Myths and Facts about Digitized Fleet Management

Technology is quickly taking over every sector and corner of operations across various industries. Even the education system has rapidly been adopting new technologies to advance the way kids and young adults learn. 

We’re all familiar with more popular digitization movements in education, such as e-learning, virtual tutoring, and cloud-based libraries. One up-and-coming digital transformation taking the education industry by storm is the fleet management and tracking system market- a way to track and monitor data on bus routes. 

The global fleet management software market is set to hit over $50 Billion by 2027, a CAGR of up to 16.8%. It’s safe to say the market is growing and growing fast, but the whole movement isn’t without its fair share of misconceptions. Here are some of the myths surrounding digitized fleet management that cause friction and the truth behind these misbeliefs.

Myth #1: Parents don’t think fleet management helps

While it’s true that most end-users, including parents, aren’t all too aware of the rising digital revolution that fleet management is experiencing, they do understand the importance of digital best practices. Digitized fleet management provides many benefits that would get parents on the bus (pun intended). They are essential to keep children safe successfully.

Using a fleet management database can help parents get real-time location information on their children, including boarding and drop-off times. Fleet app SafeBus, for instance, has a feature called Parent App, which gives parents access to the location and travel details of their children. With features that help provide parents with access to information about their children’s welfare, parents have all the reasons to believe that fleet management apps help a lot.

Myth #2: Not many organizations do fleet management

Another common misconception surrounding fleet management is that it isn’t used much yet, and thus doesn’t build a case of usage on the social proofing front. But numbers will show otherwise. In 2019, 86% of fleets were already using telematics technology. That number posts a significant uptick from just 48% in 2017.

More and more companies across various industries are starting to use digitized fleet management software. These businesses include logistics companies, field service agents, pharmaceutical sales reps, and many others. The education is quickly catching up as more schools start using fleet management tools for buses. 

Myth #3: Digitization is too complicated and fancy for schools

Most people who feel allergic to technology might have an issue or two with usability. But user experience has drastically improved over the years. The introduction of systems built for mobile and tablet devices makes navigation, use, and application a whole lot easier than before. Today, most systems and services are designed with the end-user in mind and can provide users with simple and even delightful experiences.

There’s no questioning that digitized fleet management meets an immediate need. It’s more than just another fancy way to keep board members, faculty, and PTA members entertained. They have real-case uses and provide intuitive solutions to many problems. For example, a fleet management system can help parents save time by informing parents when their kids’ buses are close by, helping them time when they’re supposed to meet them at bus stops.

Myth #4: It’s just an added cost

Contrary to common opinion, software like digitized fleet management tools doesn’t add to costs in the long term. They’ve actually been known to help reduce school bus operational costs. Through fleet management software, administrators and supervisors can help choose more efficient routes for their drivers. The better the route planning, the lesser the gasoline cost, which is one of the highest fixed expenses in school administration.

Moreover, 45% of companies using digitized fleet management said they’d achieved positive ROI in 11 months or less, up 18.4% from last year. It’s likely that schools will have anywhere close to those numbers as well.

Myth #5: All digitized fleet management software is the same

There are dozens of fleet management solutions available today, and they all have overlapping functions. But that doesn’t mean that every service provider is the same. In the same way that Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram are all social media channels but with different features, every digitized fleet management software has its own unique selling point.

If you want to compare options, check out these fleet management software examples, and find the one that best suits your school, organization, or company’s needs. It helps to know what functions and benefits you want to experience and then finding the tool that best suits those minimum requirements.

Digitized Fleet Management Still Getting Better

Vehicle tracking and fleet management in GIS continue to improve as technology becomes more robust. Thus schools will be more than happy to know that the digitized version of this management software will continue to get better. While there are, of course, some lapses in technology, these minor problems are negligible compared to the benefit that a cloud-based digital fleet system will provide. And with the tech still getting better by the day, it will only improve with time.