If fleet management in urban areas is full of challenges, imagine what it's like in remote regions. Problems such as lack of communication signal, limited monitoring and operational risks hinder operational efficiency.
The good news is that there are solutions for this, ensuring control and security even in the most challenging scenarios. Let's understand how this works in practice.
What is shadow area?
What is the impact of the shadow area on fleet management?
What are the main challenges of fleet management in remote areas?
Best practices for remote fleet management
How does fleet management system communication work?
Technology for remote fleet management
Remote fleet management success story
What is shadow area?
Have you ever tried to use your cell phone in a remote location and realized that there was no signal? That was a shadowy area, a region where communication via GPRS (mobile data) does not work properly.
What are the causes of shadow area?
There are several factors that contribute to the existence of shadow areas and the causes can vary according to the region, the infrastructure and even the type of technology used for fleet management:
- Distance from transmission towers
Signal coverage may be lower or non-existent in very remote locations, such as on farms in the middle of the cerrado or in underground mining areas.
- Natural obstacles
Mountains, valleys and vegetation can block or weaken the communication signal. Tropical forests and mountainous regions, for example, are known to present these difficulties.
- Meteorological phenomena
Extreme weather conditions, such as electrical storms and blizzards, can affect the quality of the broadcast signal.
Read more: How to prepare your fleet to face adverse weather conditions
- Limited infrastructure
In some regions, the lack of investment in communication networks can limit coverage, as occurs in isolated communities or in offshore oil exploration areas.
What is the impact of the shadow area on fleet management?
When a vehicle enters a shadow area, sending data to the fleet management system is interrupted. This ends up generating problems such as:
- Lack of visibility
Managers are missing out on important performance and safety information. Imagine a farming fleet operating on a remote farm. Without up-to-date data, it can be difficult to identify where a tractor is or if there are any deviations along the route.
- Difficulty in route planning
Lack of location updates compromises strategic adjustments. This is especially critical for dangerous goods transportation operations, where any deviation poses risks.
- Generation of false events
Due to signal loss, there is a possibility of false events. This causes unnecessary alarms and interferes with decision-making, making team performance analysis less reliable.
What are the main challenges of fleet management in remote areas?
Uncovered areas are just one part of the challenges faced when managing fleets in remote locations. Other challenges include:
Road conditions
Dirt roads, mud, gravel and rough terrain require more robust and resistant vehicles, in addition to well-trained drivers for safe driving. All of this creates a series of high costs for the operation.
Limited monitoring of vehicles and drivers
Without constant connectivity, it is difficult to monitor the driver's behavior, fuel consumption, preventive maintenance and even the exact location of the vehicle.
Maintenance and operational safety
With unpaved roads, fleets operating in remote regions are more susceptible to wear and tear and mechanical failures. Without accurate data, the risks of accidents and emergency repair costs increase significantly.
Read more: Fleet maintenance plan: how to prepare and ensure greater safety in your operation
Best practices for remote fleet management
To optimize fleet management in hard-to-reach locations and overcome these challenges, it is essential to adopt good practices that ensure operational efficiency and safety. Some strategies include:
- Smart route planning
Our first suggestion is to use up-to-date maps and consider possible shadow areas to avoid surprises. More advanced fleet management systems help predict and minimize these problems.
- Rigorous preventive maintenance
Ensuring that your vehicle is always in good condition is an important step in reducing the risk of mechanical failure. In remote areas, a small problem can become a major inconvenience, as repair shops are often far away.
- Driver training
Another important step is to train drivers to deal with unexpected events. Not only teaching driving techniques, defensive driving, but also familiarization with emergency procedures and how to stay calm in stressful situations.
- Technology for control and monitoring
Having a fleet management system to ensure maximum information about the fleet, even in areas without signal, is essential. This allows for more complete analysis and safer decision-making.
- Data collection and analysis
Information is worth its weight in gold and can help optimize processes, reduce costs and increase operational efficiency. Mining companies, for example, can analyze historical data to improve transportation logistics within the mines.
Read more: Data-driven fleet management: what it is and how to implement it without errors
How does fleet management system communication work?
Fleet management systems use sensors and devices installed in vehicles to capture and transmit data such as location, speed, fuel consumption and driver behavior.
Typically, this data is sent via GPRS to a central system, where managers can access it without difficulty. But what about when there is no signal? That’s where the right technology makes all the difference.
Technology for remote fleet management
When it comes to fleet management in remote areas, traditional methods are inefficient and generate high operating costs. However, as we have made clear, investing in technology is the best choice to ensure greater control, safety and savings.
Telemetry with offline data storage
O telemetry system from Golfleet solves the issue of shadow areas in an intelligent way: the data captured by the system is stored on the equipment itself. Thus, even without a communication signal, the information is saved and, when the connection is reestablished, they are automatically sent to the system. This means that no data is lost.
Read more: All about telemetry: what it is, how it works and what the benefits are for fleet management
Video telemetry with Wi-Fi transmission
Another powerful solution for those working in remote locations is video telemetry system from Golfleet. In this case, The technology does not depend on the GPRS communication signal, as it works via Wi-Fi.
Information is stored and sent to the system thanks to the connection to the Wi-Fi network, ensuring faster and more accurate monitoring. It’s a great option for those who work in remote and difficult-to-access areas.
Remote fleet management success story
A Mosaic is one of the largest companies in the production and sale of minerals, operating in mining, production, import, sale and distribution of fertilizers for application in various agricultural crops.
Due to the nature of the work, the company was looking for solutions to improve its routine, ensure operational visibility with the acquisition of new vehicles and deal with the complexity of these assets.
“We no longer have problems with shadow areas or lack of vision over the operation”, highlights Priscila Cruz, fleet specialist.
That is, even in challenging and unpaved regions, where technology can generally encounter difficulties, Mosaic achieved the efficiency it needed with the help of Golfleet.
Read more: We are Experts: the importance of telemetry to optimize fleet management
This is just one example of how our solutions are decisive for companies operating in places where connectivity is a challenge, such as agribusiness, mining and forestry services.
Investing in technology is not just a matter of monitoring, but rather a strategy to increase efficiency, reduce costs and ensure greater security for everyone. With the use of appropriate tools, Your company has full control of the fleet, even in the most challenging locations.
If your fleet operates in hard-to-reach areas, you now know that you can transform your management with our systems. Want to know more? Get in touch and find out how we can help.
