Tractor Telematics in Agriculture Guide for Farmers

What’s tractor telematics?

Tractor telematics is a mix of devices and software. You can use them as onboard comms and apps that communicate with each other over GPS, which sends all sorts of essential data back to your online account.

There are three main areas in telematics:

1. Vehicle tracking
2. Telematics
3. Asset security tracking

These have different advantages, from protecting your vehicles to monitoring the health of the likes of tractors and other farming equipment you have.

Let’s take a closer look at each type so you can get a better understanding of them.

Vehicle tracking for tractors

With an agricultural vehicle tracker, you’ll know exactly where your tractor is at all times. And if you have more than one, you can fit devices to all of them!

You attach the device in a convenient spot you can find on the vehicle, then it’ll start beaming important data back to your online account. Things like:

• Real-time location (with constant updates).
• The speed of the vehicle.
• Driver information.
• The time.
• Vehicle identification.
• Instant updates (in the event of theft or an accident).

With a telematics tracker installed on your tractors, you’ll save money, work smarter and get full control of your vehicles.

You’ll always know where they are. And you’ll be able to make informed decisions based on the data you get to your online portal.

But it’s important to get the right fit. Some trackers will be better suited to farming than others. That’s why it’s important to compare the market to find the right deal for your needs.

We have a complete guide to telematics trackers for businesses if you want to find out a bit more on this. Or you can go ahead now compare the market to bag yourself a bargain.

Telematics systems for tractors

Fleet telematics systems get you extra visibility for your tractors. If you want to keep track of maintenance issues and other useful vehicle data, then you’ll want to get yourself setup with a provider.

With a system installed, it’ll be possible for you to get all sorts of impressive new data about your tractors and their productivity. The data you get will include:

• Daily stats on fuel use for each tractor.
• The type of tasks that use up the most fuel.
• Who’s driving which tractor and when.
• Data about the field each driver is in.
• The crops they’re attending.
• Idle time analysis of tractors.

From your telematics portal, you can keep track of all the data you gather from a day or weeks’ worth of work.

And you can also monitor the health of your tractors, with ultra-smart sensors tracking your vehicles for any signs of wear and tear or the need for repairs. By being in the know, you can cut to the chase fast and fix any upcoming issues.

That makes for a much more efficient servicing and maintenance schedule. It can also save you a great deal of money!

It’s essential to compare the market, though, otherwise you might not get the best deal for your vehicles and how you run your farm. So, do a free check! And get yourself set up in no time.

How to install telematics devices on your tractors

You might be wondering how to add telematics onto your tractor fleet. The good news is it’s easy to take care of and doesn’t take up much time.

In most instances (depending on your provider and the device you get), you should be able to get set up at your farm. No need for outside help! Here’s how to do it:

Fitting a vehicle tracker to a tractor

Once you’ve got your tracker, you just decide where to fit it to your tractor.

Follow the instructions in the device’s manual, which will include securely fitting it with easy access to a power source. You may also want to use some tape, Velcro or a zip-tie to make sure it’s tightly attached and isn’t going anywhere.

Then attach the tracker to a power source. That’s unless you have a battery-powered tracking device. Otherwise, you’ll need to hardwire the device to your tractor battery.

You can then install your vehicle tracking software on a PC, laptop or phone. From there, you’ll always know where it is!

Installing a telematics system for your farm

For a telematics system, you’ll need to self-install the software onto a PC, laptop or phone. The more advanced systems the provider will take you through how to do this.

Depending on the types of devices you have, you’ll need to separately install/attach these to your tractors.

Once you’ve installed a telematics system, your provider will track all data for you. And it’ll be presented in your online account.

The benefits of tractor telematics in agriculture

With a bunch of devices and systems in your daily farming life, what sort of benefits can you expect to enjoy. Well, let’s take a look!

Telematics systems are productivity boosters

With a telematics system on your farm, you can work smarter! You get loads of useful vehicle diagnostics (data) that lets you optimise your approach to work.

You get a lot of data. And with that you can look to:

• Deploy your tractors as and when you need to, with data to back up the best times.
• Use your online portal to take control of your tractors.
• Instant updates on vehicle activity so you can make informed decisions.

In other words, you get total control of your tractors! And with all that data, you can work smarter than ever before across your farm.

Asset trackers help prevent theft

Plain and simple, if someone steals one of your tractors then an asset tracker makes it much easier to get it back.

You’ll know exactly where the tractor is. So, you can inform the police and you’ll be able to get the missing tractor back onto the farm in no time.

The reality is, without an asset tracker that’s a lot more difficult to achieve. At the very least, you should get a tracker just to prevent this loss.

Telematics systems will save you money

With all that fancy data you get, you’ll be able to spot early signs of mechanical issues on your tractors. For example, if one is starting to overheat.

By spotting that early on, you can guarantee to fix the issue fast. Rather than let it get worse and worse, which could result in a big repair bill for you.

Other money-saving benefits? If you’ve got any farmhands around, you can also monitor their driving to make sure they’re not taking any risks. Or driving in a way that damages your tractor.

Check out this guide to business telematics if you want some extra info on all this!

Telematics improves fuel efficiency

This is another money-saver, but we think it deserves it’sits own section! Simply put, with telematics you can look out for fuel saving tactics that’ll make you more efficient.

That may be if a farmhand is driving erratically, flooring it too much or leaving the ignition on when parked up.

All that fuel adds up! And with telematics you get the data to sharpen up your fuel use. And, yes, we also have a business fuel saving tips guide if you want a few more pointers.

Compare the market for tractor telematics deals

If you’re ready to get some deals with the right providers, now’s the time to search the UK market! It’s easy to do. There are three steps:

1. Enter a few of your details.
2. Search the market.
3. Pick deals from your recommendations.

It’s fast. It’s free. And you can quickly pick your preferred provider to get the best deal across a big range of high-tech, money-saving devices and systems.