Step By Step Guide To Installing A GPS Tracking Device For Your Car Or Business Fleet

A GPS tracking device does a lot more for businesses than just tracking fleet members. Installing a vehicle tracking device in your fleet will ensure that your deliveries are made on time, and consignments aren’t lost. Sometimes you don’t get a clear picture of what’s going on on the road with your driver, which is where these devices come in handy.

Sometimes you may be victims of truck theft, which is where these prove to be useful by aiding in recovery and anti-theft. GPS tracking systems monitor driver behavior, explored routes and fuel usage too during the journey, and offer various solutions and benefits. A GPS tracking device works by picking up signals from the GPS satellite and sending real-time feedback about its locations to users. The location data is transmitted remotely over apps, and details about it are accessible on the Cloud. 

A geofence feature is included with these gadgets that enable users to map out zones and send them alerts whenever vehicles enter or exit them. 

Getting Started – Portable Vs. Hard-Wired GPS Trackers

Portable GPS trackers are more accessible and feature their own battery supply. You can install them at any location in your car, and they’re very easy to use. The problem is that they’re not discreet, but the good news is – they’re weather-proof. 

Hard-wired GPS trackers give more privacy and security to its users. If you don’t want your driver to know that you’re planting a tracking device in the car or truck, then these are great. Unfortunately, these trackers make use of the car’s built-in battery supply and have to be connected to it. Portable tracking devices don’t need their batteries to be changed every few months, unlike hard-wired GPS trackers. You can charge them up using your car’s USB or charging ports.

Installing Your GPS Tracking Device

Once you’ve decided if you’re going with a portable or hard-wired GPS tracking device and have your fleet tracking app or software ready, it’s time to get started. The installation process is very straightforward and won’t take you more than a few minutes.

Step 1 – Find An Ideal Location

The best location to install your tracking device is right below the car cabinet. This is where it’s most accessible. If you’re installing a hard-wired tracker, you’d be better off placing it inside the car’s dashboard where it’s out of view. You can also place the tracking device inside your car’s glove compartment.

Other good places to try out are under the car’s seats and below the brake light cover. You can also place it inside your speakers or inside the grill too, where there’s no heat. The ideal location in the car would be a spot where there’s no signal interference. You want your tracker to be able to pick up signals from the GPS satellite easily and give you a clear transmission. 

Car technicians advise installing portable trackers in the vehicle’s OBD-II port. This is the vehicle’s diagnostic port that’s commonly found in all vehicles manufactured before the year 1996. For hard-wired trackers, you will have to connect it to the car’s electrical supply system. The red wire should be present, and the black wire must connect below to the ground. Get the help of an expert for installing hard-wired trackers since it’s just not a matter of hooking them up to the vehicle but concealing them afterwards as well. 

Step 2 – Install The Software

After you have finished placing the tracking device and connecting the wires, it’s time to install the software. Before you can test out the device, make sure you have a tablet/Android/iOS smartphone. Install the GPS tracking app from Google Play Store, set up your account, and pair it to your tracking device.

You can refer to the device’s instruction manual or user guide for information on how to do this. After you’ve set up the software, you’ll have to test it out.

Step 3 – Test It Out

The best way to test out your tracking device is to take your vehicle out on the road. Drive it around and see if it’s found moving on the tracking device app. The real-time location of the vehicle should sync to your app without any problems. If there any delays in transmissions, the problem could be signal interference or poor-quality internet connection.  Portable trackers will instantly get working, but hard-wired trackers will give you the car’s position only when the engine is running.

Review the signal strength for your GPS tracker and make sure you download the latest software updates. Test out the app and see if you’re getting sent real-time alerts and notifications. Also, review the date and time settings and make sure they sync with your calendar. That’s important too, and you don’t want to miss that.

Step 4 – Optimize Your Routes And Try Out The App

When you start testing out your GPS fleet tracker, you’d be surprised to see how well it works. A good tip is to improve the navigation experience by optimizing your routes. You can set routes to specific locations to get your vehicles to select destinations faster. Explore the various features in the app and test them out one by one. If you get an error code for your vehicle while driving or run into any glitches, contact your customer care support. They will be happy to help you out and review the details. 

Some features you want to look into when trying out the app are displaying the vehicle’s mileage report, movement and tampering notifications, location history, and overall battery health.  If anything seems off, get in touch with the tracking device manufacturer and consult them.

Recommended Read: How to Keep Your Fleet Connected with a Fleet Tracking App

Conclusion

If you have any questions regarding setting up your tracking device, it’s best to consult your company’s vehicle technician. If you’re planning to install multiple trackers on different fleet vehicles, it’s a good idea to get help. Doing it solo is okay for one device, but for multiple trackers, you have to be choosy about the device placements, including your methods for concealing them.