Home: Telematics Glossary

Telematics Glossary

The telematics industry is growing at an incredible rate and more and more fleet managers and media outlets are talking about the products and services available. In order to keep the conversation moving, we’ve created this resource to help make the industry easier to understand. There are many different terms and acronyms used in the telematics industry. This glossary is a collection of the most commonly used terms and acronyms and what they mean. We will continually update this page as new terms are coined or become more relevant.

Frequently Used Telematics Terms

  • What is GPS fleet tracking?
    Today’s satellite global positioning system, or GPS, is the basis for a technology popular with commercial motor vehicle operators in asset management — which can include vehicles, equipment and personnel.
     
  • What is Telematics?
    Telematics, in its broad definition, refers to remote communications (telos is a classical word meaning long distance) and informatics, a combined term based on information and automatic or automated.
     
  • What is Geofencing?
    Geofencing is a technological advancement in GPS fleet management that can be applied in different ways, for varying purposes. As a basic definition, geofencing is simply the capability to use signals from a device to pinpoint that device’s location (known as geolocation or geotracking) and draw a digital boundary to encircle the area, the fencing part of the word.
     
  • What are GPS Tracking Devices in Fleet Vehicles?
    The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a satellite-based navigation system used to track vehicles and drivers in real time.
     
  • What is Driver Fatigue?
    Driver fatigue can be more serious than a feeling of tiredness, it is one of the most common hazards on the road today.
     
  • What is an At-Risk Driver?
    Identifying at-risk drivers and working with them to eliminate the problems can go a long way to improving your businesses safety.
     
  • What is Distracted Driving?
    Distracted driving describes any situation in which a driver’s attention is not fully focused on the road and the safe operation of their vehicle. There are three main types of distracted driving (manual, visual and cognitive) that can all result in a major safety threat not only to drivers, but to everyone who shares the road with them.
  • What are Fuel Tax Credits?
    Fuel Tax Credits provide businesses with a credit for the fuel tax (excise or customs duty) that's included in the price of fuel used in machinery, plant & equipment, heavy vehicles, and light vehicles travelling off public roads or on private roads.
     
  • What is Fleet Management?
    Fleet management is a system of technologies and procedures that helps organisations to use their resources with maximum efficiency and cost control. A variety of businesses operate fleets that include both vehicles and non-motorised assets, such as auxiliary equipment or heavy machinery. Fleet management optimises productivity, routing, equipment maintenance, fuel management and more, for your operation.
     
  • What is MRM (Mobile Resource Management)?
    Mobile resource management, or MRM, refers to monitoring and tracking a variety of mobile assets. In the trucking industry, these are generally heavy-rigid local delivery trucks and semi-trailer heavy-vehicle combinations.
     
  • What is Fleet Management Software?
    Fleet Management Software is an essential tool for today’s fleet managers, dispatchers, and business owners, allowing them to accurately track and manage the movements and details of an entire fleet in real-time.
     
  • What is Fleet Maintenance?
    Fleet maintenance is the process of keeping your vehicles operating in a good enough condition so that they are safe, reliable and can stay on the road longer. Developing a preventative maintenance programme is an integral part of managing a fleet and helps businesses reduce operating costs and improve vehicle inspection outcomes, among other benefits.  
     
  • What is Equipment Management?
    Equipment management includes managing, monitoring and maintenance of both motorised assets and non-motorised equipment. Effective equipment management can make a major difference to & productivity and efficiency.