Rocky Mountain Tracking » Improve Productivity

GPS Devices: A Tremendous Benefit to Commercial and Government Fleets

John Chapman — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 21:00:05 +0000

A fleet of cargo or freight trucks no doubt provides an incredible logistical challenge to a fleet manager. Managing so many vehicles, each with its own quirks, across a wide range of terrains and weather conditions, each load of cargo with its own difficulties involving fragility and weight… truly a truck fleet is a wonder of modern industry.

With that in mind, it is impressive that fleet managers could ever run their fleets before the introduction of GPS technology. With the accurate tracking provided to fleet managers using GPS devices installed on vehicles, keeping track of the fleet is easier than ever.

Fleet managers no longer need to pull his or her hair out because a truck has dropped off the grid. Mileage tracking is fast and accurate, preventing overtime and enabling super exact billing.

GPS Insight recently held a webinar to highlight the benefits of GPS Fleet Tracking. The free webinar from one of the world leaders in GPS fleet tracking was designed to showcase the cost savings and efficiency provided when GPS technology is integrated into a fleet.

The database-style functions of GPS Insight software were presented, displaying how customizable reporting can aid the administration of a government or commercial fleet. In addition, the software streamlines truck routing, provides custom alerts for a variety of situations, and features Garmin integration.

With a wide range of options available, every fleet manager should consider the advantages of making GPS systems a part of their commercial or government fleet. The GPS industry has a sweet spot for government and commercial applications. There is nothing any organization loves more than accurate reporting and tracking. When it comes to moving cargo across the country and beyond, GPS tracking is a no-brainer solution for the fleet manager that needs up-to-the-minute information on every last detail of the fleet.

GPS technology has truly changed the function and implementation of modern industry, especially when it comes to moving cargo. When goods and materials stop moving, their are serious consequences world-wide. Nothing helps move the fleet industry into the modern age like the integration of a solid GPS system.

GPS Devices Used for PSG Soccer Training

Mark Rummel — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 21:00:15 +0000

The parade of new uses for tracking with GPS devices continues. We’ve seen it used in law enforcement, company and city vehicle monitoring, and even in keeping tabs on endangered species in the wild. This month, a prominent European soccer coach told reporters that he plans to use GPS tracking devices to keep a very close eye on what his players are doing during training. With the detailed location data that trackers can provide in real time, they could gain a footing among sports teams of all kinds to increase the effectiveness of training routines.

Carlo Ancelotti, formerly in charge of the high-performing Chelsea soccer team, is now starting his first season as coach for the French team Paris Saint-Germain. He brings with him a number of training techniques that exert very close control over the players’ lives. One of those is a strict monitoring of diet, making sure that everything the players eat is contributing to improvement of their performance on the field. Another factor is the use of GPS devices to keep detailed information on exactly what goes on with individual players during training sessions.

By fitting the players with GPS devices, Ancelotti gathers data on their activities in real time during training exercises. He uses the information to customize schedules to perfectly fit each player’s needs, and also checks to make sure that they are not overexerting themselves—a problem that could lead to injury. The GPS training tool is one that Ancelotti has used and improved with his previous Chelsea team in England, and looks forward to applying to his new PSG team.

If any team is well equipped to function as a pioneer in the use of new (and costly) technological tools, it’s PSG. The team is noted for its unusually well funded budget; it has spent $116 million on players so far this season, and is not finished trying to sign new players. The new coach anticipates his team will stay in first place in its league, helped by his new diet and training techniques. GPS devices are still relatively expensive, but if coach Ancelotti’s experiment pays off, other teams may be willing to spend the money to start their own GPS-assisted training programs.

GPS Helps Make Snow Manageable in Midwestern County

John Chapman — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:57:55 +0000

In Winnebago County, Wisconsin, winter hits hard. Citizens deal with the elements in ways familiar to most of us in the lower 48: snow pelts the landscape. Until the slat trucks and plows get the roads clear, the county is shut down. Meanwhile, employees struggle to make it out of their driveways and get to work through the same impossible storm weather, year after year.

Modern technology has no cure for bad weather. However, GPS technology is helping the county’s salt trucks get Winnebago County’s citizens to work in a more efficient manner. Winnebago has installed GPS tracking devices on all of its salt trucks. The new tools promise to help Wisconsin get back on its feet as the weather takes hold.

The GPS trackers do more than just keep tabs on the salt trucks. The county’s highway leaders can also track how much salt is applied to the streets and what kind of salt is used. Winnebago County can then crunch those numbers to map out the most efficient method possible of getting all of its nearly two thousand miles of road cleared.

Managing winter weather is absolutely crucial to the economic function of any region—especially the American Midwest. While winter is simply a part of the culture there, and the people of Winnebago have created a culture of integrating the weather into their life pattern, it is impossible to predict function. Weather ebbs and flows; there are still winter storms so horrid that even the experts in Winnebago, Wisconsin may be nonplussed. A county that cannot move food trucks, sell gas, teach its children, and maintain law enforcement due to weather is always at a greater risk. The faster Winnebago gets back on the road, the better.

GPS technology promises to make Winnebago’s winter months more manageable, thanks to the improved function of its salt distribution trucks. The method for getting the roads clean hasn’t changed; but the method will become more efficient thanks to what modern GPS technology has brought to the county of Winnebago, Wisconsin.

GPS Tracking to Help NYC Catch the Bus

Hillary Mayfield — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 21:00:02 +0000

City transportation is notorious for running behind schedule, and nowhere is that more true than New York City. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has received numerous complaints about busing in Brooklyn, especially the B61 route, so they are considering launching a pilot program that would use GPS technology to provide real-time tracking to its customers.

The Problem
Approximately 2.4 million people ride the buses in Brooklyn on a regular basis, yet the city has cut buses from its routes, as well as routes from its system to save money, leaving riders in the lurch. One group of citizens decided to take action. They sought out volunteers to gather bus information over a three month period (July to September) during peak hours of riding. They discovered that more than half of route B61’s buses did not arrive on time during rush hour traffic, making people late for work and events and decreasing productivity. They hope that the information gathered will encourage authorities to go forward with the GPS tracking technology used in other big cities around the country.

The Solution
Throughout the country, transportation systems have implemented GPS technology in an effort to increase the efficiency of its busing systems. Where used, GPS tracking systems have proved very effective, both in terms of saving time and money. GPS companies have created tracking systems specifically designed for the bus industry; NextBus and Bus Tracker are just a couple. They gather data directly from the bus as it is in transit. The information can then be plotted on a map with estimated arrival times that can be downloaded to your computer or phone. The system can even send a text message when problems occur. If the bus is immobile due to a traffic jam, train crossing, or parade, a “Delayed” message will be sent that returns to an updated estimated arrival schedule once the bus is back in motion.

With the technology provided by global positioning systems, transit systems can operate more efficiently at less cost and with happier customers by providing real-time GPS tracking. Riders can better plan their schedules, and companies can create routes that better serve the public.

GPS Cuts Down Your Commute Time

Admin — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 14:14:55 +0000

Many people that travel via mass transit have been afforded a new luxury in some of the countries larger cities. Because of advancing GPS technology, city buses and other public transportation have started to implement real time tracking devices in their fleets.

How it works:
The buses and trains in many cities have started to use devices that allow people to view the exact, real time location at any time of the day from any Internet enabled phone or computer. By using this tool, customers can see exactly how much time they have before the bus arrives at the bus stop, and they can plan around this.

The GPS systems are installed in each bus at a relatively low cost, and real time tracking technology is implemented at a price that is affordable for most major cities, but monthly operating costs also increase. Because of this, some cities have been slow to update their mass transit and are sticking with rough schedules.

Benefits of real time tracking:
Most customers are thrilled with the advances in technology that enable them to know exactly when to arrive at the bus stop for the next bus. With this new technology, mass transit users are able to plan their day on the fly and do whatever is most convenient for them. This new technology allows users to determine how much time they have for their morning latte or breakfast before they must leave for the bus, and it also eliminates most of the time spent braving nature’s worst at poorly kept up bus stops.

By using this feature, most bus riders are benefitting greatly with very few downsides, and if you happen to miss the bus, the technology provides you with the real-time tracking information for the next three scheduled buses that run along your route.

People around the country are finding this new implementation a valuable way to save time and eliminate the inconveniences of waiting outdoors not knowing when the next bus will arrive.

Overall, users seem to be taking advantage of this technology, with most bus systems that use it seeing a gradual increase in the number of people using mass transportation. It not only helps people that use the buses for their daily transportation, but it also helps the city by providing it with an increased income from the public transportation systems.

Urbandale, Iowa to Use GPS Tracking on Public Vehicles

Admin — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 16:15:06 +0000

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

Robotics and GPS: The Future of Farming

Admin — Sat, 19 Mar 2011 16:00:25 +0000

In 2009, Canadian farmers spend more than $4 billion on farm wages. Within the United States, this number is slightly higher. The gross annual profit of many farms is around $100,000. When combined, these numbers lead to a massive problem for Canadian and American farms alike. The solution to this problem may be robotics.

A number of farms throughout Europe and North America are replacing farmhands with robots. While not the walking, talking, robots most of us are used to seeing in animated films, farm robots are able to perform all the same tasks that humans can.

The difference is that a farming robot only costs around $30,000 – the price of an average car.

With a lifespan that lasts many years (with the occasional tune-up), robotic farming makes sense. These machines don’t tire, can’t form unions, and are ready to work at all hours of the day. The animals that come in contact with robots don’t seem to mind either. Dairy cows, for instance, can be fed at all hours of the day just by nudging a machine. In turn, these cows are able to produce more milk, which adds up to profits for farmers.

Most farmhand robots come from Europe where robotic farming has been in place for a few years now. Yet, robotics isn’t the only new technology the farming industry has seen lately. A number of farms are now using GPS technology and satellite imagery to determine where to plant seeds.

Seemingly, this would lead to lower food costs, though some find robotic farming alarming.

Can robots be trusted to run America’s farms flawlessly? Will farmhands be phased out by machines? Do robots have any place on a farm? Let us know what you think.

Article Written by Harriette Halepis

GPS Inspires Evolution in Surveying Technology

Admin — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 15:50:58 +0000

Of the industries that are improving and evolving as a result of GPS technology, surveying is one of the most rapidly changing. Surveying, particularly topographic study and boundary resolution in law courts, will likely never be replaced by machines. These jobs are simply too technical and demanding for this to be possible to any significant degree. However, if the trajectory of technological improvements in GPS surveying technology continues, the job of surveyors will be made much more efficient.

Most modern GPS advancements to surveying have been in the area of staking. Heavy construction companies use GPS machine control technology to increase the efficiency of their operations.

GPS machine control systems tell heavy construction equipment drivers where to drive and indicate the grade at which they should excavate. This role was previously performed by surveyors, but is now being performed automatically by GPS machine control technology.

As a result of this technology, companies are saving more and more money by installing GPS machine tracking systems into their equipment rather than hiring expensive and time-consuming surveyors for their operations management. Strategic planning of excavations has become quicker, easier, and more accurate, thanks to GPS machine tracking technology.

To be clear, surveyors’ jobs are not being replaced. In fact, surveyors are needed now more than ever. Relying on machines entirely for such complex tasks as mineral excavation would clearly be a mistake; companies need the human judgment of surveyors in order to make sense of the data.

In the next few years, however, expect companies to use GPS technology to automate a large portion of the tasks they previously outsourced to surveyors. To learn more about the connection between surveying and GPS tracking technology, take a look at this article published by softwareadvice.com.

Article Written by Greg Minton

GPS for Baltimore PD

Admin — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 16:00:54 +0000

The eighth-largest city police force in the U.S. is using GPS tracking to get police officers where they need to be faster. The Baltimore Police Department employs over 2,000 police officers in 9 districts covering 92 square miles. Keeping everybody as safe and organized as possible is a daunting task. When an incident occurs, finding the closest officers and getting them there right away was sometimes impossible—but now a fleet tracking system gives dispatchers the most up-to-date information.

Each officer is carrying a Blackberry phone that links them all together under “eyes in the sky.” The phones send signals to global positioning satellites, which read their latitude and longitude coordinates. That information shows up on the computer screens of dispatchers, commanders, and other officers as points on a map.

They can watch the movements of each officer in a particular area or at an event and coordinate their movements to provide more effective law enforcement coverage. It’s fleet tracking applied not just to vehicles, but to individual persons.

The police commissioner wanted officers to be able to get out of their vehicles more often and interact with people in the community. With their locations pinpointed, it’s safer for them to do this and keeps them in closer contact with dispatchers should they need to move. When a lot of officers need to be on foot, such as mingling in the crowds at a big event, it’s easier to see where they all are and get them to key points faster. Once an incident gets resolved, it’s also easier to get them all back to their stations.
Additionally, because the fleet tracking system logs data for future study, department personnel can review what happened after an event.

This feature has multiple benefits. The historical view makes it easier to write reports efficiently, giving officers more time to spend on the street instead of in the office. It may also provide solid evidence to support officers’ testimonies in court. The greatest benefit it that it helps commanders make more informed decisions about how, when, and where to deploy officers, keeping the community safer.

The Baltimore Police Department is excited about using this new technology to put its officers where they are needed. Their officers and citizens are safer because of it. As other cities add tracking to their police and other departments, we can all reap the benefits.

Article Written by Greg Bartlett

Can Small Businesses Afford GPS Tracking?

Admin — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 16:00:01 +0000

Much has been discussed regarding the effectiveness of GPS tracking devices in helping small businesses monitor employee behavior in company vehicles, keep an eye on company assets, and prevent theft of heavy machinery and other expensive equipment. The question that remains for many is not one of effectiveness, but rather of affordability. Let’s take a look at how you can determine whether tracking equipment is a wise investment for your company.

First, we should consider the three primary ways GPS tracking can save money for your company.

Save Fuel: Just about all businesses operate at least one company vehicle. Tracking technology can help you monitor how much fuel you’re using and how efficient a company driver is on the road. This enables you to implement cost-saving measures such as greater employee accountability and reduced fuel consumption.

Prevent Theft: Installing location monitoring devices can also help you protect vehicles from thieves. If you lose just one vehicle to theft each year, you’ve lost anywhere from twenty thousand to several hundred thousand dollars, depending on the type of vehicle. Thieves target everything from small company cars to heavy construction machinery, meaning that you can’t count on any vehicle being safe if you don’t have the means to find it once it’s been removed from the job site.

Protect Assets: With tracking capabilities, you can monitor expensive shipments and products whether they’re on site or on the road. If a shipment becomes lost or a product is stolen, the success of recovery efforts will increase dramatically when you’ve taken steps to track the item’s location.

Next, let’s consider the cost of incorporating tracking capabilities into your business operations. Assuming you pay approximately $300 per device, you can determine your total cost based on the number of vehicles or items you wish to track. For a fleet of ten vehicles, you would pay $3,000. Device costs may vary based on the needs of your company, but remember that if you’re equipping a large fleet of vehicles, your cost-saving potential increases along with your total expenditure.

Finally, we’ll do a simple comparison of cost versus net gain. Many companies have reported fuel savings in the tens of thousands of dollars, simply by incorporating GPS tracking into their routine. If the technology allows you to prevent even one vehicle theft, you could save twenty or thirty thousand dollars or more on your yearly budget. With savings like these, most businesses stop asking “Can I afford this?” and begin asking instead, “Why didn’t I do this sooner?”

Article Written by Greg Bartlett