GPS for Municipalities: How Government Vehicle Tracking Can Serve Local Communities Rastrac Team | Mar 9, 2023 1:30:00 PM

GPS asset protection solutions for governments and municipalities help to improve day-to-day functions such as compliance, inventory management, and employee tracking. 

However, finding a cost-effective solution can be challenging if you’re unfamiliar with some technologies that can help municipalities manage their fleets. Geofencing, dashcams, and web-based mapping can all help notify team members when high-value items like vehicles or other equipment assets move around your municipality. To enhance public services, everything can be tracked on your smartphone, tablet, or desktop.

Overview of government vehicle tracking 

Government vehicle tracking is incredibly important since the assets are expensive and publicly funded. Given that funds are limited and all costs need to be transparent and justified, using the latest GPS technology can be an excellent way for local governments to show they care about improving services while simultaneously minimizing costs for taxpayers.

The right asset management solution can also help local governments determine where to allocate resources for the most efficient results. GPS tracking can help fleet managers streamline operations for municipal fleet management, reducing waste in terms of fuel costs and, even more importantly, your drivers’ time.  

Benefits of using GPS technology to track vehicles 

GPS technology like StreetComplete can help with controlling high fuel costs, monitoring driver behavior, emergency road service and maintenance, route efficiency, and managing problems or breakdowns on the road. GPS technology is a game changer for sanitation services, snowplows, and even law enforcement since it allows for real-time knowledge of all municipality field assets (like dump trucks, road maintenance trucks, fire trucks, etc.) and helps to optimize route planning. 

Another benefit is more effective time management. GPS tracking systems can help fleet managers determine when a vehicle has passed through an area and how much time has elapsed since to plan when vehicles should go back for snow removal or street cleaning. The same goes for policing. Management can see when and where all patrol vehicles are to ensure they devote the right amount of time to the areas where they are needed most. For GPS trackers with diagnostic capabilities, fleet managers can also be alerted when a vehicle’s engine is having trouble sending backup immediately as needed and to protect public safety and assets.

• Significant productivity gains in terms of time, equipment, and labor required.
• Fewer operational limitations compared to conventional techniques.
• Accurate positioning of physical features that can be used in maps and models.
• Faster delivery of geographic information needed by decision-makers.

Types of vehicle tracking systems available 

There are a number of vehicle tracking systems available for municipalities to manage their fleets. Radiofrequency identification (RFID) uses two main components: an RFID tag and a scanner. The tag contains an antenna for sending and receiving radio signals and a small chip, which stores the information related to the broadcast. The tags help secure valuable assets and can be particularly useful for managing supply chain assets. 

A step above of RFID is radio tracking, FID tags rely on an external power source, and radio trackers have a power source installed, dramatically increasing the range of the signals it can transmit. The transmission is directional, which means you can approximate the object's location, tracked through signal strength estimation or triangulation. 

Then we have near-field communication (NFC), a passive RFID technology integrated into most modern smartphones. It has recently gained popularity thanks to its adoption in modern ticketing and contactless payment systems. It is energy-efficient, inexpensive to implement, and highly accurate. 

Geofencing is another technology that helps with municipal fleet management. It involves setting up automated boundaries that specific vehicles may or may not be allowed to cross. It involves using a GPS or RFID application that alerts you of specific user behaviors. For example, within the context of marketing, this could mean that as soon as a potential customer is near your business, they could receive a text alert of a sale or promotion. By the same token, within a fleet management context, it means that once a driver or rental customer crosses a preset boundary, they’ll receive a notification informing them of potential perils and to return to the agreed-upon location. 

Challenges associated with implementing a government vehicle tracking system

So we’re all in agreement that GPS tracking systems for local municipal fleet management is a step in the right direction. However, some common challenges persist when implementing a new GPS tracking system. Cold starts, not enough satellites, poor hardware, GPS device battery issues, multipath signals, GPS drift, lost signals, and GPS bounce can all occur, throwing a wrench into operations and potentially giving local government a poor image. 

When choosing your local government vehicle tracking system, be sure you’re partnering with an organization with a proven track record of functional technology, and a backup plan for when said technology could fail. Implementing GPS tracking systems that are connected to your network also means opening your network to cybersecurity vulnerabilities, so you’ll need to work with professionals who have experience and are ahead of the curve when it comes to security.

Best practices for setting up a successful government vehicle tracking system 

Start with evaluating your government’s need for a GPS vehicle tracking system. Knowing what you need will help you determine which features are most important to you and make it easier to narrow down your options. Identify where your fleet managers spend most of their time (and resources) to determine where implementing new technologies will be of best use. 

You’ll need to compare various systems and options and weight what is available against where your fleet managers need support. Not all vehicle tracking systems are the same, and each has its benefits and different characteristics, so make sure to compare and contrast the different options and read reviews to find the best system that best meets your needs. This will help ensure that you get the best system for your needs and budget.

Educating employees about the new technology system you decide to implement is also critical for effective use and security. Help employees understand what is in store with new systems. It  will lead to less uncertainty when rolling out this new technology across all departments, which could lead to some frustration or confusion among those who do not know how things work yet!