Construction Equipment GPS Tracking: Theft and Utilization

Construction equipment GPS tracking is an application that tracks excavators, loaders, generators, and trailers to stop and recover that equipment from theft, reduce idle time, and schedule maintenance by real engine hours — the three issues that cost contractors the most. Heavy equipment is expensive to operate, valuable and often idled on off-site locations and by using it himself, the tracker pays off by the first time he saves a valued piece in a theft or by the first time he gets an idle machine back in operation. The primary decision is to match the appropriate type of tracker to their duty cycle requirements.

In addition to what construction GPS tracking does, it explains how it can stop theft, how idle and utilization data can save money, and the difference between hardwired and battery trackers. Fleet Scanner's construction vehicle tracking is one option, noted at the end.  

Key Takeaways

• The three heaviest rewards are theft prevention/recovery, idle-time reduction, and engine-hour maintenance. 
• Heavy equipment is a top target for thieves on remote locations and there is little chance that it can be recovered without GPS. 
• Idle-time and utilization reports identify which machines to redeploy, rent out or sell. 
• Match tracking asset to the asset: hardwired on powered machines that are used every day; battery for idle or unpowered assets. 
• High value equipment typically has a hidden tracking system for battery prevention. 
• Engine-hour information is not based on a guessed calendar; it activates maintenance by engine-use.

What Does Construction Equipment GPS Tracking Do?

A construction GPS tracker provides access to the location and movement of an asset, and, on powered equipment, engine hours and ignition status to a tracking platform, making it possible to see and manage a diverse fleet of equipment that's hard to manage and difficult to find. Construction tracking must be able to handle equipment that goes idle for weeks, is stored on a remote site, and doesn't always have a reliable power source compared to a single vehicle tracking system.  

Basically, the platform provides you with the answers to three questions that are important on a construction fleet: Where is each asset currently and has it been moved off-site? How much time each machine is actually utilizing – engine hours and idle time? Alerts when an asset moves after hours or crosses a site boundary. They correspond directly with the three cost problems in the industry — theft, sub-optimal utilization, maintenance.  

How GPS Tracking Prevents Equipment Theft

Theft is the issue with which contractors struggle most, as heavy equipment is costly, easy to steal from an unattended site and difficult to recover if stolen. GPS helps to deter theft in two ways: it signals the potential theft and makes it more likely and quicker to find it if it occurs. 

Geofencing, which alerts whenever a machine has left the worksite; after-hours movement and ignition warning, and a real-time history of the machine's location, to help law enforcement recover the equipment and insurance claims. A typical protocol for high-value equipment is to have a hardwired tracker (that is visible) plus a back-up battery-powered tracker (which is hidden) in case the hard-wired tracker goes dark. Also, check with your insurance company to see if GPS tracking impacts coverage or premiums. 

Cutting Idle Time and Improving Utilization

The quieter, but often bigger, saving is utilization – knowing which machines are being used, and which are idle. GPS-tracked fleets see where a large percentage of their time is spent idle, and that idle time can be recaptured: a machine idling and running hours without accomplishing anything or an asset sitting on one site while a crew is on the same machine for rent all over town. 

With Engine-hour and idle-time reporting, you can redeploy idle equipment without renting, accurately bill clients for actual machine use, and determine when to add or sell machine assets based on real demand, not guess work. A good strategy is to operate the fleet for a while, then analyse the utilization records to identify the underused vehicles, vehicles for rent-out or for sale. This is also where operators who know about the use of tracking machines run them more efficiently, reducing fuel and wear. 

Hardwired vs Battery Trackers: Which for Which Asset?

There is no single "best" tracker as the type of tracker that is best will vary depending on the power source and duty cycle of each asset. Match the device with the actual functioning of the equipment: 

Two general guidelines: hardwired for assets with continuous power where hours of use and real-time data is desired; battery for assets that are idle or without power — and both, (discreetly) for assets where theft protection is the priority.

How Fleet Scanner Fit

Construction vehicle tracking is included in Fleet Scanner's fleet platform, and its real-time tracking provides geofencing and after-hours alerts, idle and utilization reporting, and support for a variety of GPS devices, from hardwired to battery-powered, so you can use hardwired units on powered machines and battery-powered units on idle ones. It will depend on your fleet mix and sites so check with your own fleet. To see it in action, book a walkthrough.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is construction equipment GPS tracking?

It's a system that transmits the location, movement and engine hours for construction equipment, such as excavators, loaders, generators and trailers, to a platform, enabling contractors to stop equipment from being stolen, reduce idle time, and schedule maintenance by the equipment's use. It is able to power equipment that operates on a remote site and that doesn't have a normal vehicle tracker. 

How does GPS tracking prevent construction equipment theft?

Deterrence and quick recovery: geofence alerts when equipment moves away from the site, after hours equipment movement and ignition alerts, and real-time location trail for law enforcement and insurance. For high dollar machines, there's a hardwired tracker and hidden battery backup to protect you from the thief disabling the main device. 

What type of GPS tracker is best for heavy equipment?

The power and duty cycle of the asset. Long-life battery trackers are needed for idle or unpowered assets, such as generators and trailers while hardwired trackers (continuous power/engine hours) work on powered machines that are operating daily. The higher the value of the equipment, the more likely it will be equipped with a hardwired unit and a concealed battery backup. 

How does GPS tracking reduce idle time?

Engine-hour and idle-time reports indicate which machines are not working productively, and which machines are in idle time because an engineer or crew working on the same type machine elsewhere. This way you can redeploy, bill properly, and decide when to add or sell assets — and usage that is measured can make operators run machines more effectively. 

Can I track powered machines and trailers on one platform?

Yes, if the platform is compatible with various kinds of devices. You have hardwired trackers installed on powered machines that count engine hours, real-time data, etc. and battery trackers installed on trailers, idle assets etc., and they can all be seen in one system — that's why it's important you have broad device support when selecting a platform.  

Conclusion

Construction equipment GPS tracking pays off in three ways: it prevents and recovers stolen equipment on easy-to-target remote jobsites, it exposes unproductive time and equipment usage that silently robs budgets, and it schedules equipment maintenance by true hours of engine usage. The one rule that makes it work is the ability to match every asset to the optimal tracker, hardwired in for powered machines used regularly, battery for idle assets or unpowered assets, or a mixture of both, depending on the context of risk of theft. Know the inventory by power source and theft risk, and select a platform to provide support. To discover an option, take a look at Fleet Scanner's construction vehicle tracking