Rocky Mountain Tracking

By Harriette Halepis

All across the nation, state departments have been toying with the idea of installing GPS trackers inside of state owned vehicles. In some states, these trackers have been implemented, and in all cases the trackers have been proven highly effective. State employers have learned that employees aren’t always “on the job” when they are “on the clock.” In addition, employees have begun using work time to, well, work (for fear of being caught not working).

Tracking Employees

The same reasons for tracking state employees can easily apply to private employees. If you are one of the many people who hire various employees on a private level, then you may want to consider GPS tracking bracelets and other devices. Even though you can’t place a GPS tracker on an employee without written consent, you can ask all new hires to consider wearing a GPS tracker. Why would you even ponder this idea?

Well, the old adage that “time is money” is as true today as it ever was. When you hire an employee on an hourly basis, you expect that employee to work during those hours. However, some people may not actually be working, even though you are paying them to work. Consider how upset you would be if you found out that your housekeeper took a nap for three hours during the afternoon. Or, think about what your reaction might be if you discovered that your babysitter took your children to her boyfriend’s house while you were away.

From cleaning crews to childcare providers, asking an employee to wear or carry a GPS tracking device may save you money. In the same manner that various state departments found out that numerous state employees were attending to personal affairs on state time, you may also discover that you are paying someone an hourly wage, so that they can take advantage of your trust.

Does this notion ruin the trust that’s supposed to exist between an employee and an employer? Not necessarily. Any employee who is trustworthy would not have a problem carrying or wearing a GPS tracking device. While you may want to trust everyone you hire, this isn’t always a possibility. GPS technology makes it possible to keep tabs on your children, elderly family members, pets, and employees - tracking a private employee is no different.

If you want to make sure that you are paying someone who’s actually working, think about using a GPS tracker. Hiring someone on an hourly basis can be a great thing, but this arrangement only works if you can ensure that the person you’re hiring is completing the tasks at hand. With GPS technology, this kind of assurance has become a reality, and it’s a reality that makes a lot of financial sense.

By Greg Bartlett

For many people, vehicles are their livelihood.  Perhaps you own a car dealership.  Your cars are your “babies,” and you don’t want them out of your sight for long.  Perhaps you have a work truck that carries equipment that is vital to your career-such as construction, plumbing, or landscaping equipment.  Or perhaps you have a have a taste for expensive cars like Porsches, Ferraris, or Lamborghinis, and you want to keep a very close eye on them.  In any of these cases, vehicle tracking devices can give you the security and peace of mind that you need.

Vehicle Tracking Uses

At one time, vehicle tracking systems were a luxury.  Now, however, they are a necessity.  Vehicle tracking systems are GPS (Global Positioning Systems) that operate by receiving reliable positioning and navigational information and transmitting it to anyone with a receiver.  The receiver’s owner can put the receiver anywhere he chooses to track things that are important to him-such as a vehicle.  So, for example, let’s say that the owner of the GPS is also the owner of a car dealership.  He could place a vehicle tracking device on a car that is on his dealership lot.  When someone takes one of his cars out for a test drive, he can use the GPS to track that car.  The vehicle tracking device sends information to the owner’s computer, and he can monitor its location, speed, stops, and route of travel.  No car is ever really out of his sight.

Vehicle tracking devices also come in very handy in protecting your car, even if you don’t own a dealership.  On Friday, March 5, 2010, it was reported on a local Canadian news channel that a man’s work truck was recovered on the same day it was stolen because his boss had, unbeknownst to him, installed a vehicle tracking device just ten days earlier.  When the truck’s owner went out to get in his truck for his day of work, he discovered it missing.  He contacted his boss, and together they were able to use the computer to locate the truck.  Because of this tracking device, the truck’s owner, his boss, and the police all arrived to the stolen truck at the same time.  The truck was returned to the owner, and he was able to resume his day’s work without missing a beat-all thanks to the vehicle tracking device.

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

—————————————————————————————————————————————–

-          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 Greg Bartlett

With the advent of the internet, e-mail, Google, facebook, and countless other “connecting” devices, our world is becoming more and more “globilized.”  Globalization is the term used to define how the world has become integrated through new technologies and trade.

GPS & Shipping Containers

One result of globalization is companies sending employees overseas for various reasons.  For example, companies such as Michelin, Ernst and Young, L’Oreal, and many, many others send their employees overseas to live in foreign countries while executing business deals for the company or setting up international branches and offices.

Religious organizations send missionaries abroad to live among the people and spread their religious faith.  Other people simply choose to make their home in a foreign country because they enjoy the culture, people, and experiences of living abroad.  Occasionally a student will decide to study at a university in another country for a broadening educational experience.

Whatever the circumstances, an international move can be a source of pressure.  Packing a container of your household goods to be shipped overseas is no small task!  The last thing anyone wants to hear, after facing an overseas move, is that their container was lost or damaged.  One way to prevent losing your container (or at least knowing exactly where it was when it was damaged!) is to use GPS tracking devices to insure that you are always aware of the location of your property.  GPS satellites (there are approximately 24 satellites in space) track the latitude and longitude of the person or item wearing the receiver.

This information downloads constantly to the internet or a mobile device.  There are both active and passive GPS tracking devices.  Active devices download information as it occurs while passive devices are more of a record of what has happened.  If you have invested in a GPS tracking device, if and when ever have a question about the location of your container or goods, the information is right at your fingertips.  Occasionally, containers and goods shipped overseas can be docked at the wrong location and charges may accrue if they are not picked up within a certain amount of time.

When you arrive at your new foreign home, you don’t want to wonder where your belongings are located.  If you are using a GPS device, you will never have to worry about losing your goods once they arrive at your overseas destination.

By Greg Bartlett

Fleet vehicle theft can provide huge payoffs for the criminals who make it their business. When tractor trailers and their contents are stolen, it’s difficult for police to recover them, and traditionally the rate of returned vehicles has been low. That is, until the advent of GPS vehicle tracking. Fleet vehicles that have been equipped with GPS tracking devices can be monitored from a company computer and their whereabouts determined at any time. That means that as soon as a theft occurs, police have access to data that will show them the exact location of the missing vehicle, enabling them to find not only the vehicle but usually the perpetrator as well.

GPS Vehicle Tracking & Businesses

Companies who have installed GPS vehicle tracking in their fleet vehicles have reported an excellent return on their investment. When dealing with large, expensive vehicles that can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars each, the savings of recovering just one stolen vehicle can make the purchase of GPS tracking devices worth it, since that’s one less vehicle that has to be replaced. If employers suspect their drivers of performing personal business on company time, they can monitor individual drivers as well. Whether the employees are selling company products for personal gain, operating a personal side business on company time, or simply using the company vehicle for personal driving, managers can nip these behaviors in the bud by having the information they need to confront employees with specifics.

As GPS vehicle tracking technology improves, transmitters are being built smaller, enabling discreet placement so that the devices cannot be easily detected or removed. The transmitter sends signals to a computer detailing the vehicle’s movements over time and this information can be viewed either in real time or as a report of activities over a given time span. Real time information helps track down stolen vehicles in as little as an hour from the time they were stolen, while data reports can help employers confront workers with hard facts if they deny misbehavior.  Some cities have begun using the devices to ensure that employees are performing their jobs as expected as well.

Businesses that have asked themselves whether GPS vehicle tracking could help improve their bottom line will be pleased with the cost saving efficiency that can be encouraged with the help of the tracking devices. It’s an excellent way to keep tabs on both employees and vehicles, while making sure they make the most of limited resources.

By Harriette Halepis

WKBW, February, 11, 2010, Buffalo, New York - When snow falls in any city, the first thing that city-dwellers want to know is: how quickly will snow be removed from city streets? In the past, this question was met with a bit of fumbling and a lot of guesses. This is no longer the case in Buffalo, New York, where more than 80 city snow removal trucks have been outfitted with GPS tracking technology.

Snow Removal & GPS Tracking

Salt trucks and snowplows alike are now equipped with GPS trackers that tell the Buffalo Public Works Department how much snow has been removed, what streets have been plowed, and whether or not streets have been salted. Steve Stepniak told WKBW news that the new GPS trackers give the city “…tracking ability, vehicle information ability, whether the plow is down up, spreading salt (WKBW).”

A federal grant paid for Buffalo’s $175,000 GPS tracking system. The system has already proved its worth, and the city believe that snow removal will be even more efficient next year. Stepniak promises citizens that they will “…see better services and more efficient services…when we miss a dead end we’ll know and we’ll be able to make adjustments, so you don’t see those chronic mistakes (WKBW).”

Not only are the GPS trackers ideal for tracking snow plows and salt trucks, trash trucks and street sweepers will also be outfitted with the trackers during the warmer months. This will help street crews to keep track of roads that have already been cleaned, while paying more attention to those roads that need cleaning. While the street sweepers and trash vehicles aren’t equipped with GPS trackers yet, Buffalo has applied for an additional federal grant.

The city of Buffalo hopes to place GPS trackers on nearly 545 different city vehicles within the near future. Other cities that have received a lot of snowfall in the past are currently looking towards Buffalo’s experimental GPS tracking program. So far, the program proves to be worth every penny, and residents of other cold climate cities can expect to see similar programs implemented within the next few years.

GPS tracking devices are really beginning to change the way that public employees and vehicles operate. From tracking the whereabouts of city employees to tracking the effectiveness of snow removal, GPS technology has made it possible to manage seemingly unmanageable public works departments across the nation.

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.

As businesses large and small prepare for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, many people are working behind the scenes to make sure the logistics for the games come together correctly. As athletes, fans, and truckloads of equipment prepare to converge on Vancouver, security measures will need to be heightened in order to ensure the safety and protection of all involved. For athletes, their equipment, and their vehicles, that means the implementation of GPS vehicle tracking to ensure that they reach their destination safely.

GPS & the Olympics

GPS vehicle tracking devices can be placed discreetly in a vehicle and once in place can provide accurate location information to those monitoring the devices, even if they’re hundreds of miles away. Signals sent at specified intervals from the transmitter allow each vehicle to be monitored continuously and enable immediate intervention if something goes amiss. Similar technology will be used for the Super Bowl this year as well. When high profile athletes and their entourages travel, they can be easily targeted for theft or other crimes. With GPS vehicle tracking, their safety can be assured at any point along their travel route, before problems arise.

While GPS vehicle tracking has gotten some high profile coverage this season, it is most often used to help businesses and individuals keep track of their fleet vehicles or personal automobiles. Some companies report significant savings by keeping an eye on routes that drivers take, how they conserve (or don’t conserve) fuel, and what their driving habits are. Companies with vehicles that tend to be targeted for theft such as construction companies with heavy equipment can protect their vehicle investment by placing a transmitter in each machine. Managers can also determine whether employees are wasting time on the job and whether they are using company vehicles for personal business, both of which can lead to significant monetary outlays. If a manager suspects that an employee is driving the company delivery truck over the weekend, he can use the vehicle tracking technology to verify his suspicions and stop the misuse before it costs the company too much.

GPS vehicle tracking can provide safety and cost savings solutions to any company that maintains vehicles. Although the up-front investment may seem significant, most businesses report that the system pays for itself within a matter of months by saving on fuel costs and man hours. In an economy where each business needs to invest each dollar wisely and reduce costs wherever possible, GPS vehicle tracking could be the decision that helps your company outlast the competition.

By Harriette Halepis

WBZ Boston, Lowell, Massachusetts, January 29, 2010 - The state of Lowell, Massachusetts, recently proposed that all Lowell police cars be fitted with GPS trackers. Other states that have outfitted state-owned vehicles with GPS trackers have managed to increase productivity and emergency response time. However, the Lowell police force is not allowing the installation of GPS trackers without a fight.

Tracking Police Cars

Due to planned protests, the annual awards ceremony that is usually held in the Lowell memorial Auditorium had to be cancelled.  Those who are a part of the Lowell force feel that the installation of GPS trackers would be a violation of personal rights, though City Manager Bernard Lynch doesn’t quite see the situation in this manner.

Instead, Lynch argues that the city “…wants to make sure that…police officers are doing what they’re supposed to be doing… (WBZ)“ While this may sound paranoid to some, the fact of the matter is that many other states through the nation have found that city employees spend a lot more time tending to non-work related tasks then they do to work related tasks.

Further, tax payers don’t see anything wrong with ensuring that police officers are actually working for that tax money. As one resident put it “it’s tax dollars at work. You see a cruiser sitting on the side of the road, at least back at dispatch, they know where they are (WBZ).” This resident isn’t the only one, many people within the Lowell area wonder whether or not police officers are spending their time wisely.

As for those members of the Lowell police force, a press release that was sent to the Lowell Sun states that “the chief has proclaimed his lack of trust in our members by proposing the GPS system (WBZ).” At this time, no further comments have been made by force representatives. Thus, the proposal has not yet been implemented, though both state officials and city taxpayers would like to see the proposal set into motion.

GPS trackers installed in police cars across the nation would not only ensure that police officers are respecting state time, but they would also ensure that stolen police vehicles are returned in a timely manner. Also, back up crews would likely be able to reach officers in distress faster with the help of a GPS tracker.