Vehicle tracking technology is the easiest way any business can improve profit, routing, customer service, and efficiency. GPS vehicle tracking technology has progressed significantly over the past 10 years, making it now more affordable and easy to use than ever before! Large fleet management operations are no longer the only businesses taking advantage of vehicle tracking technology as almost every company with a mobile asset has been modernizing communication and accountability efforts. Companies utilizing GPS tracking system technology include:
Having the ability to route an employee, easily document mileage traveled, or see everywhere an employee has been with only a few clicks of a mouse empowers a business. The tracking systems can be easily hidden from a driver's view, being permanently installed to a vehicle's power supply, or used as portable monitoring devices, functioning off the GPS tracker's internal battery source. Using a vehicle tracking unit as a portable device gives employers and businesses the ability to move the GPS system from vehicle-to-vehicle if they suspect potential employee misuse of a company vehicle. Cutting down on unauthorized trips, excessive vehicle idling, and poor route management will increase a company's bottom line and vehicle maintenance efforts.
Whoever said investigative journalism was dead surely never researched the work that a local television news station conducted in the city of Columbus, Ohio that focused on the misuse of city motor vehicles. This is because after a Watchdog 10 Investigation showed a significant level of incompetence when it came to fleet management of city vehicles funded by taxpayer dollars, the city of Columbus has now moved forward with a plan to install tracker devices on various city-owned and operated cars.
Officials for the city of Columbus stated publicly yesterday that they now have in place a plan designed to monitor vehicles at its fleet facility using real-time GPS technology. In fact, a Columbus Fleet Administrator has went on the record saying the city has already equipped over half of the city fleet with vehicle management systems. That means the process of having all city vehicles installed with the latest real-time GPS units could be complete any day now, allowing fleet managers complete access to both live and historical driving activity.
Columbus was faced with an angry public demanding more accountability after a year long Watchdog 10 investigation uncovered city workers taking advantage of city vehicles and grossly misusing time and money. What the local news team investigation showed throughout the series was that city automobiles were left idling for lengthy periods of time resulting in excessive and unnecessary use of fuel consumption. Even worse was the documentation of one particular city worker who was caught leaving the job to buy donuts on a daily basis while on the clock. The public outrage resulted in a demand for more accountability, and that is why a representative for the mayor explained installing GPS tracking systems would help the city better manage fuel consumption and overall fleet activity as a method of reducing fuel usage while also boosting worker safety.
After evaluating the cost of the GPS hardware against the cost of excess fuel consumption, Columbus city officials believe the tracker devices will essentially pay for themselves in only a year and a half from the in increase in both vehicle and fuel management.
Technology is being utilized on a daily basis to improve workplace efficiency. That is why offices are filled with computers, high speed Internet provides instant online access and iChat, email and cellular communications are helping employees stay connected to one another. Although these forms of technology are commonplace in the office, what many people do not know is that satellite technology is also helping businesses enhance workforce production while boosting automotive fleet management.
Any business that equips their vehicle fleet with GPS monitoring devices instantly improves driver safety, automotive security and mobile asset management. This is because GPS vehicle tracking solutions are data producing machines that can store locational data with simplicity, while also alerting fleet managers about automobile activity. For example, any business that has problem drivers, whether those vehicle operators are taking advantage of company time, driving too aggressively or letting their work automobile idle too long, can be weeded out through the use of tracking systems. With GPS monitoring devices that can connect directly into the on-board diagnostic port of any car or truck, accessing harsh braking, speeding or vehicle idling is simple. Therefore, finding problem drivers is simple, and that means businesses can reduce employee liability through simple and precise observation of employee vehicle management.
Another huge concern for companies is asset protection. Safeguarding company work trucks and other automobiles is essential, especially for those vehicle such as tractors, back hoes, skip loaders and other equipment that if stolen can delay a job from completing on time. Not to mention, result in employees unable to work. Real-time GPS trackers eliminate the concern over theft because the devices can transmit an alert to a person's cellular phone or email account the second a vehicle is moved. Even if a fast acting criminal is able to steal a work automobile and move the vehicle, the criminal won't be able to get far because the real-time GPS will constantly be transmitting positional information. This information can easily be relayed to local law enforcement who can apprehend the thief and return the stolen property.
Construction companies and other service-based businesses demand that their employees are working efficiently and effectively throughout the work day even if they are conducting work outside of the office. In fact, many construction companies will often have a large number of staff members working on different projects in many different locations. When companies have both personnel and automotive assets in different regions, overseeing employee performance for productivity can be a challenging task. One of the more modern surveillance tools service-based construction companies are employing to more effectively manage fuel, mileage and performance are tracker devices. Specifically, GPS tracking systems that allow fleet managers and supervisors to view the location of service trucks in real-time.
Business Advantages Of Real-Time GPS
Accurate Mileage Accounting
Instant Excessive Speed Alert Notification
Stops & Arrival Reports
Detailed Fuel & Route Management
Live Locational Information On Single Or Multiple Vehicles
Historical Driving Records
Total Access To Driving Information
Vehicle Theft Protection
The GPS Monitoring Tools
Whether a company seeks a portable tracker device or one that has an option for installation, SilverCloud GPS real-time trackers are the solution most construction businesses call upon. The reason is due to a number of technical and support reasons that include lifetime access to historical driving records, multiple power options, no service contracts, accurate GPS monitoring data and of course the user-friendly web-based satellite mapping program that efficiently utilizes Google Earth. With the ability to generate various printable reports in a HTML or PDF format, the SilverCloud tracker is the tool helping businesses everywhere cut operation costs an increase profit.
Theft is a serious issue for both consumers and businesses, but when auto-theft in particular occurs, the situation can be very costly. This is because vehicle theft can leave consumers paying thousands of dollars in high insurance deductibles, while also creating the pain of renting cars and being left without an automobile for transportation for some short period of time. Of course, that is assuming that the victim of vehicle theft had taken the proper steps of investing in full-coverage auto insurance. For those people who did not make that investment, they are simply left with a total loss, and only hope that police will be lucky enough to recover the stolen vehicle undamaged.
Businesses share all of the same concerns and headaches regarding vehicle theft as consumers, but in the business world, being left without heavy equipment used for operations can be even more costly. This is particularly the situation for construction companies who call upon the help of skid-steer loaders and other heavy construction machinery. The reasons equipment theft is such a serious concern for these types of businesses is because equipment loss can be very expensive (skid-steer loaders can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars), but also the loss can set back deadlines, as missing equipment results in workers being unable to work. Not to mention, this type of equipment is typically not easily replaced. Although equipment and vehicle theft is a major concern for construction and other companies using skid-steer loader equipment, many are fighting back with the help of real-time GPS monitoring systems such as SilverCloud GPS.
Stillwater, Oklahoma is a city that may not have the glitz and glamour of the big cities, but that does not change the fact that the residents are passionate and motivated for success. Although the city has existed for over 120 years, Stillwater has only really began a massive growth spurt over the past couple decades. Today, Stillwater has strip malls, multiple storefronts and a University that is the cities’ largest employer. With Stillwater growing faster than Shaq O’Neal at age 12 after a glass of milk, GPS tracking systems could be the solution to help the city keep crime low while the city continues to expand.
The driving force behind the Oklahoma town of Stillwater is the local university. Oklahoma State of University (OSU) has created jobs, provided education and brought entertainment to thousands of people in the Stillwater region. However, through the utilization of GPS fleet tracking technology, OSU could improve safety at their facilities, making cowboy games safer for fans and school safer for students. "We have seen a substantial increase in the number of universities investing in GPS vehicle tracking systems because the devices help colleges safeguard mobile assets, monitor bus drivers transporting collegiate athletes to different locations and campus police conduct surveillance", explained a GPS personal tracking specialist.