Rocky Mountain Tracking

By Greg Bartlett

Business owners whose services include types of delivery using company vehicles should consider a GPS fleet tracking system.  Whether you manage a pizza delivery business, a floral delivery business, or appliance delivery business, GPS fleet tracking devices can help you make sure you and your employees are making the most effective use of time and resources.

GPS Fleet Tracking

Any business that requires employees to be out from under the direct supervision of a manager may consider such an investment to be worthwhile.   In most states, employee surveillance is considered to be illegal if the employee has not been informed, and many types of employee monitoring devices (hidden cameras, e-mail and internet monitoring, etc.) have at times been called into question.

GPS devices are not considered to be as invasive and have even been upheld as legitimate by legal authorities.  The benefits of GPS navigation systems are clear for companies and small businesses where employee driving and delivery is necessary.  Home repair businesses, home health care services, maid services, plumbers-many types of jobs require employee travel.  Navigation devices can help companies cut costs by determining the most direct routes, safest routes, routes with only right turns, etc.  GPS fleet tracking devices are just as beneficial for these companies and small businesses.

In an ideal world, every employee is honest and efficient with company time and resources.  Sometimes, however, the temptation to stop on a personal errand on an official work delivery might be too great.  Using the company car or gasoline for personal errands en route (or maybe a little more out of the way) can be a problem.  GPS will help you keep your employees accountable and honest and will conserve your company’s valuable resources.

The way GPS tracking devices work is through a series of satellites orbiting in outer space.  The satellites determine latitude and longitude of the individual or vehicle wearing the receiver.  There are active systems that constantly download the location of the receiver to the internet or mobile device.  There are passive systems that give a detailed log of where the receiver has been.  Either system would be ideal for fleet tracking.  If you can’t monitor the moment-by-moment activities of your employees, then the passive system will give you a recorded log for you to examine at your convenience.  If you are the owner or manager of a business that requires employee travel, then consider an investment in a GPS fleet tracking system.

By DONNA SANTI / guest columnist

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-          Donna Santi is a creative writer for LandAirSea Systems, a Woodstock, IL-based manufacturer and distributor of expertly-engineered GPS tracking systems, software and accessories. For information about LandAirSea, visit www.landairsea.com. To contact the writer, email donna.santi@landairsea.com

Vehicle Tracking is finding great success in the business world. It might have even turned a corner, from being a benefit, to a necessity.

Globally, there is about $2.5 billion spent on GPS receivers and software, and by 2013, that spending will jump to about $13 billion annually, according to ABI Research in London, a marketing and consulting firm.

Now a new poll seems to back that bold prediction. A 2010 survey of transportation, service, utility and construction companies revealed that more than half of those businesses are now using GPS tracking systems; with the largest reported benefit being more efficient operations.

GPS Tracking and Business

The news should bring smiles to the faces of the many manufacturers and dealers of vehicle tracking technology. Also widely encouraging is the poll’s look at the future market: Among those companies who do not yet utilize GPS tracking systems, almost 90 percent of them said they were aware of the technology’s benefits and were considering investing in it.

One out of every two businesses is using GPS tracking in its fleet management department, and the majority of the others want it. What could be better news?

The survey was conducted by a vehicle tracking and fleet management organization in the United Kingdom. One hundred and fifty companies were surveyed with fleet management supervisors or top administrators being the respondents. The sizes of the companies’ fleets ranged from 10 vehicles, to more than 1,000; the average being less than 100 vehicles.

Fuel prices are creeping up once again, everyone’s looking for a greener way of living, and the economy is forcing many business people to make the most of the resources they have, or buckle under. GPS tracking system solutions help in all three areas.

Following is a breakdown of some of the survey responses.

What Current GPS Tracking Users Had To Say:

• 9 in 10 said they were satisfied with their choice of GPS tracking system.
• 8 of 10 said vehicle tracking helped them reduce operational costs.
• 6 of 10 said the tracking system increased productivity.
• 5 in 10 said employee performance improved.
• 5 in 10 said their tracking system resulted in better security.

What Those NOT Using Vehicle Tracking Are Saying:

• 6 of 10 thought GPS tracking would offer a good return on investment (ROI), meaning it is money well-spent.
• Four in 10 said vehicle tracking did not fit the needs of their particular business.
• Four in 10 perceived GPS tracking systems to be too cost-prohibitive to their budgets.

The surveyor conducts its poll every other year. The 2008 poll revealed that one in four businesses was using vehicle tracking technology. Theoretically, the number of GPS tracking users doubled in just two years.

Source: FleetDirectory.co.uk , CNNMoney.com

By Harriette Halepis

For months now, various states within the United States have been using GPS tracking systems to track the whereabouts of state vehicles and employees during business hours. Time and again, the data gathered from these tracking systems has shown that installing fleet tracking systems is a worthwhile investment. Not only are government and state employees spending less time slacking off on the job, but rescue and police vehicles are now able to reach emergency scenes faster than ever before.

Government Equipment & GPS Tracking

The news about the effectiveness of GPS trackers has begun to spread across the globe as various other countries look towards adopting GPS vehicle trackers. Fiji’s Transport Ministry has begun looking into GPS tracking devices as a way to “…crackdown on vehicle abuse.” The head of the Transport Ministry, Timoci Natuva, believes that GPS tracking devices could “…save taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars in the long term.”

Presently, the Transport Ministry is in the process of studying similar fleet tracking cases from around the world, but the outcome looks positive. If it can be proven that GPS trackers can save the Transport Ministry money, then they “would like to install the system because vehicle abuse is an ongoing issue that goes back to previous governments.”

The idea of installing GPS trackers on government vehicles has been met with some resistance (as it has all around the world), but the bottom line is that a simple fleet tracking system can save a government a great deal of time and money. Presently, the Transport Ministry in Fiji has not decided to install the GPS trackers, but it looks as though GPS-equipped government cars will quickly become a reality throughout Fiji.

As with Fiji, many other countries around the world are beginning to look towards GPS trackers as a way to keep tabs on government employees. Prior to the invention of the GPS tracker, governments had no way of making sure that employees were using state or government time wisely. While some view these trackers as virtual “watch dogs,” others believe that tracking government employees is a necessary way to find out how tax dollars are being spent.

All eyes will be on Fiji as the country decides whether or not to crack down on government vehicle abuse. If Fiji goes ahead with this GPS tracking system, there’s no doubt that various other countries around the globe will soon follow suit.

By Greg Bartlett

When you came into work this morning, your first task - after getting coffee - was to find out where your drivers are.  You do that every morning, and every morning your assistant tells you the same thing.  These drivers checked in with their location, these forgot, and these said they were somewhere but based on their schedule, they should be somewhere else.

GPS Monitoring & Fleet Vehicles

For a company whose primary purpose consists of getting vehicles to different places, whether for delivering goods or people, knowing where each driver and vehicle is located is vitally important.  You need to know whether your driver will get to a stop on time, or if by taking too long at previous stops the driver will get there late and will disappoint the customer yet again.  Furthermore, knowing the location of your vehicles means you can better manage company time, resources, and expenses.

Fortunately, GPS monitoring can keep track of your fleet for you.  When you come in work in the morning, you can just check the computer and see exactly where your drivers are.  For instance, you’ll know when a driver is late because he spent three hours at lunch the day before.  Because it records any movement the vehicle makes, GPS tracking will also let you know if employees use company vehicles for personal usage.  Some companies have found that their employees used company vehicles to take a boat to a lake or to play poker instead of mending roads.

GPS monitoring even has more advantages than just locating each of your vehicles and informing you about their location, speed, and any stops made.  For instance, some GPS tracking systems allow the user to remotely lock the doors and shut off the car if it is stolen.  One company was able to recover $300,000 worth in stolen vehicles in less than an hour because of the GPS monitoring devices they had installed in the vehicles.  You will also be able to find out if your drivers accidentally missed a stop or if they are taking less efficient routes, which translate into wasted gas and time.  GPS tracking has repeatedly saved companies money and time by helping them determine the best routes, which improves mileage, increases customer relations, and saves the company money.

Instead of guessing that your vehicles are in a particular spot, you can know exactly where they are and what stops they’ve made.  Managing your fleet effectively is possible - and much easier - with GPS monitoring.

By Greg Bartlett

Although many people may think that fleet tracking could never apply to them, they could never be further from the truth. While fleet tracking is usually provided to companies that have a large number of vehicles in distribution, this is not always the case. Also, if you choose to use one of the vehicles that come from these companies, it will be good for you to know how your actions are being monitored, so that you can drive safely and carefully. Many rental car companies have lost vehicles through bad drivers or thieves that manipulate the system. Often, these businesses are unable to find the lost machinery and they lose a lot of money. Fleet tracking is the answer, to help you know where your vehicles are at all times.

GPS & Fleet Tracking

GPS tracking is a relatively new technology that is continuing to see more uses as more individuals understand the science behind it. Basically, you start with a small device that you can attach to your car, plug into your computer, or even just carry with you in a pocket. That device, when turned on, emits waves that transmit to a series of satellites that circulate the earth. These satellites are able to determine the location, the time, and often even the speed of the item that is being monitored. This information is sent to a set of computers that are then analyzed by technicians, who then pass this information on to the necessary parties.

One of the most recent high-profile uses of this technology was during the World Olympics, where the locations of all the athletes were processed and recorded. This was done to make sure that they arrived at their destinations safely and on time, and was often completed by attaching the tracking device to the vehicle of use. This allowed the technicians to monitor the distance that each athlete needed to travel, to verify that they would make their events on time. This also gave the police the opportunity to keep an eye on each of these important individuals.

Fleet tracking will continue to grow in importance as its uses become more profound. Whether it is used to track high-profile criminals, or important businessmen, this type of GPS technology will never be the same as it once was. You can consider using GPS and this new tracking technology to keep your vehicles safe and on time.

By Greg Bartlett

Imagine knowing where every vehicle in your fleet is at any minute in the day. That includes knowing any stops they made, how long they were at each stop, and if they made any detours. And what if you could also know how safe your drivers were, such as whether or not they’re speeding or driving erratically? This isn’t an impossible dream. In fact, with GPS monitoring, this dream becomes reality.

Fleet Management & GPS

If your company installs GPS tracking units in its vehicles, it can keep track of its vehicles constantly. When your driver makes unauthorized stops or spends extra long at lunch, you’ll find out about it. If your driver gets lost, you’ll be able to locate the vehicle within a few moments and give directions to get the driver back on track. In fact, you can even use GPS monitoring to help plan your routes and find the most efficient and fastest way to a customer. If a new stop has to be added in unexpectedly, you can decide the best way to reroute your driver so that you don’t end up wasting time and fuel.

GPS monitoring allows you to almost be in the car with your driver. You can know how fast the vehicle is going, where it is, and even if it has any mechanical problems develop. Many GPS fleet tracking options allow the company to monitor the vehicle’s mechanical condition and will alert you if problems arise. It will also alert you if the driver leaves predetermined boundaries or if the vehicle is driven during unauthorized hours.

As an added bonus, GPS tracking units will help you if the vehicle is ever stolen. Just like it does with your driver, it will track the thief’s location and speed, allowing you and police to find and stop the thief and recover the vehicle. The driver may even have a panic button that, if activated in an emergency, will alert both the company and police that there’s a problem, reducing the amount of time before help arrives.

GPS monitoring is a must for you to keep track of your fleet. You’ll be able to better manage your vehicles and personnel, and even to reduce fuel costs, increase efficiency, and improve customer service as GPS tracking helps to determine more exact delivery times since it is, after all, monitoring the vehicle every minute.

By Greg Bartlett

How would you like to increase your small business’ bottom line by 7 percent while improving service and tightening your performance? One office-supply company did that very thing without completely re-making the company. Their key investment was actually quite small and simple to implement: they decided to give GPS fleet tracking a try. Here’s how it can work for you, too: install GPS fleet tracking devices in all of your delivery vehicles. No special training sessions for all of your drivers; no replacements of your existing fleet; no massive investment of capital that small-business owners can’t afford; just add a device to each vehicle.

GPS and Fleet Tracking

And just like that, you can look at a constantly updated map showing where your delivery vehicles are located at any time. In fact, you can see if they’re following their routes. You can see that one of your vehicles is falling behind, find another driver nearby and suggest a change to the schedule before any of your clients get missed. If a driver needs directions or has trouble finding a client, you can see where he is and redirect him immediately. You can even check some statistics - why did one vehicle spend so much of the day sitting still? Or why did another vehicle exceed 75 mph three times today?

GPS fleet tracking is so powerful, your employees might watch their driving, ignore distractions, stick close to the schedule, and all in all, become more profitable! And you might have to figure out how to reinvest the additional profit you start bringing in.GPS fleet tracking lets you become the master controller, with dynamic updates on where your investment is going at any time. And this is not an investment that is only possible for large companies. Since every company only needs GPS fleet tracking devices for as many vehicles as they own, the cost scales according to your size, but the benefits are huge for everyone. That’s what makes this investment so powerful; the benefit is hugely disproportionate to the investment it requires.

You’ve already made a large investment in your vehicles. Running a fleet is never cheap, and you want to make sure your investment is used to the fullest. GPS fleet tracking requires only a small initial outlay that will increase the productivity of your fleet in a huge way. Take advantage of this technological innovation and increase the profitability of your business before your competition figures it out and gets this benefit for themselves!

by James Neely, freelance writer: click | HERE | to check out GPS products from Rocky Mountain Tracking

As we grapple as a nation with throwing off our dependence on fossil fuels as source of power for our vehicles, we also need to focus on saving money by using less, not just looking to replace it all together, because this is a slow process.

With that as a background, there are ways to save money by utilizing GPS Tracking systems.  This works for any type of organization that uses multiple vehicles in a variety of settings.

GPS Helps Save Fuel

Monitoring for Engine Idling

One of the activities that wastes thousands of gallons of fuel is engine idling.  You often see this activity by delivery trucks and school buses but there are others, too.  Basically, whenever you are out and about, do not allow your engine to run when you are out of traffic.

Monitoring for Excessive Use

Those who do not pay for fuel that goes into the vehicles that they drive are the most wasteful because the reasoning is that the money for the fuel does not come out of their pocket.  This is the wrong way of looking at this.  We all pay in terms of dependence on oil from foreign sources.  When you drive excessively, you waste fuel and cause companies to buy more which increases demand which in turn drives prices higher.  It’s a vicious cycle that must be broken.

Monitoring for Maintenance

Maintaining vehicles properly keeps them from using too much fuel.  An engine that is running at peak efficiency uses less fuel and less oil in the engine as well.  Over time, this spells savings to those who keep up on their maintenance schedules.  You will also benefit from a longer lasting vehicle, too.  This philosophy is exponentially grown in fleet operations.  It does not take much in the way of avoiding maintenance before it reaches the bottom line in expenses, too.

There is a lot that we all can do together to save money on fuel costs.  It benefits you by keeping more of your money in your wallet, and it helps us keep from using so much oil from foreign sources.

GPS Tracking helps by providing systems that can monitor the above activities.  They are inexpensive and will pay for themselves over time.

Rocking Mountain Tracking has the best line-up of GPS Tracking devices to meet any need.  Take a look at their products and options for the best fit for your business.  You will find knowledgeable sales persons in helping you get the best unit to meet your requirements.

By Greg Bartlett

You’ve worked hard to create your business, a delivery company which services most of the eastern United States. You’re hoping to expand your service to the rest of the continental states, but you’ve run into a problem. Currently you have a few hundred vehicles, but if you’re expanding, you’ll probably have to double the number of deliver vehicles. It’s not even the money for the vehicles which is the problem, it’s keeping track of them. Your poor assistants have enough headaches now with trying to chart where everyone is and what stops they’re making. You could double the staff, as well, but maybe there’s another option.

Fleet of Delivery Trucks Utilize GPS

With GPS fleet tracking, you can actively monitor your entire fleet, saving you money and saving your assistants headaches. GPS fleet tracking will monitor your vehicles’ location, speed, stops made, length of stops, and can even monitor the vehicle’s mechanical condition. Your assistants can find out a vehicle’s real-time location almost instantly, and you can review the information about stops, speed, and time to ensure that your drivers are being careful and aren’t misusing company vehicles or time.

Furthermore, GPS tracking offers you the ability to streamline your process, finding the most direct routes to a stop so that you can decrease time and fuel costs and increase efficiency. If a customer calls and needs you to pick up something, you can find the closest vehicle and quickly give your driver directions for the most efficient way to and from the additional stop. Companies who start using GPS tracking often see productivity increases and cost decreases of usually around 15-20%, including decreased fuel costs of approximately 20% and about a 30% decrease in mileage.

GPS fleet tracking can also help if one of your vehicles is stolen. A few months ago, a company vehicle was hijacked, but the company and police were able to follow the car and capture the hijacker quickly, retrieving the vehicle with its contents intact. Some GPS tracking units also have the option of a panic button so that if your driver runs into difficulty, he can alert you at once to a problem.

In addition to solving your problems about how to monitor your expanding fleet, GPS fleet tracking will help save you money, hopefully making up for some of the expenses of purchasing the additional vehicles. If you’re looking at expanding, use GPS to properly monitor your fleet, increase productivity, and decrease expenses.

By Greg Bartlett

With Thanksgiving passed and the rest of the holidays still to come, many are grateful for the opportunity to spend time with family and friends, enjoying fellowship, fun, and food. Unfortunately, a great number of Americans this season will be forced to seek their meals from food banks, churches, and shelters. Efforts by these charities to reach out to those in need are plentiful, yet inefficiency and disorganization can quickly become an issue in churches trying to provide for so many hungry people. Getting food out to where it’s needed most is a managerial nightmare without the proper tools. How can technology, specifically GPS trackers, aid the hungry?

The Athena Project, a $60 million dollar initiative by Feeding America, thinks it has the answer. The effort is developing and installing advanced tracking and management equipment in roughly 200 food banks across the country. GPS trackers will be installed on delivery vehicles and aid packages, allowing management staff to keep tabs on it all. The technology will also allow drivers to pick more efficient routes, saving much needed cash in a non-profit industry hit just as hard by the recession as anyone else.

GPS & Hunger

Waste will be reduced, and in the event of a food product recall (a nightmare scenario to aid workers), management will be able to quickly identify those who received contaminated goods. Also, the information provided by GPS trackers will allow food banks to compare those regions covered by their workers and adjust their responsibilities in the case of overlap.

Charities have just as much need for efficiency as any other organization. While their concern obviously isn’t profit, the bottom line is often aiding the needy in a way that best makes use of their donors’ funds. The savings provided by GPS trackers and advanced fleet management systems truly can help. In this case, GPS trackers made a fine donation to food banks which didn’t individually have the extra cash to invest in such a system, yet will greatly benefit from its use.

Feeding America’s affiliates serve more than 25 million in the US annually, including 3 million seniors and 9 million children. The organization handles over 2.5 billion pounds of found each year. Such a large operation, especially since eclipsed by other similar organizations, demonstrates the great need for organization and efficiency in aid groups across the country. GPS trackers, selected and implemented carefully, can be a great part of that.