There are plenty of reasons pay-per-mile makes sense for low-mileage drivers. But one unique feature that many potential customers — and even current customers! — don’t know about is our game-changing trip tracking feature. By tapping into the wealth of useful info provided by the Metromile Pulse device, you can actually keep track of how many miles you’re traveling, how much gas you’re using, your driving speed (or the speed of anyone else — like a teen driver), and more.
First thing’s first: let’s get to know the Metromile Pulse device. This little tech tool packs a powerful punch, relying on something called telematics to send, receive, and store information related to your car. By combining GPS navigation and onboard diagnostics, your Pulse device can show you where your car is, the trips it’s taken, and your fuel use, as well as send traffic alerts, help you get roadside assistance, and more. But it’s that trip tracking feature (found on the second tab at the bottom of your Metromile app screen) that’s a true hidden gem. Here are some ways to make the most of your Metromile trip tracker:
Make better commuting choices
Whether you use your car for occasional work meetings or you’re driving to your parents’ house to do laundry on a weekly basis (guilty), your Metromile trip tracker will show you where you’ve been, how many miles you drove, the time you spent in the car, and the fuel cost.
If you check your trip tracker and notice that you’re making a lot of unnecessary trips that are impacting your fuel budget, you can start making informed changes that help support your financial goals. And if you take stock of your trips and notice that you’re spending more time in the driver’s seat than you’d like, you might try swapping in a walk, bike, rideshare, or public transportation ride to find more minutes in for work and/or play (and less time behind the wheel) throughout the week.
Keep tabs on speed
The trip tracker lets you know how many miles you drove during a single trip and how long it took to drive those miles. If you have a teen or other driver on your plan who you’d like to keep an eye on, the trip tracker can give you insight into their behaviors so you can have important conversations about safety if necessary.
Or you might notice that your own lead foot is a bit heavier than you thought!
Compare your habits week to week
The trip tracker does a great job of record keeping. Using the navigation arrows at the top of the screen, you can swipe through previous weeks and see how your fuel costs and miles driven are trending.
Perhaps your gas spending has been increasing, but you can’t put your finger on why. Or perhaps you just needed a reminder that you used to walk to the store, and are still capable of doing that. Every person’s story is a little different; the main thing is having clear visibility into your habits when you haven’t previously.
Our pay-per-mile billing gives you control over the cost of your car insurance, and our trip tracker aims to give you a measure of control over your time, your spending, and your life stuck behind the steering wheel.
– – –
Michelle Konstantinovsky is a San Francisco-based freelance journalist, UC Berkeley alumna, and Metromile customer.