Going Green with GPS Vehicle Tracking
Business Tips GPS Vehicle TrackingPublished May 13, 2009 at 9:49 am No CommentsBy Greg Bartlett
Everyone today is looking for more ways to be green. One of our government’s primary goals is to reduce our nation’s reliance on fossil fuels, turning instead to alternative energy sources. Wherever we look, we see exhortations to recycle more, use less water, change our light bulbs, and choose reusable shopping bags, with the ultimate goal of being kinder to our planet and preserving our resources for future generations. While the current administration hopes to reduce or even eliminate the need for oil in our society, the reality is that vehicles will continue to run on gasoline for at least several years to come. Still, there are ways that we can reduce our fuel consumption and emissions in order to promote better air quality. One tool that has proven effective in this endeavor is the GPS tracking device.
The primary purpose of GPS tracking devices is to locate objects or people remotely. By strategically placing a GPS signal transmitter in company owned vehicles and monitoring the job site from his computer, a construction contractor can keep an eye on his heavy equipment after he has left the job site. In addition, however, many GPS tracking devices have the ability to monitor fuel consumption, speed, and idling time by sending periodic signals to a receiving device. Companies with fleets of vehicles can keep track of how far a driver goes, whether he maintained the speed limit and whether he left the truck idling during the delivery. Individual drivers who may simply be curious about their personal fuel consumption can give themselves the knowledge and incentive to seek alternate routes and find other ways to reduce travel time.
How much difference do these adjustments make? Statistics demonstrate that a 10 mph reduction in speed makes vehicles 20% more fuel efficient and that a fleet of vehicles whose drivers each reduce idling time by only 15 minutes a day can save hundreds of gallons of fuel each year. Employees are less likely to take the scenic route to a job or to run home in the company vehicle if they know the boss has installed a GPS vehicle tracking device, which means less fuel consumed during the work day. While each individual decision may seem insignificant, millions of Americans making one small decision to use less fuel each day can add up to billions of gallons of fuel saved each year. It’s all part of caring for our resources and keeping our planet healthy for the future.
