Fleet Manager's Guide To IoT, Part II: Addressing The Challenges

By William Sandoval, VP Advanced Platform Applications, KORE

In Part I of our series on Fleet Management and IoT, we examined trends and challenges the industry must address, including logistical issues related to online shopping, driver shortages, driver safety and productivity, and fuel price volatility. In Part II, we will look at how IoT is helping to address these challenges.

The challenge: Online shopping

The IoT solution: Vehicle tracking and diagnostics

IoT-based vehicle tracking can solve a wide array of transportation and supply chain issues, including high demand generated by the boom in online shopping. Tracking devices are installed on vehicles, which then transmit locational and diagnostic data to the system via a cellular data connection so that Fleet Managers know exactly where their vehicles are at all times. By monitoring the vehicle’s location in real time, Fleet Managers can more accurately predict the estimated time of arrival, quickly devise new routes while juggling the impact of real-time trends in traffic and weather, and plan for other downstream supply chain activities.

Some businesses are also using tracking solutions to better communicate with customers and improve shopping experiences. Amazon, for example, recently announced its Map Tracking feature, which shares the real-time location of its delivery drivers with customers. This informs shoppers of how many stops the driver will make before reaching them, enabling buyers to more appropriately plan when they need to be home to receive packages.