Navigation System
GPS App for logisticians — Professional routing with a Truck GPS App with Traffic for a safe journey
Many transport companies use Google Maps as a mobile app to bring their trucks to their destination. But at the latest when the truck cannot get any further on the designated route because of its dimensions before a bridge that is too low, the driver has a problem. That doesn’t have to be the case, because a navigation system like MapTrip Truck, which is tailored to the needs of freight forwarders, ensures that it doesn’t even get that far.
Time and cost pressure force forwarding agencies and fleet operators to continuously optimize their logistics processes. Storage space is expensive and in many industries just-in-time deliveries are therefore a binding requirement. The goods must arrive on time to avoid disrupting production processes — and traffic on the roads and the density of construction sites are increasing.
A reliable truck navigation software such as MapTrip Truck is a valuable aid in getting your freight from A to B safely and at the right time. You can even professionalise the entire routing process by integrating our navigation software into your company’s own software.
In this article we will introduce you to the 8 most important reasons for using MapTrip Truck compared to standard navigation systems like Google Maps or other GPS apps for trucks:
- Route calculation matching the vehicle profile
- Solid congestion and traffic information
- Link to popular apps
- More comfort on the road: Filling station and parking space search
- End-of-congestion warning
- Update maps easily
- Predefined reference routes
- Integrate GPS app into your own software
Picture: bluedesign@stock.adobe.com
Distance calculation matching the vehicle profile
The drivers of many transport companies simply use their smartphone with the Google Maps application for navigation. What usually works for motorways can quickly cause problems on off-road routes: For example, when Google Maps sends your drivers on roads that are not designed for the dimensions, weight and freight of the truck.
MapTrip Truck allows you to store attributes of your vehicles — dimensions such as length, width and height as well as weight and special features of the freight, such as whether hazardous goods are loaded.
Based on this profile, MapTrip Truck then calculates the best route: this way you avoid getting stuck or stuck with a vehicle. The route calculation automatically excludes temporary passage closures for trucks and route sections that are blocked for the respective cargo, for example because the cargo is explosive or hazardous to groundwater. If your driver chooses an unsuitable route, an optical and acoustic warning system alerts him to the dangers. In this way, your trucks are guided only over safe roads.
Solid congestion and traffic information
Time is money on the road, and the traffic situation is a constant issue. Old navigation systems usually had the problem that traffic messages lagged behind reality. As a result, one system did not yet know about a traffic jam or gave an alternative route to avoid an obstruction that no longer existed.
A modern traffic jam experience no longer causes these problems. MapTrip Truck gets its traffic information from the established services TomTom and Here. While driving, the route is monitored and it is ensured that your driver is always on the best route. If traffic changes, MapTrip Truck will notify the driver. However, the driver can choose to take a different route and is not dictated by the navigation system.
Link to popular apps
It is practical that our GPS app can obtain information from other apps: The contents of the Blitzer.de app are displayed directly in MapTrip Truck, and we have also integrated the current fuel prices based on the billigertanken.de app. So your driver does not have to have two apps open at the same time.
More comfort on the road: Filling station and parking lot search
Filling station searches have also become part of good GPS app for Trucks. MapTrip Truck only shows your drivers petrol stations that are either directly on the route or that can be reached via a small detour, no more than 100 seconds driving time. For example, if your driver is driving on the motorway, he might otherwise have to take a long detour to reach a petrol station.
A very helpful feature for truck drivers is also the parking lot search, an important tool in the face of dense truck traffic and often packed service areas. In the application, your driver can see where there are parking spaces close to the route and drive to them.
End-of-congestion warning
MapTrip Truck also has an end-of-congestion warning, a feature that truck GPS should have these days. If the end of a traffic jam is within the next 1000 meters, MapTrip warns your drivers, they can prepare themselves and avoid the dreaded accident scenarios.
Update maps easily
Even the best GPS app is useless if the maps are not kept up to date. Because the road network changes, routes are closed, road works are added and closed — the map data must be able to keep pace. In standard devices, the map material is usually stored on SD cards and plugged into the device. They have to be exchanged for updates. This is time-consuming, as trucks are constantly changing their location. Changing the SD cards of an entire fleet requires considerable manual and organisational effort.
In contrast, modern GPS apps access maps and routes via the Internet. These and the traffic information are updated via the server and are therefore always up-to-date. Local data in the device then only serve as a backup. This eliminates the need for map updates; system maintenance and updates are simple and straightforward. Today, dead spots and thus the demolition of the navigation hardly play a role.
Predefined reference routes
A finished route can be individually defined as a binding reference route if, for example, the truck has loaded valuable freight or is dependent on a certain route infrastructure as a heavy goods transport. MapTrip Truck then follows the specified route and the dispatcher can be informed in case of deviations.
Integrate the GPS app into your own software
You would like to professionalize your forwarding and truck fleet software? Then you can connect MapTrip Truck to your own software with the API interface. MapTrip can then be controlled from your application. Your dispatcher can see where your vehicles are via the MapTrip Remote website thanks to GPS tracking and can play back data such as arrival times. Via Remote he can also assign a new destination to the vehicles when the next driving job is available. MapTrip Remote offers even more possibilities, read more about it here.
If you not only want to control MapTrip from your application, but also want to customize it and integrate it directly into your own software application, you can use our Software Development Kit (SDK).
Conclusion
A professional navigation system such as MapTrip Truck is ideal for freight forwarders and freight companies and ensures that your freight is in the right place at the right time.
In any case, you should make sure that your new truck navigation software meets the following requirements:
- Numerous route features
- I Individually adaptable additional functions for fleet control and
- A simple integration into the workflow of your target system.
The special features, be it the search for a parking space or a current traffic jam bypass, not only make the life of your drivers easier. The connection to your own company software also enables you to monitor precisely and act quickly.
Please contact us for more information or continue to read here, e.g. about MapTrip Remote.