Garmin International has announced that it has launched improvements to its Fleet Management Interface (FMI) system to include highly requested features such as canned responses and messages, driver ID and driver status protocol.
Garmin's FMI service is integrated with leading mobile resource management companies to enable fleet tracking, messaging, dispatch and navigation directly on Garmin's portable navigation devices.
"Garmin's FMI service has become very popular among fleet managers because it's robust and easy-to-use. By teaming with leading mobile resource management companies, we're able to replace existing mobile data terminals with Garmin navigation devices that will pinpoint the location of every asset and help ensure that vehicles are deployed and operated efficiently," said Charles Morse, Garmin's director of mobile and OEM marketing.
With Garmin's FMI, fleet dispatchers can send multiple destinations and other instructions directly to their drivers. With a tap on the screen, drivers can access detailed turn-by-turn, text-to-speech, voice prompted directions to their destinations.
The recently updated FMI specifications, v2, include enhanced options that will improve customer response, optimize fleet resources, and ultimately, achieve lower costs and higher profits for the company.
One of the most anticipated features of v2 is the ability to send up to 120 canned messages and 200 canned responses. Of the canned responses, up to 50 may be selected by the fleet manager as allowed responses for any given message.
This capability eliminates the need to re-type regularly occurring messages from the driver's GPS display. In order for fleet managers to have up-to-the-minute status of a driver's progress throughout the day,
Garmin has added driver ID and driver status protocols.
These additions make it possible for drivers to use the GPS device to log the vehicle they are using before starting their day, as well as communicate when a shift or break is starting or stopping.
These enhancements also make it possible for fleet managers to customize the GPS device's points of interest database, which is ideal for specialized tasks like cataloging company-approved vendor locations or information about specific locations.
FMI v2 is currently available on the Garmin nuvi 5000, 7xx and 8xx series, and is expected to be available on the nuvi 2×5 and 5xx series by year end.
Garmin has numerous FMI partners including, but not limited to, Air-Trak, Beacon Wireless Solutions, Discrete Wireless, DQ Technologies, Enfora, GenXmobile, GPS Buddy, Insight USA, Mix Telematics, Pinpointers, Reltima, Tracking Solutions Corp, Universal Tracking Solutions and Webtech Wireless.
