Rocky Mountain Tracking

Daily GPS News

Fuel Prices Are On the Rise: Save Money With GPS

November 24th, 2011

The holidays are upon us, and as they do every year, fuel prices are rising to record highs. The national average is currently $3.40, which is up 51 cents from this time last year.

Since October, the price of crude oil has increased roughly 30 percent, from $75.67 to $102 per barrel. Why? Experts think that one likely cause is good news. As the economy is slowly recovering and more are returning to work, the demand for fuel is increasing.

More reasons (not good news) include continued occupation and unrest in places that export crude oil, weak economies worldwide, dwindling inventory here in the US, and the decreasing value of the US dollar. It is estimated Americans will spend a whopping $489.7 billion this year, more than $100 billion more than what we paid in 2010, as calculated by Tom Kloza, analyst for the Oil Price Information Service.

You may not be able to do anything about the rise in cost of gasoline, but if you manage a fleet, whether large or small, you would be wise to look into adding GPS tracking devices to your fleet vehicles. Not only can these handy devices point out any wasted man-hours, it can also show you how you can cut fuel costs. If you can actually see the routes of your drivers, you might notice one or more of them who can change the route they take each day, saving you hundreds in fuel costs in the long run. Some devices can even alert you when the vehicle isn’t running as efficiently as it could be, allowing you to address the problem immediately rather than let it go for a period of time, saving you money.

Fuel prices aren’t going down anytime soon, so prepare yourself and your fleet for the rising costs this holiday season by installing GPS tracking devices.

Photo Courtesy of Cassie_BedfordGolf

Waiting for Santa

December 30th, 2010

If you’re expecting a visit from Santa this year, GPS tracking might help you know exactly when he’s coming. Of course we expect him to land at midnight, but just in case he’s running a little behind schedule (you know, some of those elves can be a little slow), we’re hoping he’ll keep a tracker on his sleigh for the night. Of course, he may want to keep his exact whereabouts a secret, and that’s Santa’s prerogative. But he did let GPS tracking tell some folks when he was coming to spread some early Christmas cheer this year.

Santa Claus joined the Leesburg Volunteer Fire Company for a week earlier in December, the 5th through the 12th, as part of 22-year-old tradition. Each evening, they toured the streets of Leesburg, Virginia visiting a different area each night so that everyone could have a chance to see the top celebrity of the season.

Along the way, his sleigh – which looks remarkably like a fire truck – stopped at “Santa Stops,” where crowds could gather to wave. Reports say temperatures were bitterly cold – at least, those big tough fireman thought so – but compared to the North Pole climate, Santa probably thought it was quite tropical. But the locals didn’t want to wait too long in the cold and give their kids bad memories associated with Santa, so the fire department made it easier.

First, they had maps and a broadly estimated schedule on their website so people could see where Santa would be driving this year and when he might arrive. But even that couldn’t be entirely accurate and couldn’t account for any changes, such as emergency calls or bad weather. So they added something new this year – GPS tracking, updated regularly on Twitter so fans could follow Santa’s movements throughout each evening.

The GPS works by putting a device on the fire truck – I mean, sleigh – so that satellites could read signals from the device and coordinate that information with a map of Leesburg. Then all of that could be monitored by the fire department or GPS company and relayed to fans via the Internet. By all accounts, the whole event was a big hit and the new technology was a great success. We’re hoping Santa forgets to take the device off so that we can watch his departure from the North Pole and his flight around the globe on Christmas Eve.

Article Written by Greg Bartlett

Michelle Obama Helps track Santa Via GPS

December 29th, 2010

On Christmas Eve this year, Michelle Obama lent a helping hand in tracking Santa via GPS – a task which is normally undertaken by NORAD, the North American Aerospace Defense Command.

The “Track Santa” program, which has been active since 1958, currently uses GPS satellites to track Santa’s movements from the North Pole to all the corners of the globe. The website, NORADsanta.org, gets millions of hits every year. The live operations center, which receives phone calls from children asking where Santa is, staffs 1,200 individuals.

First by Phone, Now By Internet and GPS

NORAD’s “Track Santa” program started out being phone-only. Children could call a manned center and hear where Santa was on Christmas eve for four decades, from 1958 until 1998, when NORAD’s “Track Santa” program introduced both GPS tracking and a dynamic Internet website. This has ostensibly made the “Track Santa” program more accurate.

Mrs. Obama’s Helping Hand

Mrs. Obama’s role in tracking santa was to watch the GPS tracking movements from NORAD’s Santa tracking service and to communicate these movements to curious children on the phone.

“You know that Santa only comes after boys and girls have gone to sleep, no matter where he is in the world. So Santa won’t be at your house until you’re fast asleep, okay?” Mrs. Obama told the children who called, according to ABC News.
During Obama’s time on post at NORAD, Santa was visiting Africa and Europe, according to the GPS tracking devices. As she looked at her printout, she continued, “The radar shows that it looks like the vehicle is being pulled by all nine reindeer and it’s pretty full of toys. He’s moving at a pretty good clip. The weather looks good, so there shouldn’t be any problems with him getting the toys around,” Obama concluded to the children.

Article Written by Greg Minton

Tracking Santa’s Reindeer Using GPS? Not Quite.

December 24th, 2010

In one of the most bizarre media campaigns of the past few years, clothing retailer Gap, Inc. has decided to track eight reindeer. “Aha!” you may think. “Christmastime! Santa’s reindeer! This is a clever little flash animation that children will be able to gleefully watch on Christmas Eve as ‘Santa’ makes his way across the world!”

Not so much.

These eight reindeer are not special, magical reindeer from the north pole. And this isn’t one of the dime-a-dozen ‘Santa Trackers’ that inexplicably continue to arise year after year. No, these are eight reindeer with prizes and GPS tracking systems attached to them. These reindeer have been set free in Lake Crystal, Minnesota, and truly daring customers can attempt to find these Minnesota GPS tracking system equipped reindeer.

For example, a Minnesota GPS reindeer could give you 50% off Gap products. There will also be specialized prizes awarded to people who find the fastest reindeer or the reindeer closest to the North Pole.

Fans are encouraged to tweet about their favorite reindeer in this singularly outré marketing campaign. These tweets will apparently – though not plausibly – give the reindeer “boosts” of encouragement during this bizarre campaign.

From the looks of it on Twitter, not many people really understand what the point of the campaign is. There are deals, reindeer, and Twitter is supposed to be used in some way, but the poor way with which Gap has communicated means that no one truly understands how this Minnesota GPS tracking campaign is supposed to work.

Oh well. Back to tracking Santa’s reindeer with the traditional NORAD website.

Article Written by Greg Minton

Have a Safe and Happy Holiday With GPS Tracking

December 23rd, 2010

As the weather gets colder and storms blow across the country, many may reconsider their plans for the holidays. With recent storms on the east coast and throughout the midwest, many vehicles were stranded. Perhaps you are concerned about traveling during the wintery weather after hearing stories of other travelers who were stuck for hours in freezing conditions. A GPS tracking device can provide some reassurance for worried travelers.

If you have a GPS tracking device with you while driving, you will be able to see your exact location at all times. GPS devices usually work even during bad weather conditions. Also, if a severe storm makes it necessary for you to pull over on the side of the highway, a GPS tracking device would allow others to see your location in case you needed help. In case of car trouble caused by inclement weather, a GPS tracking device would allow a towing service to find your exact location. And in the rare case that you might be stranded for days because of a blizzard, a GPS device would allow rescue workers to find you much more quickly and easily than if you did not have one.

A GPS device on your cell phone would allow you to alert others of your location. That way, family members would not be as worried if you did not arrive on time for Christmas dinner. Perhaps you and your family or friends are planning a winter skiing trip to the Rocky Mountains or some other location. Winter sports can be a lot of fun, but can also be dangerous. GPS tracking not only helps during traveling, but can also help keep you safe during winter sports like skiing and snowmobiling.

If you are cross-country skiing in a remote area, a GPS tracking device could save your life if a winter storm came up. This global detection device would allow you to find the nearest shelter in low visibility conditions. If you are snowmobiling in the mountains, a GPS device would provide some security by allowing you to view your location on a map. Depending on what kind of GPS device you have, your global positioning system can allow you to signal for help in case an emergency arose. Whether traveling for the holidays or doing a fun winter activity, a GPS tracking device can provide safety and security.

Article Written by Greg Bartlett

GPS Tracking Protects Baby Jesus

December 19th, 2010

Even Baby Jesus, Mary and Joseph are not safe sitting in front of churches and homes during the holiday season these days but have to fear being stolen or removed as a prank. However, like everything else, nativity scenes and holiday displays can now benefit from GPS tracking to be sure that they remain in their places as humble reminders of the true meaning of Christmas. In times past, once a nativity scene was stolen, it was not generally recovered. With the advent of smaller and more affordable GPS tracking devices that can be placed inside a figurine and lead authorities to the exact location, thieves may think twice about stealing Baby Jesus.

Some users in New York are actually using a GPS Jesus program. The idea was born several years ago when churches began asking about short term rental of GPS devices in order to protect their nativity scenes. Several folks were very bothered by the thought of nativity scenes and holiday displays being stolen, putting a damper on such a special time of the year. The popularity of these type of programs have increased as more people become aware of the option, and as GPS technology has reduced the size of tracking devices.

A huge act of goodwill for a local community would be to put into place their own GPS Jesus or similar GPS tracking program to be freely used by houses of worship. As thieves and pranksters become aware of GPS monitored displays in their community, they will steer clear of them. It is definitely a preventive measure that works. St. Ambrose Church in Old Bridge, NJ, utilizes the GPS Jesus program for their displays after they were repeatedly vandalized.

They have had no further problems since taking advantage of the technology and making the public aware of that fact. While GPS used in this manner is not a money maker or useful for lowering insurance rates, it does rank high on the list for preserving joy and thanksgiving during the holiday season. Hearing that a nativity scene has been stolen or vandalized is a troubling thought to most people, but with this easy solution in place, the community can rest a little easier.

Article Written by Greg Bartlett

The GPS Tracker that Saved Christmas

December 14th, 2010

It seems hard to believe, but there are actually people out there with a desire to destroy Christmas. And what better way to do it than to steal manger scenes from the front of homes and churches? Yes, folks – whether to ruin the Christmas spirit or simply to make a few extra bucks, people really are out there trying to steal baby Jesus from his wooden manger, and they’re getting away with it. Thankfully, GPS tracking is able to put a little cheer back into the holidays.

In January of 2010, the baby Jesus was stolen from its nativity set in from of the county courthouse in Hastings, Michigan. Donated to a volunteer group in 1969, this life-sized nativity represented an important and valuable keepsake for the city of Hastings. Since the figure was valued at $500, the motive behind the theft is questionable; however, regardless of the thief’s intent, the loss of the costly relic was sorely felt.

Unfortunately, the above mentioned scenario is astonishingly common. Every year, in cities all over the United States, pieces of nativity sets are stolen. In an attempt to protect their property, many churches, government buildings, and homes are equipping their valuable nativity sets with GPS tracking devices. These devices, which are designed to consistently monitor the location of the wearer, are easily concealed on nativity pieces.

Once a nativity set has been equipped with GPS technology, it can be easily located in the event of a theft. Using the coordinates provided by the tracker, officials can quickly detect the location of the item, apprehend the thief, and return the nativity to its rightful owner. Thus, these useful innovations are able to protect the most sacred of Christmas decorations and preserve a measure of Christmas spirit.

You wouldn’t think that purchasing GPS tracking for a nativity scene would be worth the investment. But consider: if the smallest piece of the Hastings courthouse’s nativity was worth a whopping $500, how much would the larger pieces be valued at? Obviously, a quality nativity set represents a significant investment, and when it comes to valuable items, you just can’t be too careful. Not only are nativity owners justified in their decision to protect their property, but they are wise to do so. Thieves just go too far when they steal baby Jesus. Thankfully, GPS is able to keep the holidays alive.

Article Written by Greg Bartlett