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Lehigh University recently announced GPS tracking will make up-to-date bus schedules available to its students. The school, located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, consists of three contiguous campuses covering 1600 acres, and half of the acreage is reserved as open space, so students have a lot of ground to cover every day. To help them out, the school runs several bus services. The Escort bus service, also called T.R.A.C.S. (Take a Ride Around Campus Safely) bus service, operates on the main academic campus. Two other services operate respectively on the other two campuses, and buses are used to transport athletic teams between facilities on different campuses as well. Schedule disruptions would normally be nearly impossible to communicate, and that’s a lot of people waiting for buses longer than necessary.

Fleet tracking is a system that puts a GPS tracker on each vehicle in a system. It’s a small device that can be put almost anywhere, and it can give the owner access to a great amount of useful information. The device sends signals to satellites, which read its geographic coordinates and transfer that information to a computer mapping system.

Now the system user can see where the vehicle is, how fast it’s moving, and what it’s estimated arrival time is. Depending on the features and software, devices can even tell you when a vehicle door is open, if the driver is abiding by speed limits, what the weather conditions are in the vehicle’s location, and much more. Businesses and other groups use this to plan better routes and keep employees accountable, increasing efficiency while decreasing fuel costs, overtime costs, and harmful emissions.
Lehigh’s transportation director is excited about the benefits to the university and its students. He cited three major reasons for implementing fleet tracking. One was to “go green,” encouraging students to take the buses rather than drive. Another was to increase students’ safety, diminishing the possibility of waiting alone at a bus stop for long amounts of time after dark. The top reason was to improve service quality through using technology. All three objectives are made possible now that students can access bus information through computers or smart-phones and are able to see more accurate arrival times. Several students have given the program a thumbs-up, saying they are more likely to ride the buses now that GPS can show them when the next bus will arrive.

Article Written by Greg Bartlett

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by James Neely, freelance writer: click | HERE | to check out GPS products from Rocky Mountain Tracking

We have explored each and every application where GPS Tracking can make a difference in the way business is conducted – every way, except for the rail industry.  It appears that being able to track individual rail cars is important and valuable.  Who knew?

GPS Tracking & Railway Cars

Yet, it makes sense in placing GPS Tracking units in these large “containers” on wheels.  While the issue of theft is not as large as for some other forms of transportation, the ability to locate and keep track of them for business purposes is the biggest one.

For Location Tracking

So, how hard can it be to track some of the largest containers in the world?  Pretty difficult if you cannot be right there with them at all times – which is all of the time.  Moving rail cars from location to location takes time.  Being able to keep watch via GPS Tracking helps in knowing where they are located while they are en route to their destination.

For Customer Satisfaction

Using GPS Tracking gives you the option of sending communications to clients to keep them informed on the progress of their shipment.  Much like tracking a box sent via traditional mail services, this type of tracking takes the any guessing out of the trip.  Clients who are kept informed about their shipments are happy clients.

For Billing Verification

There are certain charges that are incurred when rail cars are left in yards between shipments.  These charges can reach thousands per day.  Being able to track them to make sure that they are out of these yards will help keep expenses low.

Using GPS Tracking devices to assist the rail industry makes sense.  If you are in this business, you should obtain them today and see what a difference they can make in your operations.

Rocking Mountain Tracking has the best line-up of GPS Tracking Devices to meet any need.  Take a look at their products and options for the best fit for your business.  You will find knowledgeable sales persons in helping you get the best unit to meet your requirements.

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