Use of RFID technology in supply chain, logistics, and transportation industry has successfully cut the manual, labor intensive work of keeping track of consignments coming in and going out, keeping records of vehicles timely delivering packages and more importantly keeping record of your fleet.
Fleet management is an essential aspect in supply chain and transportation as moving goods and people from one place to another is the core function in such businesses. Take for example, the car rental companies for transportation and truck rental companies for logistics and supply chains.
Car rental companies need RFID technology to accomplish tasks such as keeping records of all the vehicles, drivers assigned to each vehicles and their timely availability. Apart from that RFID is also useful in capturing data and providing insights and reports on vehicle usage, maintenance and security.
RFID is an AIDC technology which means it can ensure automatic data collection and identification. Use of RFID tags on vehicles provides car rental companies with enough data on vehicles coming in and going out the facility. Same goes with truck rental companies that need to maintain large fleet of trucks to cater to the needs of supply chain and logistics clients. Keeping accurate data on each truck and its availability in the compound is essential to businesses that rent trucks.
RFID has emerged as a revolutionary technology in fleet management. it has successfully streamlined fleet management offering accurate data collection from vehicles, their availability, their usage, keeping track of their time on road, ensuring attendance of drivers assigned to each vehicles as well as keeping tabs on vehicle maintenance scheduled among many other things.
Let’s see how RFID Fleet Management works in detail:
What is RFID Fleet Management System?
Fleet management is basically maintaining and managing a fleet of vehicles such as cars, truckers and even two-wheelers. Many companies that are into vehicle rentals as well as cab services maintain a big fleet of vehicles to provide efficient services.
As it happens, managing a big fleet is not easy and needs technology integration to make the process of fleet management seamless and efficient. An RFID-based fleet management leverages RFID technology to keep tracks of all the vehicles in the fleet. The fleet management requires tagging each vehicle with RFID tags (RFID windshield tags and RFID tire tags) and encoding each tag with certain identifier data. The data is then saved in the RFID fleet management system data base to ensure correct identification when the vehicles enter a company compound.
Use of UHF RFID fixed Readers and RFID handheld readers as well as RFID antennas is another aspect of RFID based fleet management system. When a vehicle enters or leaves the company premises, the data from each RFID tag on vehicle windshield or vehicle tire is captured, either by RFID handheld readers or RFID fixed readers mounted at various locations. Placement of RFID antennas at specific points makes it easier to capture accurate details and not miss any vehicle.
The fleet management software system supports data integration with other existing software infrastructure and allows for valuable insights and reports on vehicles, their movement and their utilization.
Components of RFID based Fleet Management System
The RFID-based fleet management system has several components that come together to not only collect data automatically but to provide valuable information about the fleet. These components include:
1. RFID windshield tags, RFID tire tags
2. RFID fixed readers and handheld readers.
3. RFID antennas
4. RFID Software system
5. RFID printers for printing on RFID tags and for encoding purposes.
Benefits of RFID based Fleet Management System
The RFID-based fleet management system benefits businesses in trucking and car fleet management in several ways, allowing them to monitor fleet, keep record of all the drivers and associates associated with each vehicle. It ensures vehicle security and to some extent, security of goods and individuals on the vehicle.
Following are prominent benefits of RFID based fleet management system:
1. Accurate records of total no. of vehicles
2. Accurate data on total vehicles present in the compound at any time of the day
3. Records of vehicles on road
4. RFID based fleet management system also provides data on vehicle drivers and their attendance throughout the month
5. Streamlined vehicle rental activities
6. Security of vehicles, goods and individuals with RFID data collection
7. Accurate record on vehicles coming in and going out of vehicle repair shops for maintenance.
8. Data on vehicle utilization and maintenance scheduling
9. Accurate data on vehicle lifecycle
10. Real-time visibility into the fleet
11. Reduced losses due to minimized human errors
12. Reduced labor force needed maintain the fleet
13. With streamlined fleet management, higher customer satisfaction and growth.
To conclude, Fleet management with the help of an RFID based fleet management system allows for a streamlined fleet, whether it is trucks for supply chains and logistics businesses or cars for car rental services or cab services. Keeping accurate data on total no. of vehicles present at any particular centre associated with the business is an absolute necessity and RFID based fleet management system can facilitate the same.
Moreover, fleet management also ensures accurate data and insights on vehicle utilization, enabling prompt maintenance scheduling to ensure safety of drivers and passengers.
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