A 2016 Equipment Theft Report from the National Equipment Register (NER) and the National Insurance Crime Bureau states more than 121,000 equipment thefts were reported in the NER database alone for a single year. Don’t be a statistic. Employ GPS tracking solutions to stay in the know with equipment and fleet whereabouts. Reza Hemmati of Spireon shares his insights on the issue.
MWS: WHEN CONSTRUCTION IS HALTED DUE TO BUDGET ISSUES, WEATHER CONDITIONS, OR EVEN A PANDEMIC, WHAT IS SOMETHING CONTACTORS SHOULD BE AWARE OF THAT IS OFTEN OVERLOOKED?
HEMMATI: No matter the reason, when construction is halted and equipment sits idle, the risk of theft and misuse greatly increases. In both instances, receiving a notification when a piece of equipment experiences unauthorized movement, either due to theft or employee misuse on side jobs, is invaluable. With the average stolen equipment value at just under $30,000, it’s imperative fleet managers have visibility to not only keep their equipment safe but bottom line profitable.
MWS: WHAT ARE STEPS MANAGERS CAN TAKE TO COMBAT THIS WIDESPREAD ISSUE?
HEMMATI: GPS tracking solutions like Spireon’s allow managers to combat this issue in multiple ways. First, they can establish geofences around storage yards that generate alerts when equipment enters or exits the yard. They can also generate alerts when equipment moves at all. Even if a telematics device is tampered with, an alert can be set to notify the manager that it’s been disconnected so that the manager knows something is awry. Having the ability to intervene before it’s too late leads to much faster recovery rates. According to the National Equipment Register, delays in reporting are one of the main reasons for low recovery rates. GPS allows real-time tracking so that if theft happens, law enforcement can leverage location data and track down valuable assets. An added benefit is that anti-theft devices can lead to a 5 to 15% reduction in insurance costs.
MWS: HOW HAVE CUSTOMERS RESPONDED TO SPIREON’S TECHNOLOGY?
HEMMATI: One customer, Julian Shanks, a crew leader for CSL Services, Inc. says, “No vehicle or driver will ever be lost as long as you have this service.”
MWS: ASIDE FROM EQUIPMENT LOCATION TRACKING, WHAT ARE OTHER WAYS SPIREON BENEFITS CONSTRUCTION MANAGERS?
HEMMATI: Beyond traditional GPS tracking of vehicles, Spireon also provides visibility into workers’ whereabouts. With telematics, managers can know when workers arrive and leave jobsites, prevent workers from using trucks, haulers, or equipment for side jobs, and monitor for misuse of fuel cards. Many managers use telematics to ensure their drivers are using their fleet assets safely, as well as to verify the number of hours being worked in a day to reduce unearned wage payments.
MWS: WHY IS ASSET-USE TRACKING IMPORTANT FOR CONSTRUCTION MANAGERS?
HEMMATI: When construction project schedules become erratic, it’s impossible to stay on top of required maintenance on your equipment. With FleetLocate®, Spireon monitors engine hours, so you know exactly how long a piece of equipment was used and when it’s ready for maintenance.
MWS: WHY IS SPIREON TECHNOLOGY PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT IN 2020?
HEMMATI: With margins tight and schedules unpredictable due to COVID-19, it’s more important than ever to maximize efficiency in your construction fleet. Spireon’s technology helps businesses reduce equipment downtime due to missed maintenance, ensure workers are where they are supposed to be and for the proper amount of time, and keeps trucks and construction equipment safe from theft and misuse.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Reza Hemmati is the VP of product management at Spireon, the vehicle intelligence company. Leading the development of FleetLocate products, Reza helps fleets in various industries realize the significant benefits of asset tracking technology. Find out more, visit www.spireon.com.
