process, and share data
• APIs that are easy to integrate into different platforms
• A variety of communication protocols

An intelligent GPS device monitors the environment within a container by analyzing data from one or more embedded sensors and from remote sensors (if any).

In addition to attaching the device to the container, the installer tests its performance to ensure it works.

A platform that tracks IoT containers receives a message that contains the IoT device ID, the container ID, the installer ID, and the time and location.

These details are necessary to verify that followed the installation procedure and the pairing process was successful.

A device will periodically provide information on the container's physical condition while in transit. It is possible to configure the device to send thoughtful, contextualized information if the cargo owner provides information about the planned trip.

Ultimately, the system aims to provide data to every authorized stakeholder at any given time.

What Logistics Supply & Chain Problems Does GPS Tracking Solve?

GPS tracking would be hassle-free if one party were responsible for the entire shipping process. Realistically, it's not that simple. Shipping is a complex process full of uncertainty.

It is possible for several actors to perform shipping, each providing a different range of logistics services, depending on the complexity of the operation.

As logistics service layers increase, it becomes more difficult to oversee supply chain processes. Whenever there is a complicated arrangement with many steps, there is an excellent potential for a problem.

It is also difficult to ship perishable, temperature-sensitive items like food and pharmaceuticals due to a lack of reliable infrastructure. The manufacturer's responsibility is to transport such products, so the bulk of this responsibility lies with them.

However, if shipping isn't reliable, financial losses can be significant.

It is crucial to minimize costs and increase supply chain efficiency by reducing container dwell times.

Companies can benefit from implementing tracking technology for shipping containers by

• Speed Up Data Gathering: Devices with autonomous capabilities automatically track container locations and conditions.
• Enhance Operational Productivity: By following containers smartly, we optimize operations and reduce the risk of damaged or lost containers.
• Reduce Costs: A sensor system controls and monitors damage, temperature, and the open/close status of the door, preventing goods from spoiling and theft.
• Improve Safety & Security: In real-time, tracking technology provides information about the location and condition of containers.
• Increase the Quality of Service: Businesses can respond to the growing needs of their customers by better controlling their shipping processes.

Some Unique Applications of GPS Tracking Systems

There are some use cases of GPS Tracking that will surprise you. GPS tracking systems provide information more than locating data. How? Have a look!

Airport Ground Vehicle

Air travel and large airports are essential parts of modern society. These organizations facilitate trade tourism, create jobs, offer beneficial services, spur economic growth, and complement country budgets. 

Air transport is a precarious and complicated business at the same time. Thus, comprehensive airport ground vehicle and asset tracking and monitoring have become more of a necessity than an attractive option.

Vehicle GPS Tracking for Motorsport

A rally-type event is popular in motorsport in many countries. As long as fans have followed motorsports, they have known that there is almost nothing more captivating than watching a competing motorbike or car run a tricky section of the track while spewing gravel and dust. 

Additionally, relevant data tracking and monitoring for accurate results, timely technical and medical support, and appropriate safety measures are vital.

Temperature Tracking

The temperature tracking and monitoring industry has a multibillion-dollar economic and environmental impact. It is undergoing constant change and adaptation to meet the needs of consumers.

Nevertheless, cold chain logistics fleets need to use innovative and efficient solutions to remain competitive and profitable. GPS trackers, combined with Bluetooth technology, offer new possibilities for monitoring fleets and goods.

Construction Tools Tracking

The construction industry serves as a critical driver of economic growth in any society, significantly contributing to the development of a nation or region. Managing tools is a vital aspect of the construction industry, not only to avoid thefts but also to maintain profitability. 

With the combination of wireless technology and GPS tracking devices, we can monitor construction sites differently and more effectively.

Goods Tracking

Globalization has triggered the online shopping boom, increased delivery services, and presented significant challenges. Innovative and efficient solutions are needed by delivery businesses to remain competitive and profitable.

With wireless Bluetooth technology and process monitoring and automation, the vehicle telematics industry has been given a new perspective, creating a significant difference. 

Trailers Tracking

Logistics play an integral role in an economy, from trade to manufacturing to agriculture to e-commerce and services. It is imperative to manage trailers efficiently to remain competitive and profitable in the transportation system. 

By combining Bluetooth technology with GPS tracking, wireless fleet tracking opens up significantly more opportunities. 

8 Key Benefits of Using GPS Tracking System

GPS tracking is a crucial component of transportation companies. Let's find out its advantages in the business world!

• Reduce Operation Expenses

The use of a fleet tracking system will reduce costs, including reduced fuel costs, fewer repair costs, decreased vehicle downtime, and reduced insurance costs.

You can reduce administrative costs, save on tax software, and take advantage of other tools provided by fleet management software.

•  Provide Real-Time Data

A fleet manager's job is to find ways to improve your fleet's efficiency. GPS tracking allows you to keep track of everything. In addition, it includes current location, vehicle speed, stops, idle time, and unnecessary use.

Additionally, you receive automated fleet reports and notifications in real-time. Fleet managers will hold anyone accountable with real-time GPS data, making life much easier for them.

• Enhance Safety Measures

Since fleet managers monitor drivers' driving with GPS tracking, they are generally more responsible when using the tracking device. It is not uncommon for fleet software solutions to include hardware for monitoring drivers, too.

The software prevents driving behaviors such as speeding, abrupt stops, unnecessary idling, and detours from the optimal route. A driver's lousy behavior increases the risk of an accident.

A fleet manager can also find out where their vehicles are in an emergency, such as a broken-down engine. Therefore, you can quickly call roadside assistance and a service call before things worsen.

• Avoid Traffic Violation

GPS tracking device is one of the more underrated benefits in preventing traffic violations. When it comes to traffic tickets, you can use camera-based evidence and tracking devices to prove your case.

If the vehicle was reported to be speeding by the police, the GPS fleet tracker could display the car's speed at a particular time. You may find out that the driver was wrongly accused because they weren't driving at that time.

• Improve Communication

A business operates more efficiently when it communicates effectively. It is sometimes necessary for drivers and dispatchers to communicate directly. The dispatcher's responsibility is to assign other drivers to a tied-up driver.

The customer will suffer a negative experience if tracking and communication systems are unreliable.

• Optimize Fuel Usage

While you cannot control the price of a case, you can make sure that you use fuel efficiently. You can use GPS technology to optimize each vehicle's route to reduce fuel consumption.

Furthermore, GPS fleet tracking will reduce fuel costs because it will alert you if any of your drivers are doing anything wrong such as speeding, unnecessary idling, or unauthorized usage.

• Real-time Alerts

GPS trackers allow drivers to be alerted when their vehicles enter or leave a job site. It is easier to reduce administrative work when this information arrives in real-time. 

For example, fleet managers can notify receivers and shippers when vehicles arrive at a facility based on geo-fenced alerts with this data.

Wind Up

By installing GPS tracking systems for your business, you are able to make better decisions, save time and money, and earn a higher profit. Tracking shipments by using a GPS tracker is not as easy as you think, but I hope this guide will help you more to understand. 

However, it has a lot of benefits to using GPS trackers. There are many unique applications for these tiny trackers. You can get a customized device suited to a particular purpose, or you can use your smartphone's GPS for general purposes. The most essential thing is that you don't need a mobile signal for the GPS to work.