Sep 30, 2021

Can I Self Fit a Tracking Device?

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Vehicle tracking is a fantastic way to manage your company’s fleet of vehicles, helping your operations to become much more efficient, cost-effective and streamlined. However, one reason many fleet managers choose not to implement vehicle tracking is because they worry about having their vehicles off the roads during the time it takes to install the devices. If you’re looking to implement vehicle tracking in your business but are concerned about the time it takes to install the devices, Fleetsmart has the solution for you.

What Does Vehicle Tracking Installation Typically Involve?

Our install team is able to fit our standard tracking devices to any vehicle with a typical 12-24V battery. This includes trucks, vans, cars and plant machinery. Trailers can also be tracked when joined to a vehicle as the device is connected to the power loom inside the trailer which draws power from the vehicle.

When installing a fleet tracking device, our qualified auto electricians usually install the equipment out of sight behind the vehicle dashboard so there is no visible wiring or antennae. This is to prevent the risk of thieves or drivers tampering with the device.

We also offer self-install plug & play devices which users can easily connect via the onboard vehicle diagnostic port. These can usually be found in the driver/passenger’s footwell or in the glove compartment.

How Long Does Vehicle Tracking Installation Usually Take?

When installed by our qualified auto-electricians, the job usually takes between 30-45 minutes per vehicle, though we’ll typically book a 1 hour appointment with you to ensure we have plenty of time without the need to rush. This means your vehicles should be off and back on the road in under an hour, ensuring your business can continue to run with very little disruption.

Installations with optional add-ons such as remote immobilisation, in-vehicle cameras and driver identification can take longer, so it’s worth bearing this in mind when planning time off the road for your vehicles if you would like to implement these additional features. If you have a fleet of vehicles that require vehicle tracking, our team will give you a rough estimate of the time they think it will take to complete the installations.

Self-install plug & play devices can be installed and set up in a matter of minutes, so if time off the roads is a serious concern, this may be the best option for your business.

How Can Vehicle Tracking Benefit My Business?

Vehicle tracking has a number of benefits for businesses, including reduced operating costs, greater fuel efficiency, improved security, lower insurance costs and safer driving. In fact, we typically expect you to get a return on your investment within 90 days of installation, including initial payments and a full year’s subscription. Fleets with a more significant potential for improvement can usually expect a much quicker return on investment with each vehicle saving between £1,000-£2,000 on average per annum.

This is why you shouldn’t be worried about taking your vehicles off the road for a very short period of time to have vehicle trackers installed as the long term savings and improvement to operations greatly outweigh any time and money potentially lost during installation.

For more tips on Fleet Management and Vehicle Tracking, why not take a look at our blog or to find out more by getting in touch with one of our helpful team members who will be happy to answer any questions you may have.