Rocky Mountain Tracking

by James Neely, freelance writer: click | HERE | to inquire about his services

In High Point, North Carolina, a man was arrested for stealing semi-trailers and then the goods which they contained. In all, he had stolen more than $180,000 worth of property and was trying to sell it in his business. The trailers were then being destroyed on his property.

This story brings up a salient point about managing and tracking assets in this type of business. If you have semi trailers or are in the business of leasing them, you can make a small investment into each one which will help you be able to recover them if they are ever stolen. GPS tracking systems are a perfect fit for this type of operation.

Here’s how:

Locate instantly. With the proper GPS tracking device, you can track in real-time and locate all of your semi trailers in a matter of minutes. This allows you to keep your trailer from being in the wrong place. Those who lease or use semi trailers are transporting goods and will either be on the road or in the process of delivering or picking up a load. Any other out of the way locations in which the trailers are found could be considered suspicious.

Track mileage and usage. With a GPS tracking system, you can track mileage and even speed of the trailer. Mileage tracking is great for making sure that your trailers are properly maintained on a strict schedule. This helps insure that they are in peak operating condition. From a usage standpoint, you can see when trailers are being abused by exceeding speed limits.

Track in-transit. While a trailer is being used, you can track the trip and make sure that the driver is doing his duty. If the trailer is ever disconnected from the semi, then the location can still be known when the internal battery kicks in on the GPS tracking device.

Better management. Being able to keep track of a fleet of semi trailers requires a method that is simple and complete. A GPS tracking system will allow you to take inventory at any time, day or night. No longer will there be questions about where your trailers are located.

A phone call from a police organization admonishing you to check on your semi trailers is a wake-up call to your business. If you have a GPS tracking system in place, you can rest easy knowing that you are in control and that your business is running smoother because you made the investment in your assets.

By Greg Bartlett

GPS has significantly improved the overall operation of my business!

It’s hard enough keeping track of family cars.  For companies, the struggle to know where each company vehicle is can be time consuming, expensive, and a hassle.  Many companies are looking for ways to streamline their fleet operations, making them more efficient and profitable.

So it’s no surprise that one study showed that about 47% of companies which use fleets are tracking their vehicles with GPS vehicle tracking, up from about 35% last year.  These companies have found numerous benefits from tracking their fleets.  Not only can they know where each vehicle is and monitor speed and driving habits of their employees, but they have also reduced idle time by about 25%, decreased fuel costs by over 20% and mileage by over 30%, and increased employee productivity by over 20%.  All this because they started using GPS vehicle tracking to monitor their fleets.

Many GPS systems allow employers to actively monitor their fleet, tracking each driver.  They can make adjustments such as finding the best routes, monitor their drivers to ensure that they are driving safely, and even keep tabs on the vehicle’s maintenance.  The need for an oil change or necessary maintenance, for instance, could be reported to the company, which could deal with the problem instantly.  Excessive idle time, improper use of company vehicles, and over reporting the number of hours on the clock can all be discovered when the vehicle is being tracked.  Employers can even set up “geo-fences” which allow them to predetermine the areas where employees can drive.  If the employees leave the area, then the company is instantly alerted.

GPS tracking saves companies money by reducing fuel costs, increasing efficiency, keeping drivers accountable, and monitoring vehicle conditions.  Furthermore, insurance companies often reduce rates for companies whose fleets are equipped with GPS tracking.

Despite the closer monitoring that GPS brings, many employees actually appreciate GPS vehicle tracking.  Most GPS systems have an option that allows the driver to hit a panic button in the event of an emergency, such as a mechanical failure or hijacking.  In fact, one company reports that their GPS tracking system has already helped them track and recover a vehicle when it was stolen.

Companies who are trying to keep track of their fleet don’t have to depend on spreadsheets, phone calls, and estimates.  With GPS vehicle tracking, they can know exactly where each vehicle is and what each driver is doing, and they even get to increase efficiency and save money, too.

By James Neely

In the GPS Tracking systems offered by RM Tracking, you will find a very valuable web-based software called NavIQ. This software is what allows you to track your assets as they are ‘on the move.’ The ability to pan, zoom, and provide 3D perspectives and fly-over routing makes this software worth gold to your operations. Not only that, it is available for use in over 56 countries in Europe, the Middle East, and North and South America.

GPS Tracking Software

Here are some of the benefits of these systems:

Trip playback. Monitoring daily activities of your fleet is possible on a map and in text format. This is great for verification purposes and allows you to provide evidentiary support for business activities.

Event overlay. Enhance the safety of your operations with event flagging for items such as ‘overspeed.’ This helps keep your drivers aware and responsible as they perform their duties.

Custom reporting. No software updates are required for making new reports because of the ‘hybrid-web’ technology. Using reports in your business helps you deliver greater customer satisfaction. Imagine being able to submit an invoice with a backup report attached that shows details of activities performed. You will find that customers will appreciate that level of service and it will come to be expected. It is one thing that will help separate you and your competition.

Robust I/O Support. These systems provide an additional value in the ability to send email alerts related to an I/O event.

Geofencing. No, this is not a new Olympics event. This provides the ability to set boundaries in a geophysical area on a map in order to detect violations of those boundaries. Keeping fleets in their areas is important and provides evidence of compliance to rules as well.

User-defined grouping and status codes. Built into this system is the ability for the end user to establish groups and status codes. Your fleets can be logically grouped or sorted based on a number of user-specified criteria. For example, if you have multiple ‘teams’ of deliver operations, you can assign each unit to a team and monitor the group from that perspective.

Allows third-party development and IT staff. The NavIQ Developer Services allow in-house customization in capturing and using real-time data directly from our servers which is then delivered in popular formats of either XML/SOAP, .Net web services, etc. This allows larger operations to build interfaces and displays that meet their specific needs and thereby deliver better customer service at the same time.

There is so much more, but suffice it to say that GPS Tracking systems that are fully integrated into your business operations gives you control like you have never had before. And, you will begin to realize that using the system is no longer an option, it becomes the very lifeline of your business. Make it yours today.

It has been proven that keeping track of your movements can work wonders for people who want to change their habits. Keeping a food diary helps keep dieters from getting off-track. And GPS tracking can help drivers keep track of their habits. This was the argument made in an article in Western New York newspaper that is not trying to hide its support for one county’s bid to use GPS tracking.

The county executive and county legislator want to install GPS tracking devices on county cars and trucks. Of course they cannot make this decision on their own; they still have to get the approval of the county control board.

One of their main arguments in favor of installing the GPS devices is that the system could net taxpayers in that county about $400,000 in savings on fuel, plus about $150,000 in savings on vehicle maintenance. Using GPS to drive vehicles more efficiently means that they will not be put through so much wear and tear so quickly. This will also save money because you will have to replace vehicles less often. This is important to governments and businesses that need to stay under budget and make the most of the resources they already have.

Now that gas costs have been inflated and don’t seem like they will return to previous levels, this is an important investment. You will be pleasantly surprised to find just how quickly a fleet tracking system will pay for itself.

Another strong bargaining chip is the fact that the county will also be able to seriously reduce its carbon footprint. Since this county is in an area of the country that faces severe weather at times, they do not want to do more to contribute to the climate changes that being environmentally irresponsible can bring.

Municipalities and businesses all over the country have found that installing GPS tracking devices on their vehicle fleets has made a big difference.  Has GPS tracking brought savings to your business or municipality? Let us know by leaving a comment. We’d love to hear from you.

Earlier this week, we discussed now GPS tracking can lower a company’s costs for labor and fuel. Here are more reasons why your organization should invest in a GPS fleet tracking system:

A Break on Taxes and Insurance:
Certain businesses can not only benefit from lower fuel and labor costs by using GPS fleet tracking, they can also benefit from a break on their taxes. The 2008 Federal Economic Stimulus Act allows some businesses to use an accelerated depreciation schedule for GPS tracking systems. This act also raised the amount that a business can expense for purchases like GPS tracking systems. Check with a tax professional to see if your business qualifies.

In addition to getting a break on taxes, many companies find that insurance companies look favorably on the purchase of a GPS fleet tracking. If you are not aware that your insurance company offers discounts for vehicles with GPS tracking, inquire about it.

Increased Productivity:
GPS fleet tracking gives you important information about the complete picture of your business that you cannot always see when you are in the day-to-day grind. You can see who is driving where, who is completing the most deliveries and who is really a safe driver. This will help you make assignments, reassign duties and decide the future course of business activities.

Theft Prevention:
GPS tracking systems allow you do more to protect your vehicles and other assets. You can avoid the cost and hassle of theft. Or in the event that a theft still takes place, you can trace your property much faster with a GPS tracking system.

Visit Rocky Mountain Tracking to learn more about fleet tracking.

The demand for GPS fleet tracking has increased this year. If you have a fleet of many trucks or even just a few cars that you use for your business, consider GPS tracking. Here are some reason why your competition has decided to benefit from using fleet tracking and why you should invest in it as well:

1. Lower Labor Costs: Keeping track of employee time results in lowering abuse of overtime. Whether the abuse is intentional or not, monitoring stops makes a difference. You can pay employees for the actual time they spent working.

2. Lower Fuel Costs: One research company found that some fleets were able to cut fuel costs by about 13% after they started using GPS tracking. GPS tracking helps companies make the most efficient use of their vehicles. You can re-train your drivers to spend less time speeding and idling once GPS tracking lets you see how much money you lose to these activities.

3. Lower Prices for Tracking Systems: Once a technological product becomes popular, it costs less. At one time VCRs, CDs, and DVD players were all very high priced because they were new and unproven. Now that more and more people are adopting these technological innovations, they do not cost as much. The same thing has happened with GPS tracking systems.

Rocky Mountain Tracking has a variety of GPS tracking systems to choose from, so one is sure to fit your company’s needs and budget. Visit RM Tracking’s website today to learn more about fleet tracking.

In the last post, we looked at some of the ways that GPS fleet tracking could improve productivity and save money. There are still even more reasons to use GPS tracking to keep up with your fleet of vehicles.

Asset Protection
Many people use a GPS tracking device as a way to secure their personal vehicle. This same principle applies to a fleet of vehicles used for commercial purposes. GPS devices that were primarily purchased for fleet tracking can provide the same protection to your company cars and trucks as they do for a personal vehicle. If an unauthorized user takes one of your vehicles, you will be able to track it using your GPS tracking system. It is likely that you’ll find it before the police do. Then you can give them the information and let them help you get your property back.

Lower Insurance Costs
You may be eligible to receive Lower Insurance Rates by up to 35%. Many insurance companies offer discounted premiums for vehicles that have a Real Time GPS system. Insurance companies recognize the ways in which GPS tracking systems can improve safety and make drivers more responsible. They are willing to reward companies who put these kinds of measures in place.

Tax Incentives
There are some tax breaks available to businesses that purchase GPS tracking devices and other equipment under the 2008 Federal Economic Stimulus Act. Of course there is a depreciation schedule involved, but it is well worth it to look into what tax breaks you can get. You’ll need to do some research to make certain that your business qualifies.

Although it may seem like everything is computerized these days, this really isn’t the case. In fact, we know that when it comes to technology, some of you are slow adopters. You wait until the very last second to jump on the various high tech bandwagons that come rolling through.

If you are still hesitant to use fleet tracking, you really cannot afford to let this particular bandwagon pass by. Businesses that use multiple vehicles can save time and money by tracking their transportation use. With rising gas costs, this is an important investment. You will be pleasantly surprised to find just how quickly a vehicle tracking system will pay for itself. Once that is done, the money saved goes towards the bottom line.

Fleet tracking can let you know what vehicles are where, and when they are there. If someone goes out of bounds, you’ll know. It will give reports on idling and speeding–two practices that are chipping away at your profits. You cannot alter money-losing practices if you don’t know about them. Fleet tracking can help you plug money leaks such as these.

Even if your employees are very safe drivers, they may not be taking the most efficient routes to reach their destinations. Fleet tracking can help you get an idea of why it takes too much time for some trips. It can also explain why some employees seem to get things done a lot faster. There is a lot that you may not know about how work is getting done.

Visit Rocky Mountain Tracking’s website to learn more about how fleet tracking can help your business.
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There are so many benefits to GPS tracking for businesses. When you manage your fleet with a GPS tracking system, you can save on fuel costs and other expenses that are related to vehicle maintenance. More efficient use of vehicles is one way to keep money in the coffers and reduce waste and needless expenses.

Another way that GPS tracking can enhance productivity is that it also makes good use of employee time. When you know where you are going and when you are able to plan better and make your routes and stops coordinate with the flow of traffic. You can even change course quickly if it is necessary. Let’s say that you find that you need to contact a driver and have them vary the route or make an extra stop for some reason—with A GPS tracking system you’ll know exactly where your drivers are and you’ll know who would be the best person to make the extra stop. You don’t have to call several employees to figure out who is where, with a GPS tracking system that keeps up with a driver in real time, you’ll know.

You’ll also know where an employee is in case of an emergency. Serious emergencies probably don’t occur too often, but it is good to know how to get a hold of someone or how to get to them if the unforeseen does happen. The safety and well-being of your employees is very important, since they are your most valuable asset. A GPS tracking system will help you to ensure that all is well.

A recent study from a respected research group confirms what some Rocky Mountain Tracking customers already know: fleet tracking means better fleet management and this translates into more profit. In fact the study showed that some companies find a 42% increase in work order completion. This 42% increase is great by itself, but it looks even better when researchers compared it to the 12% increase in work order completion they found with companies that did not use gps systems for fleet tracking.

We don’t have to tell you that gas prices are skyrocketing. Anything you can do to improve mileage makes a big difference in how much your company will be paying out at the gas pump. Sometimes we discount the little things. What is an extra mile or two? What does it matter if any employee idles a company vehicle at a drive-thru window in between deliveries It matters a great deal because when you add it all up, that is dollars taken away from profit and  going into your gas expenditure.

Using a gps fleet tracking and management system not only cuts costs, it also makes for better delivery service, and this is a great boost to customer satisfaction. Satisfied customers are happy, returning customers. The next order is not guaranteed, so you want to do all you can to get repeat business. And repeat customers tell their friends and fellow business owners. Even if they don’t a happy customer will have little to say that is negative. Unhappy customers tend to spread the word and it gets out far and wide.

Gps tracking can do wonders to improve productivity and increase business, why not give it a try?