GPS Tracking ROI

V-Sol has been working closely with Eco-Power, The emission reduction specialists, tracking vehicle usage in tests to meet Euro 3 emissions standards for London Taxi’s.

The test procedure, which was managed by the EST, required 3 back to back emissions tests at a VCA approved emissions laboratory which had to pass a Euro 3 drive cycle test. The next part of the procedure was to carry out a 10,000 mile durability test. Previously this test had to be conducted over a 6 month period but in order to accelerate the procedure Eco-Power agreed with the PCO and EST to install a comprehensive real time tracking system.

V-SOL installed a state of the art tracking system on the taxi which was closely monitored by the EST and PCO. The system allowed real time online monitoring by giving password protected access to the relevant officials who were able to establish the exact movements of the taxi and therefore confirm that it was covering the 10,000 miles in a normal London Taxi drive cycle in and around London (and not doing laps around the M25 just to cover the miles!) full article on making the world greener with GPS Tracking here.

A couple days ago bloggers all over the world participated in Blog Action Day, a day for everyone to talk about helping the environment. I have to confess I was working other issues and didn’t get around to it … but better late than never. There were many interesting posts and ideas, one that I particularly liked was from my friend John Chow (GM, who built a very credible electric car the EV-1, which they essentially killed with their own horrible marketing) is now taking orders for a much advanced electric car, one which can extend it’s range indefinitely with gasoline. Let’s see how they manage to screw this one up).

Anyway, here’s some “green thoughts” from me … I’ve written pretty much continuously on the green aspects of GPS, which essentially come from:

• Speed Management: Decreasing peak speeds and average speed increases safety and saves gas.
• Distance Management: I’ve shown here before how even on short mileage days you can save 20%+
• Time(Labor) Management: You may easily save on employees. An employee is costly to the environment just by breathing

OK, I hear you, but I’m not buying GPS tracking … what other ways can I save? Easy:

• Slow Down: It will save you a lot in a year and even improve your health (less stress).
• Use Public Transport: I know, in North America we seem to think of public transpo as something people are banished to … but it saves, big time … and just because you prefer a car doesn’t mean you should use it.
• WALK: (especially up and down stairs … you think elevators and escalator’s don’t consume?) Waistline an cardio benefits guaranteed as well.

As always, I welcome comments, constructive criticisms, disagreements, questions or just plain talk. You can leave a comment to this article or email me direct at: davestarr (at) gmail (dot) com or call me on 1-719-423-8872. I’m usually on Yahoo messenger (davestarr) and will be happy to chat there. If you liked this article, please subscribe to my RSS feed so you get all my news and views.

United Launch Alliance successfully launched a Delta II expendable launch vehicle today from Space Launch Complex 17-A at 8:23 a.m., EDT carrying the Air Force’s GPS IIR-17(M) satellite. This launch marks the third ULA mission this year conducted for the Air Force, and one of the five remaining Air Force Delta II launches.

Following a nominal 1 hour and 8 minute flight, the rocket deployed the GPS IIR-17(M) spacecraft, the fourth modernized NAVSTAR Global Positioning System Block II R-M military navigation satellite. GPS is a space-based radio-positioning system nominally consisting of a minimum of 24-satellite constellation that provides navigation and timing information to military and civilian users worldwide… more Block IIR(M) coverage here.

You know, as I sometime go back and re-read my writings I get the feeling that I often come across as a pretty negative commentator.  I really don’t think a leopard can change his spots, but I will say for the record, it’s not true that I am a negative person.  I’m actually very positive about the GPS segment of the aerospace industry.

I worked in one capacity or another for the US DoD for more than 38 years, so when it comes to comments and critiques of government programs that haven’t performed very well, I could write a book.  Indeed i could, but I’m prohibited by law from writing about a great many things I know in order to preserve national security, or in some cases to protect the guilty … you’ll have to judge that one for yourselves.

But the GPS program is a shining example of how government programs can work, and work well.  The “R” in this vehicle’s’ designation stands for “Replenishment“, a part of the planned program that was to be launched, in some cases years ago, to replace on-orbit original satellites which had ‘died”.  The replenishment program fell far behind, not because of mismanagement, but because the original system birds worked so well, and were so well taken care of by contractor, US Civil Service and military folks at the 2nd SOPS (Satellite Operations Squadron) that they went on doing the job and doing it well that there was no reason to launch replenishment birds.

The program office and their stakeholders collaborated smartly and modernized some of the birds waiting to go up to incorporate the latest advances in hardware and software and to also include a whole new navigational signal which will significantly improve GPS system-wide performance when it rolls out across the space segment.  In effect, the entire GPS system is being rebuilt, in place while it continues to operate supporting military and civilian users world-wide, without regard to their politics, country of origin or religious preferences.

Frankly, in a world of often depressing news, especially the squandering of the resources of the former USSR GLONASS system and the economically and environmentally unsound EU Galileo system, I am pretty happy and proud to report news like this from my former employer, the USAF and proud indeed of my own tiny contributions in the past.  Hats Off!

Zephyrhills, Florida – A trucking company in Pasco County isn’t sure it can recover after vandals stole a truck and 48-foot trailer loaded with 40,000 pounds of beef. Together, the truck and trailer are worth about $20,000. The meat is valued at $206,000…. But (the driver) decided to stop at a truck yard in Zephyrhills, and against company policy, (my emphasis) left the loaded truck there overnight.

By the time a co-worker arrived the following morning, the trailer had been loaded onto another truck and carted off….  The rest of the sad story about how to go out of business because the company wouldn’t protect a quarter-million dollar load with a $600 GPS tracker is here.

Here we go again, folks.  The company secures a profitable contract, they send the driver off on the trip and tell him what they want done  … the driver decided to do it his way and bang!  Not only is a quarter-million in cargo and property missing (and yes, some is covered by insurance, but every loss like this just drives up rates).  Much more important thna the one-time loss is the real fact. as reported by the trucking comopany owner, that he may have to close his doors.  That means no income for him, no pay for the driver, no taxes collected for the State of Florida, on and on.

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Just days before potential jurors were to report to the Federal Courthouse in Sherman concerning a civil case in which a fiery tractor-trailer wreck killed 10 people south of Sherman (Texas)  back in 2004, the case settled….

He said the case will make sure that Vladimir Kubica (and his wife) will never operate a trucking company again.  The couple owned KV Trucking and KV Express, which were both trucking companies. … and who employed the truck driver involved, who went to prison over the incident … ) Gresham (… the plaintiff’s attorney)  said miles traveled equals money in the trucking business and, “They turned a blind eye” when their drivers failed to follow rules about the number of miles drivers are supposed to travel before resting …  ( full story of this tragedy and how vulnerable business owners can be)  see also information on the settlement amount here)

I’ve said it before and I’m going to say it again.  If you have vehicles on the road … any size vehicle … being operated in support of your business … and you don’t use GPS tracking you are leaving yourself wide open to some potential very major lifestyle changes.  And they won’t be pleasant ones.

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The PLCTag is based around a communication standard called PLC4Trucks which uses the power wires of a vehicle to transmit the signals.
The PLCTag when used in conjunction with a reader device such as our Vector 300WP, is capable of:

• Detecting hook and drop hook events
• Realtime tracking of trailing equipment
• Distance reporting
• Gate arrival and departure warnings

So states the website of the Prolificx Group of Companies.  Why are they here, on the GPS ROI Tracking blog?  Nope, they aren’t paid advertisers.  And no, I haven’t used their equipment … yet.  But they have certainly impressed me as a company who has “acquired the bubble” when it comes to the proper ways to manage freight transport and return believable bottom line improvements to freight handling companies.

Here’s a sort of snapshot of the US truck-based segment of the industry.  First we have a large majority of companies who refuse to learn about GPS and receive a great OI on what amounts to a very small investment.  You are my target audience folks … I don’t sell this technology, I write strictly as a labor of love to help people learn what they are missing.

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One Indianapolis-based investigation firm uses GPS tracking and GPS locator technology to monitor subject vehicles and items of interest and allow clients to receive up to the minute alerts via e-mail, cellphone or through web-based monitoring.

….. GPS tracking and GPS locators are no longer a technology to be afraid of.

“GPS tracking is a powerful, easy, remote method for keeping track of a vehicle and/or item as it travels anywhere throughout North America,” says Tim Wilcox, President of Indianapolis-based International Investigators, Inc. “From the comfort of your own home or office, you can actually conduct your own surveillance and pinpoint the exact location of your subject or item to within 50 feet using our web-based GPS satellite interface.”… Read More About How GPS Tracking Adds a New Dimension To Investigative Work here.

Nice write-up on how one top of the line private investigation firm is not only using GPS tracking in their work, but also actively educating their clients and potential clients about the benefits. Why is it good business to spend some of your marketing budget on work like this? educating the public at larger … a huge percentage of whom will never become paying clients? that’s easy. No matter how good a firm thinks they are, there are thousands, just like them in the view of a client who has never worked with any of them. You can’t differentiate yourself by claiming to be the “best”, the “most discrete”, the “most cost effective”, etc. every other investigative firm is also positioning themselves to be “just like you, only better”.

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Nice to see this press release today.  I only tried to make this very thing happen with Arsenault Associates and a different GPS Tracking provider nearly 5 years ago.  At least they are with the program now, so hats off to Arsenault Associates and Networkcar.

Networkcar today announced that it has partnered with Arsenault Associates to integrate engine diagnostic data into Arsenault Associates’ Dossier fleet maintenance software. Networkcar’s award winning vehicle management system Networkfleet will enable Dossier users to automatically receive odometer readings, hourly meter readings, and diagnostic trouble code notifications to automate the scheduling of preventative maintenance for fleet vehicles…. read more about this intelligent integration of high ROI solutions.

Arsenault’s Dossier fleet management software is one of the best solutions on the market.  I’ve used it and evaluated it for consulting clients, always giving it high marks.  However, the parent company has always been … how do I put this, non-combatively … somewhat cool to integration with intelligent GPS tracking.

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