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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

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Researchers in Beijing, one of the world’s most congested cities, implemented GPS tracking of taxicabs in an attempt to better understand the city’s traffic problems. Beijing is referred to as a virtual car park during the day, and in 2006, rush hour reportedly lasted for 11 hours every day. Traditional urban planning has failed to account for the massive population and commuting needs of residents, so researchers at Microsoft Research Asia decided to use GPS tracking technology to get a broader view of the problem and hopefully come up with some functional solutions.

The team used GPS technology to track 33 thousand Beijing taxicabs during 2009 and 2010. Instead of focussing on areas where congestion occurred, the researchers were more interested in studying the routes drivers are taking. “[Congested] road segments are only the appearance. They’re not the problem,” explained Yu Zheng, leading researcher. “We try to identify the true source of the problem in our work.”

The research team in Beijing hopes that, if successful, this method of urban planning and correction may be implemented in other high-traffic cities with a high volume of taxicabs. Beijing currently ranks fourth on the planet for most taxicabs. Other cities that may benefit from this kind of GPS tracking, include Moscow, Buenos Aires, Mexico City, Tokyo, Bangkok and New York.

“I think this is an interesting direction, though I wonder to what extent the real problem in urban planning is not having the resources – money – to do anything about it,” offered Sam Madden, an associate professor at MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory. Madden does give credit to Zheng for the impressive amount of data collected. However, due to his own resource limitations, Madden was only able to track tens of taxis in his area for a similar study.

Article Written by Marisa O’Connor

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Have you recently canceled your OnStar service? You may think that cancelling OnStar means that you no longer have anything to do with this company, but this isn’t the whole truth. Instead, OnStar will continue to track your driving habits and speeds even after you have cancelled your subscription. That’s right — OnStar currently tracks all subscribers past and present. Once collected, this information is sold, used, and kept on file.

As you’re reading this blog post, U.S. Senator Charles Schumer is trying to prevent OnStar from tracking former clients. OnStar representatives claim that the company has the right to track any former OnStar user unless that user opts out of the data information collection program.

So, how do you opt out? Well, you have to read the fine print, call OnStar, and ask to be taken off of the tracking list. Unless you go through these steps, every time you step into a car equipped with an OnStar system (active or not), your location, speed, and driving habits will be recorded.

If OnStar’s tactics bring a flush to your face, you’re not alone. Senator Schumer recently told press that “…by tracking drivers even after they’ve cancelled their service, OnStar is attempting one of the most brazen invasions of privacy in recent memory.”

Data shows that 6 million Americans currently use OnStar. Many of these people are automatically connected to OnStar when a new vehicle is purchased. OnStar typically provides free service to new subscribers for a few months. At the time of this writing, OnStar stays connected to drivers even after a trial period has expired. Information gathered by OnStar is then sold to third parties.

Many hope that Senator Schumer is successful in making it illegal for OnStar to track former users.

Article Written by Harriette Halepis

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One of the worst things about using public transportation is unreliable bus arrival times. The reliability of public buses largely varies from city to city, depending on a lot of factors like city planning and traffic conditions. Public transportation can be a great resource for people who can’t afford a personal car, or for people who are environmentally conscious, and don’t want to waste precious fossil fuels and contribute to pollution.

Whether the reasoning is economical or environmental, choosing public transportation will at least occasionally make its passenger’s late for appointments and meetings.

This may all change for Toronto bus travelers, as of Monday, July 11, 2011, when the Toronto Transportation Commission (TTC) unveiled a new route tracking system, using GPS satellite technology, accessible to TTC customers.

The TTC has teamed up with NextBus, a California based development company, to bring customers access to real bus arrival times and routes, instead of an estimate of when a bus should arrive.

Users can access the NextBus website from their smart phone or home computer, select their bus route and bus stop, to find the exact times the next three buses will arrive.

The website uses GPS satellite technology to include a real-time map of the city, where they can view images of the buses current location, while traveling along their routes. Bus stop arrival times and route information is also available on LCD screens and LED displays at several bus shelters and subway stations throughout Toronto.

Travelers can also access bus information from a few different third party application developers. Next TTC and Rocket Radar are two apps currently on the market for a one-time fee, which use GPS satellite technology for quick access to Toronto real-time bus route information. Rocket Man is another similar, free app for the city, which uses Google Maps to display real-time locations of buses and streetcars.

Article Written by Marisa O’Connor

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According to the Portland publication The Statesman Journal, Oregon police are woefully behind on the latest technology. Of the entire Oregon state police force, currently only one third of them are firmly in the twenty-first century. This, say some analysts, is a problem — and GPS fleet technology could be a huge part of the solution.

Oregon State Police are currently lobbying lawmakers in order to get access to several billion dollars, which would go towards modernizing the Oregon fleet with GPS tracking technology. They would do so by switching the police force’s source of funding to the state highway funding. The bill would then, as per Oregon law, go to Oregon voters.

“It would make things easier for us,” said outgoing Oregon State Police Officers’ Association President Jeff Leighty told The Statesman. “When you’re arguing against kids, it’s a tougher sell,” he continued, referencing the fact that the police would be competing with the state’s department of education for the finding.

State Senator Sal Esquivel, R-Medford said, “They’ve been underfunded for so long. They need to have GPS, they need to have the ability within their cruisers to have a computer station.”

Depending on how the vote goes in the legislature, and then how the vote goes in the general election throughout the state, the police force will still take years to modernize. What do you think? Are there other ways of modernizing the security in the state in case the funding does not pass legislation? Post your ideas in the comments!

Article Written by Greg Minton

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Officials in Knoxville, Tennessee are debating costly car allowances of government workers, but some say the solution is as easy as integrating GPS technology into the fleet of cars throughout the city.

Knoxville Mayor Tim Burchett took a stand against inflated costs of car allowances, saying he was going to look for ways to create sweeping reductions throughout the city. He intended to save residents $50,000 per year, with county workers using the federal system to be reimbursed 51 cents per mile to cover gas costs.

Opinions throughout the county commissioners were mixed as to what would be the appropriate amount of money for gas reimbursement, as well as what the best plan of action would be to ensure savings really do arise in the end.

County Commissioner R. Larry Smith said that the solution to the problem is to use GPS technology to keep proper track of miles covered by city employees. Smith went on to explain that the use of such technology takes the guesswork out of wondering whether or not workers are turning in legitimate numbers or if they are inflating mileage for financial gain.

The move would come on the heels of many other communities throughout the country that have taken similar approaches, using GPS tracking technology to provide the most accurate statistics of government workers.

Knoxville officials cited high costs in all divisions, including the county school system which, in the prior year, showed 175 employees accounting for a total of $231,676 in reimbursement for car allowances.

Article Written by Greg Minton

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While automobile GPS tracking has effectively provided owners with peace of mind concerning the location and safety of their cars and trucks for years, the devices have not yet made much impact in the world of motorcyclists. Motorcycles have always presented a trickier problem when it comes to security due to their open design. Coupled with the fact that serious bikers want to maintain the sleek lines and classic designs of their bikes, the typical motorcycle design has caused motorcycles to become prime targets for theft. And because they’re easy to dismantle and sell for parts, most owners never get their stolen bikes back.

As motorcyclists across the country prepare for spring bike rallies, many of them are turning to GPS tracking devices to reduce the incidence of theft both at home and on the road. While tracking units of the past were clunky and difficult to conceal, newer models utilize smaller designs and magnetic capabilities, making them easy to attach out of sight. That’s good news both for design purists and for those looking to conceal the trackers from would-be motorcycle thieves. In addition, the units can track speed, direction, and stop durations, making recovery much more feasible if a theft does occur.

Law enforcement officers have reported success in cracking motorcycle theft rings using “bait bikes.” These bikes, usually left in a purposely low-security spot during bike rallies or other places where lots of bikers gather, offer the perfect temptation for a bike thief. As soon as the concealed tracking unit registers motion, police can pinpoint and follow the thief as he cruises toward his destination.

Many times, these thieves operate as part of a larger theft ring that steals cars and motorcycles and either resells them or dismantles them and sells the parts. If police can nab the entire ring, they can reduce overall thefts both of motorcycles and of cars and other targeted vehicles in the area.

For individual motorcycle owners, GPS tracking can give you peace of mind as you ride around town or across country. Whether you’re in a high theft area or not, an expensive ride often proves too tempting for criminally minded people looking to make a quick buck.

With the device in place on your bike, you can rest assured that even if your Harley does disappear from your driveway or from a parking lot, you can locate it immediately, giving police the information they need to make a quick recovery.

Article Written by Greg Bartlett

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Saving money is a big concern these days. While people are clipping coupons and shopping at garage sales, they may be neglecting a much more substantial savings. An investment in GPS tracking can pay off in insurance savings for the consumer (whether an individual or a company). Insurance companies give discounts for such things as low mileage, anti-theft devices, teenage tracking and safe driving.

Some insurance companies offer discounts for drivers who drive less than a certain number of miles each year. However, many claim this discount only to violate the terms of it. Several large insurance companies now offer a low mileage discount to those drivers who will agree to use GPS to record their odometer readings.

For truly low mileage drivers, the discount can be substantial: even up to 26% of the annual premium rate. The insurance company earns savings by eliminating credits for those who don’t actually qualify for the discounts, and those savings are passed on to drivers who do.

Another way that consumers can save with GPS tracking is to claim the anti-theft discount many insurers offer. This is commonly used with commercial fleets and also by rental car companies. The devices can be programmed to alert the company if the car goes beyond prescribed boundaries.

GPS tracking can qualify companies for safe driver fleet discounts by monitoring driver behaviors such as hard braking, speed and turns and weaves. Drivers who are aware they are being watched will usually drive more cautiously and carefully. Teen drivers aren’t exactly fleet vehicles, but sometimes they also need to be tracked and it can pay off in savings to parents in reduced insurance premiums. The GPS unit can alert the parents when the young person violates conditions such as not arriving at school, being a certain distance from home or exceeding a certain speed limit.

Vehicle owners can find further savings with GPS-equipped cars, which can save money by suggesting the shortest route and helping drivers avoid getting lost. They can be alerted to traffic jams and unsafe conditions. Fewer stops and starts and less miles translates into money saved especially with today’s high fuel prices.

GPS technology is a timely investment that will pay for itself in reduced insurance premiums, not to mention reduced fuel costs and peace of mind for parents who are tracking teens. More and more insurance companies will harness this technology in the future to reduce their costs which then can be passed on to you, the consumer.

Article Written by Greg Bartlett

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When most people think about GPS Fleet tracking, they imagine fleets of Lear jets or squad cars. Snow removal is pretty low on the radar. However, tracking a fleet of snow removal vehicles can keep the streets of a city from clogging with snow, and keep the cars on those streets safer.

The city of Madrid instituted a test fleet tracking program a few years ago, to coordinate the city snow removal vehicles. Identical GPS units were placed in each of their 19 snowplows. When the fleet was dispatched into the city, the GPS units tracked a variety of important data that was transmitted and collected in a control center. In addition to tracking the speed and location of the snow removal vehicles, the control centers could determine when the trucks engaged their snowplows and were pushing the snow around.

Additionally, the fleet tracking control center could track where, when, and how much liquid or solid “snowmelt” that the snow removal vehicles used. A signal was sent through the GPS tracking unit that told the control center when snowmelt was being dispersed onto the roads, and even told the control center how far the snowmelt was being thrown. This allowed them to analyze when too much or too little snowmelt was being dispersed, and allowed the control center to implement procedure optimizations.

One vital function of the tracking system was keeping track of the fuel level of the snow removal vehicles. In Madrid, there are a limited number of refueling stations. Before the implementation of the GPS tracking systems, several vehicles may have shown up at the fueling center at the same time, causing bottlenecks at the fueling station, and decreasing the speed of the snow removal efforts.

This data allowed the dispatch center to create efficiency reports, adjust the vehicles’ routes, and reduce the number of snowplows that require refueling at any given time. Once the data was analyzed, the city of Madrid was able to ultimately increase the speed that the city could respond to a heavy snowfall.

City snow removal departments in the US could greatly benefit from a GPS fleet tracking system similar to the one used in Madrid. The benefits to the city and its drivers would be invaluable, as city streets could be cleared more quickly and completely. With quickly-cleared streets, fewer accidents could result, and more people could safely travel throughout the city.

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Have you ever wondered how Santa finds his way to all those homes on Christmas Eve? First of all, traveling all the way from the North Pole is quite a distance. And the jolly old man in the red suit could be in serious danger of getting lost, especially if he would happen to run into a blizzard. Secondly, since he only comes once a year, he surely can’t remember the way to every chimney. Since he has to go all the way around the world in one night, Santa Claus doesn’t have time to get lost. He must know exactly where to turn.

Or have you ever wondered how Santa avoids collisions with aircraft? He probably can’t see too well in the dark, even with Rudolph’s nose to light the way.

With all those presents for little girls and boys, Santa probably doesn’t have room for an atlas in his sleigh. Since there’s no Internet access at the North Pole, Santa can’t use Mapquest or Google Maps to get directions. So how does he do it? With a portable GPS device, of course! GPS tracking allows Santa to find his destinations easily without any worry. Santa receives satellite signals clearly without any interference as he travels through the night sky. His GPS tracking device notifies him when he has reached his destination, and gives him directions to the next chimney. Santa probably updates all the addresses and plugs them into the GPS device ahead of time.

This year, Santa will probably upgrade to a bluetooth GPS device so he will have both hands free to guide the sleigh. These devices are usually used by automotive drivers, but they work for sleigh drivers too. Santa’s bluetooth GPS device will keep him updated on traffic and weather information. That way he can avoid any airplanes or other aircraft that might be sharing the sky with him. Santa’s navigational tool also helps him steer clear of bad weather. After all, if he got stuck in a rainstorm, Santa would be delivering soggy presents to all the little boys and girls.

If Santa’s elves are out helping him deliver presents, Santa can keep an eye on his subordinate sleighs with GPS fleet tracking. Santa was probably one of the first to use this helpful development. With fleet tracking technology, Santa can make sure his elves aren’t speeding. He can also check to make sure they get the right presents down the right chimneys.

A lot of people probably think Santa uses magic on Christmas Eve. But now you know his secret; he uses a portable GPS device!

Article Written by Greg Bartlett

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