Geofencing is the use of a virtual boundary drawn around a real location, such as a customer site or the shop, so that a GPS-enabled vehicle or phone crossing that boundary automatically triggers an event, like logging an arrival time or sending an alert.
How geofencing is measured
A geofence produces timestamps. The useful numbers come from comparing them with the plan.
Recorded arrival = Time the vehicle entered the site geofence
Arrival variance = Recorded arrival − Scheduled arrival
Actual drive time = Arrival at next site − Departure from previous site
Say a truck leaves one site at 10:42 and enters the next site's geofence at 11:31. Actual drive was 49 minutes. If the schedule assumed 25, the 24-minute gap explains why the afternoon ran late. Across many jobs, recorded arrivals also give you a measured on-time arrival rate instead of a self-reported one.
Why it matters
Field service companies use geofencing in a few common ways:
- Automatic time records. Arrival and departure logged without the technician tapping anything.
- Customer alerts. A message when the truck is close.
- Exceptions. A flag when a vehicle is somewhere unexpected.
- Drive time data. Real drive time between sites, which is better than guessing.
All of this requires GPS on a vehicle or phone, usually through a telematics device or a mobile app. It sits within mobile workforce management tools.
CrewLink does not offer geofencing, GPS or telematics tracking, or a mobile app. It works on a different point in time. Geofencing records what happened after the truck left. CrewLink computes the expected drive from where the truck will be, the previous job, before a slot is offered, so the day is planned around a drive that fits. See travel-time scheduling.
A common mistake
Expecting tracking to fix late arrivals. A geofence will tell you, precisely, that a truck arrived 40 minutes late. It cannot tell you that the job was booked with a drive that was never possible. Use the recorded drive times to improve how you book, not just to report on the day after.
Also set the fence size carefully. Too small and a truck parked down the street never "arrives"; too large and a truck driving past logs a visit.
Related terms
- Drive time is what geofence timestamps measure between sites.
- Service area is a boundary drawn for a business decision, not for tracking.
- Schedule adherence compares recorded times with the plan.
Common questions
Is geofencing the same as GPS tracking?
No. GPS tracking reports location continuously. Geofencing uses that location to fire an event when a boundary is crossed.
Do technicians need to agree to geofencing?
Rules on tracking employees vary by jurisdiction. Check what applies to you and tell your team what is recorded and why.
Can geofencing improve scheduling?
Indirectly. Real drive times from geofence records make better estimates for booking future jobs.