Fleets targeted with telematics ‘lite’ solution

Fleets, contract hire and leasing companies, and daily rental businesses are being targeted with a telematics ‘lite’ solution.

Pinpointpal costs £60 (plus VAT) per unit and can be fitted in 20 minutes either on a DIY basis or by using a UK-wide team of 150 installers. There is £21 (plus VAT) a year subscription fee per vehicle.

More than 10,000 Pinpointpal units have already been fitted to a wide range of vehicles, as well as being used to track plant and equipment, boats, mobile homes and caravans, classic cars, motorbikes and agricultural machinery.

Now, the Bristol-headquartered company, which designs, develops and manufactures the technology in the UK, is in discussions with a number of leasing and rental companies and end-user fleets.

Fleet Assist helped develop the telemetry and a number of its customers, such as JCT600 Vehicle Leasing Solutions, are now fitting Pinpointpal telematics devices to vehicles they operate.

Several rental organisations, including Global Self Drive and Choice Vehicle Rentals, and wholesale electrical supplier Yesss Electrical, which operates 2,500 vehicles across the UK and Europe, are also fitting the technology.

Paul Woodman, managing director of Pinpointpal, said: “What we are discovering by talking directly with the fleet sector is that for many businesses the functionality offered by the myriad of telematics suppliers out there is often too complicated. They feel they do not have the time to analyse the raft of data captured and, as a result, they consider the costs too prohibitive against the benefits these systems offer.

"The telematics device and subscription we offer will cost a fleet just £123 over a typical three-year replacement cycle, a fraction of the cost of our competitors’ products, which can be £500-£600 over the same period.

“When a vehicle is defleeted the device can then be easily unplugged and transferred to a new vehicle.

“All of our products can be improved and updated remotely without the need to replace expensive hardware. As we own and control every aspect of our telematics product, we can further develop our solution in partnership with the sector to meet fleet demands.”

Vincent St Claire, commercial director of Fleet Assist, said: “We have had a great experience assisting Pinpointpal in developing its product and believe its proposition will enable it to establish a niche of its own in the fleet and daily rental marketplace.

“There are multiple benefits to all fleets from the accurate capture of vehicle mileage on a day-to-day basis not least in respect of ensuring that all company cars and vans are serviced in accordance with manufacturer schedules.”