A system of fleet control management It is an indispensable tool these days. There are several tools for this, among which three stand out: tracking, monitoring and telemetry.
This is true not just because technology is an ally when it comes to reducing operating expenses, but for the fact that perform logistics operations safely and quickly.
However, fleet managers are faced with several questions when choosing which tool to use in their operations, such as “What is the ideal technology for managing the cars in my fleet?” or “How can I understand my fleet problem and solve it according to market options?”.
Many of the manager's doubts have their origin in the size of the responsibility that this function brings with it, which ranges from issues such as hiring and supervising drivers to scheduling the necessary maintenance of all vehicles.
So, with the aim of clarifying these doubts and facilitating the work of the fleet manager, we prepared this article with the differences between tracking, monitoring and telemetry.
Thus, the person responsible for controlling and monitoring vehicles will be able to make the right decisions when choosing a fleet control system.
What is tracking?
Monitoring: how does it work?
Telemetry: how does this tool help in fleet management?
Which system is right for my business?
What is tracking?

In this sense, the purpose of this tool is to recover the vehicles in case of robberies and thefts and may also help in planning more strategic routes and controlling stops.
Thus, the manager analyzes the displacement of the fleet and also the service points of the field team. The main benefits of tracking consist of:
- Fleet size management;
- Overview of displacements;
- Analysis of strategic routes;
- Time in the field;
- stopping points;
- Journey time control.
An advantage of tracking is to follow the vehicle 24 hours a day. In addition to controlling the location of the vehicle, tracking still allows analyze the speed of the entire fleet per km/h at certain points.
This tool also reveals his location history and actions by period.
For this reason, this monitoring technology is frequently used in robbery and theft operations, since knowing the location of the vehicle is extremely urgent.
In conclusion, tracking works as a security measure that, when exploited, allows managing small logistics operations.
Monitoring: how does it work in fleet management?
Monitoring consists of observe the load, the vehicle and the driver throughout the journey to be carried out, from loading to delivery at the final destination.
This tool is usually administered by companies known as risk managers, which monitor the vehicle.
Such companies operate in order to collect and analyze information about the route, with the objective of predicting path deviations, in order to avoid delays.
In addition, monitoring assists the driver in risk situations or support points when necessary.
The monitoring differential is notify those responsible for the fleet of an unexpected or unwanted event and that calls for immediate intervention.
As examples of such situations, it is relevant to mention robberies, kidnappings, breakdowns, congestion or other problems that may occur during transport.
Another point to be highlighted is the combination of different technologies so that monitoring can take place.
Generally GPS and GPRS systems, radio frequency signals, video camera and telephony equipment, such as cell phones, are used.
Some of the benefits of monitoring are:
- Monitor the load in real time in the business area and also in the field;
- Prepare for risky situations;
- Record monitoring images for future use;
- Review the shipment and ensure it arrives safely and without delay.
It is possible to note that the main difference between tracking and monitoring systems is the fact that the latter is more sophisticated.
While the tracking system informs the locations where a vehicle has passed, the monitoring technology allows specifying the whereabouts of fleets in real time.
Also, a monitoring system helps the manager to understand the reasons for any delay or if there was any deviation or problem on the route.
Therefore, monitoring technology is indispensable for efficient fleet management.
There is also an even more robust option that allows not only to determine the position of the vehicle in real time, but also to provide specific information about the vehicle and its driver.
This option is called telemetry, a technology that connects the moving vehicle with a central management.
Learn more about it in the article: Telemetry: how does this tool help in fleet management?
Telemetry: how does this tool help in fleet management?
Telemetry is a technology that brings a more complete software when it comes to cost and risk management of the fleet, since it allows the manager a holistic view, that is, complete, of his operation.
While monitoring and tracking are focused on the vehicle, telemetry has driver behavior information as a differential, with a focus on taking care of the lives of people in traffic.
Therefore, telemetry is a method of collecting and sending data remotely, which allows extracting relevant data on the state of the vehicle and the behavior of the driver.
In addition to acting to improve the performance of its drivers, telemetry enables the manager to work strategically and gain new positions within the company.
This is possible due to the management of key indicators and the opportunity to save resources, which makes the operation more dynamic and productive. With this technology, the manager has the power to:
- Manage by indicators (kilometers traveled, infractions, fuel costs, among others) per driver;
- Analyze the speeding committed;
- Reduce accident risks, number of claims and fines;
- Evaluate travel time and distances travelled;
- Identify violations of acceleration and sudden braking, as well as the execution of inappropriate curves;
- Reduce costs with corrective maintenance;
- Plan preventive maintenance and demobilization of the fleet;
- Know the stopped time of the vehicle with the engine running;
- Reduce costs with trips made inside and outside business hours;
- Identify drivers in operations that have a pool of vehicles;
- Work with custom alerts in order to simplify communication between the team.
In addition to full access to the driver and vehicle running, telemetry also enables integrated fuel management, with information on:
- Consumption averages per vehicle;
- Average price per litre;
- Expenses by type of fuel or establishment;
- Identification of possible fraud, suspicious supplies and vehicles below or above the normal consumption average.
To conclude, telemetry allows total control of the fleet and enables constant monitoring of each vehicle and driver, in real time.
Learn more about this tool in the article: Which system is right for my business?
Choosing a vehicle management system will depend on the needs of the company and the size of the fleet.
Tracking is recommended for smaller fleets and meet the need for more simplified control of the operation.
In cases of robberies and thefts, the tools act as a necessary and indispensable protection for the safety not only of the vehicle, but of the driver as well.
If your company's fleet management the manager needs greater control over the logistics operation, telemetry is the recommended technology, as it is a more complete system, with advanced indicators of driver behavior.
Vehicle monitoring through telemetry enables the maximum performance of your fleet, as it sends real-time notifications in faulty situations and, as it monitors the vehicle constantly and uninterruptedly, it has preventive action.
That is, how is the monitoring of the vehicle performance and behavior, it is easier to have an optimized management to reduce costs.
When it comes to telemetry, the Golfleet is responsible for creating a revolutionary software: golfleet, a 100% customizable system, in which each dashboard allows the organization and analysis of information about the fleet in an intelligent way.
Our platform allows you not only to carry out fuel management in an integrated way with the supply card company, but also to generate and extract personalized reports.
Such functionalities, combined, make it possible to understand the behavior of each driver, which includes data that indicate the speed on different roads.
Thus, Golfleet was born with the purpose of taking care of the lives of people in traffic, and allows the manager, and the entire company, to avoid accidents and reduce various operating costs.
However, most importantly, the system allows lives to be saved, as the main objective of the system is to promote safe transit.
Does your company have telemetry? Do you know how it works? Talk to one of our experts and find out what Golfleet can do for your fleet management.
