GPS Tracking ROI

City consultant on taxi GPS hired by GPS firm

Not illegal, but move seen as ‘improper’

By DAVE DAVIES

daviesd@phillynews.com 215-854-2595

A Philadelphia Parking Authority consultant who helped choose a company to install a $3.5 million GPS system in taxis has now taken a job with the company.

David Boonin, who was paid $584,000 over the past three years as a consultant to the authority, is now working for Taxitronic, the Long Island City, N.Y., firm that won the bid to install GPS units in city taxis… Rest of Article here, If You Can Stomach It

I posted about this good idea, but very poorly implemented Phiasco in Philly a few weeks back. At the time the mistakes seemed to be that the city was paying for technology that business’s should buy and was doing a terrible job educating the drivers about the business advantages they would gain, rather than the expenses they would bear. Now, I see a little more as to why this was going so badly.

Let me start by explaining for new readers that I have been working operationally with the GPS since there was only one satellite up there … I served 38 years with the USAF. I have also specified, refined designs for, implemented and trained on a number of GPS systems for specific military functions. I earn my living now as a business owner, selling and servicing commercial GPS tracking systems. I’ laying this out so you can understand I am not just shooting from the hip when I comment on the blot on Philadelphia’s escutcheon. (more…)

GPS tracking to boost PMP earnings

May 22, 2006 - 10:14AM

Media group PMP Ltd says a new global positioning system (GPS) that will track the progress of people delivering shopping catalogues will improve its bottom line in years to come.

GPS tracking, due to be launched in Sydney in September, will be carried by people delivering direct marketing materials and give real time updates on progress of delivery and help improve delivery times…rest of article:

I got a chuckle out of this. Here in the US we can’t even get our vaunted Department of Homeland Security to mandate tracking of weapons and hazardous waste shipments. … it’s seen as too hard of a thing to do.

I regularly get turned down by businessmen when I present them documentation of how they can save thousands of dollars per year per vehicle with GRPS tracking … “we don’t have any money …” D-oh, you don’t have the money because you are wasting it, is why.

In a forward-looking country like Australia, though, they are even making profits on delivering catalogs with GPS. Really amazing.

I guess Australia is so far ahead because they envisioned and built the GPS didn’t hey? Oh, that was the US … never mind.

OK, many people probably breeze through here once or twice, notice the fact that I’m always “selling” the use of GPS tracking and leave, not interested in my sales pitch.

Well I’m surely not going to stop selling the technology, but in today’s world of insane gas prices folks ought to know there are some great ways to save that don’t cost a penny (and don’t require any GPS tracking units, so no one will know about that girl friend you’re not supposed to have).

 Here’s a nice story about some driving courses in Australia (expecting the Federal government to run the courses, of yeah, great idea not) … but you don’t need a driving course … Dave will be happy to save you as much as 25% in five easy lessons here.  Start saving today. (more…)

GPS maps will help in drug trials

By DAVID LESTER

YAKIMA HERALD-REPUBLIC

No more tape measures when prosecuting alleged drug dealers who ply their trade near schools or school bus stops.

No more school officials serving as expert witnesses and having to pinpoint for a jury the location of a bus stop in relation to a drug sale.

That’s because Yakima County now has maps.

Using global positioning technology and its computer capabilities, the county Geographic Information Services department has created maps that show the location of all 7,885 bus stops and 88 public and private school campuses in rural Yakima County and the cities of Yakima, Selah, Wapato, Toppenish, Sunnyside and Grandview.

The maps, which show the 1,000-foot distance from a sale that can get the defendant double jail time and double fines, are now an official record and are admissible in court.

County commissioners approved a resolution to that effect Tuesday. Full Article Here:

A nice little item I had in my “blog on” inbox and had forgotten about. It’s a great example of the difference between GPS tracking and GIS (Geographic Information Systems) and the value both of them can bring to the table.

In Yakima County’s case the police and prosecutors wanted to enforce a law that made it specific crime to be caught selling drugs within a thousand feet of a school or a school bus stop. A fine law so far as laws go, but a real headache to enforce. There are more than 7800 school bus stops in Yakima County. Is a police officer or sheriff’s deputy supposed to have each one’s location memorized … and calibrated eyeballs to measure the distance from bus stop to arrest point?

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CLOGGED ROADS

Broward goal: cables upgrade

Broward County is working on a $100 million project to synchronize traffic lights, but that won’t help on roads with too much congestion.

By AMY SHERMAN

asherman@MiamiHerald.com

Nearly all of Broward’s traffic lights should be synchronized on any given day after the county completes an estimated $100 million upgrade, according to a county traffic engineer.

That would mean that drivers traveling on major roads should not hit every single red light — if drivers are able to travel at the speed limit. During rush hours or on heavily congested roads, drivers will still get stuck at multiple red lights.

”You can’t time yourself out of congestion,” said John Kleinedler, a Broward County traffic engineer.

FIBER-OPTIC OPTION

The project, now under way, is expected to be complete around 2012 or 2013. It involves replacing old copper communications cables with new fiber-optic cables, which are expected to be more reliable… Read More About the Cable Project Here:

And an overview report on traffic woes, blaming the cable system here:

Failure to sync Dade’s traffic lights driving commuters crazy

Electrician Ray Albizu spends too much of his working life idling in his company pickup truck as he shuttles between Home Depots in Broward, Miami-Dade and Monroe counties. He can tell when he’s crossing into Miami-Dade simply by the traffic lights….

It’s Friday and it’s been a good week. Any week where our little business processes orders is a good week. We’re working with an existing client on a governmental brief next week for a very nice sale also, so life is good. I think today I’ll stretch my wings a little and look at different aspect of technology. Just a post or so ago I mentioned that GPS is not the only (and not always the best) technology for tracking assets. Now I’m going to teach you something else … copper wire and even fiber optics are often not the best way to move data.

The stories I referenced today are very typical of today’s communications technology. 100 million dollars to replace copper cables connecting traffic signals with modern fiber optic cables. If you’re an engineer with a modern electronics, or especially a computer science degree (CS course seem to be the worst for the communications side of computing), this probably sounds logical to you. Fine. Polish the glass over your sheepskin and bask in your assumed superiority, but no matter how self-satisfied you are you are wrong.

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Sweden’s Stockholm Subway Implements Indoor Location-Based Services Platform

Written by Cisco Systems, Inc.

Wednesday, 17 May 2006

Sweden’s Stockholm Subway Implements Indoor Location-Based Services Platform with Cisco Systems and Appear Networks

Cisco Systems and Appear Networks Solution Allows Delivery of Targeted Applications to Personal Devices from ‘Context-Aware’ Mobile Networks

Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:CSCO) today announced a collaboration with software provider Appear Networks to deliver an Integrated Location Services Solution for the Stockholm Subway, delivering personalized, real-time information to users in underground stations, anywhere across the Wi-Fi network.

Based on contextual information such as time of day, job role, and current physical location, the solution is able to access the right information, which is interpreted and pushed out in real time to the right users, and to the right location. This Integrated Location Services Solution is also able to determine the location of a handheld mobile device to within a few meters, leading to a better-informed and more effective workforce … Rest of Press Release Here

I’m particularly interested in this article, because as much of a GPS “nut” as I may be, GPS can’t do everything. And there are some things it may never do …such as provide reliable tracking underground. There are schemes on the market today that can provide GPS under ground in very small areas, but given the technology used, providing GPS over an entire subway system isn’t anywhere near practical. Might happen someday but a significant breakthrough is going to have to happen first.

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A DuPage County grand jury has returned a six-count indictment against a truck driver stemming from a late-night accident that claimed the lives of two women last month, according to a release from the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s office.

Glen L. Hosey, 49, of the 800 block of Wyndstone Dr. in Elwood, is charged with four felony counts of driving in excess of maximum driving times, improper lane usage and failure to reduce speed, according to the release… Rest of Article Here:

Well here we go again. I’m not sure how many times I’ve read reports like this. I do know I’ve commented on a few. No one can prevent road tragedies; we can only work to minimize them. Then, once they happen, we, as business operators, have two main tasks. Find out how the accident happened, and minimize the exposure of our business.

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