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In an effort to increase the transparency and efficiency of public vehicles, Urbandale, Iowa is joining the many other municipalities in America (and the globe) that have begun to use GPS tracking devices on public vehicles. As a result, city officials in Urbandale will be able to more efficiently allocate resources in the event of a snowstorm, or will be able to track trash pick-up to make sure it is running on time.

While Urbandale used a similar type of technology in 2005, the technology of GPS tracking devices has vastly improved since then. Set to be instated on April 1, the GPS tracking devices in Urbandale will be installed on about 30 different vehicles.

Tim Stovie, Urbandale, Iowa’s director of public works, touted the benefits of the system, saying, “”It lets us know where all of our fleet is located at one time. With snow removal we can see exactly the progress of each route – know where we need to go. We can keep people better updated on the progress of things.”

In addition to tracking the GPS coordinates of city vehicles, the new system will also report engine problems and service reminders to Stovie and his team of urban planners, hopefully increasing the longevity of vehicles.

While the system will cost $20,000 up front to the city of Urbandale, city officials hope that it will increase efficiency and longevity of the vehicles to justify the expense.

What do you think? Are GPS tracking devices valid expenses for city officials to sign off on? Or do you think they’re just frivolous novelties? Let us know in the comments!

Article Written by Greg Minton