GPS Tracking ROI

This week we’re going to do something a little different here at the SatViz GPS Blog. A few weeks back I blogged a couple entries about a GPS tracking project being implemented in the city of Philadelphia. See here: And here: And here: Two things seemed noteworthy about this project:

The first thing I noticed different to most such projects was that the city official most responsible for the bidding and selection process has conveniently accepted a managerial role with the winning contractor. Where I come from that smacks pretty loudly of conflict of interest, but due to some technicalities (or a city attorney who won’t win any prizes for diligence) the matter got all swept under the rug. Sad …but I lived near Philly for many years and observed the city government closely. Suspicions confirmed.

The second thing I noticed was that the system was really being rammed down the throat of the drivers. Hundreds of cities have GPS-enabled taxis, hundreds more will. One can expect that in many cases the drivers aren’t going to have a parade and fireworks show in honor of the new system. But there are business and safety advantages that ought to help the drivers, as well as “spy” on them, so most places that have adopted such systems get at least driver acceptance, if not enthusiasm. It’s apparent to me that the city … specifically the Parking Authority … was doing a really poor job of working the real users of the system into the project.

I received a very interesting comment from Mr. Ronald Blount on the aspects of this system that appeared very negative to the drivers, and I’ve exchanged some emails with Ron that have been educational. Here’s his latest:

My name is Ronald Blount and I am the president of the Taxi Workers Alliance of Pennsylvania. We serve over 1100 taxi drivers and owner operators. I have been driving a taxi in Philadelphia for about 23 years. Personally, I have a navigation system in my private car and truly enjoy it. These taxi regulators are using these systems to generate money from the working class poor. Nationally, the taxi industry (drivers) are 85% first generation immigrants and most are working class poor. Drivers have to work at least 7 hours before they can earn a profit for themselves. These peoples typically don’t have a voice and the system usually walks on them because nobody cares. I compliment you on your willingness to learn more.

Thanks : Ron

Well I did a little checking around on this and found that the protests and bad feelings run a lot deeper that anyone would normally associate with a piece of technology. Here’s a news item on a strike the Alliance staged . Here’s Ron being interviewed on a local podcast. This has already been very instructive to me, as an advocate and dealer in these systems, and ought to be required reading for anyone planning to implement a GPS, on taxis or any other work vehicles.

If you aren’t treating your workers right and you try to implement a GPS, it could be the straw that breaks the camel’s back. From a business’s standpoint the reason to use a GPS is to increase profitability (and even, done right) to improve working conditions for employees. In this case, with a city agency exercising governance over independent companies and owner/operators, the goals should only differ slightly … to improve taxi service which will attract more tourism dollars to the city and (again, if done better than it seems to be being done in Philadelphia) to improve potential profitability for the men and women who make the rubber meet the road …and enhance their safety,

I’d like to hear more from Ron, any other taxi operators or drivers in Philly, or anywhere else on this subject. I’m going to devote the week to more information about taxis and GPS taxis in general, and especially to some strategies I know will work in making the implementation of GPS less traumatic. I don’t know if anyone in the Parking Authority will read or take any notice of this, but if you’re a business owner or government official who is currently considering a move to GPS I can certainly promise it will be worth your while to read this … I’ve been implementing GPS tracking for a lot of years now, and no driver’s ever ridden me out of town on a rail (or a one way taxi ride) yet.

Tune back in for Part 2 tomorrow, Good, Bad and Ugly of Taxis ‘Round The World

Tags: gps, Philadelphia taxis, business, workers