Category: GPS Tracking System News

569 posts
Costa Rican Legislators Want GPS Tracking Systems Out of Their Cars

GPS tracking systems are currently installed in the “official” vehicles of legislators in Costa Rica. This week 29 of the 55 Legislators announced that they want the GPS tracking systems removed from their cars.
According to Mendoza and the Legislature’s executive director, Antonio Ayala, they have seen a significant fuel savings in travel and legislative budget since the installation of the tracking system. Maybe this is where the problem lies, legislators cannot anymore “fudge” their travel expenses and can be located – at least their vehicles – at any given time, the Costa Rica News reported.

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GPS Tracking Devices Given to Illegal Immigrants

Reverend Robin Hoover, a human-rights activist, is supplying men and women in the business of smuggling illegal immigrants across the US and Mexico border with GPS tracking devices, hoping to prevent the migrants from dying on the journey, according to a recent story in the Christian Science Monitor. As summer approaches, temperatures near the California, Arizona and Texas borders are well above 100 degrees, and can be very dangerous.

It is not uncommon for migrants to die while attempting to illegally cross the border. During the past decade, authorities have recovered over 2,000 bodies in the desert.

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Endangered Tiger Killed By Poachers Found By Tracking System

Tigers are one of the Earth’s most endangered species. At the beginning of this century there were about 100,000 wild tigers. Today there are less than 5,000 of these beautiful creatures alive, making tigers one of the world’s fastest disappearing species.

Two weeks ago a very rare tiger was killed by poachers on the Indo-Nepal border, according to wildlife officials. The adult male tiger’s body was found last week, approximately June 1, 2011. A WWF survey carried out in 2008 found just 121 adult tigers of breeding age in Nepal, so this is a real tragedy.

The tiger had been fitted with a collar carrying a GPS tracking system. The GPS tracking system enabled scientists to monitor the tiger in the wild.

According to Tikaram Adhikari, a warden at Bardia National Park in Nepal, the endangered tiger was last traced by the tracking system on May 9.”Next two days, we could not locate it. Then, early this week, we found that it had been killed by poachers,” he said.

“The tiger was moving towards human settlements. After seeing the tiger, the poachers offered him poisoned beef. It died after consuming the food… Four locals have been arrested on suspicion of poaching,” Adhikari said.

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Garmin’s New and Improved eTrex GPS System

Garmin International Inc., a unit of Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ:GRMN), recently announced they are going to launch a new and improved version of their best-selling eTrex handheld GPS device. Garmin’s eTrex is one of the most popular handheld GPS devices on the market.

The all-new eTrex GPS system will be redesigned and upgraded with new features – enhanced ergonomics, an improved interface, paperless geocaching and in certain models, a 65k color screen with expanded mapping capabilities.

The eTrex is an entry-level device that is designed especially for outdoor enthusists that enjoy activities such as hiking, biking and camping. The eTrex GPS system is very affordable, will fit in your pocket and is easy to use. It only has five buttons, making it easy to use with just one hand – the left hand, so lefties should be aware.

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Ford’s New Smart Car Technology Means Less Accidents and Traffic

Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is a leader in bringing innovative safety and driver technology in mainstream vehicles. This week, Ford demonstrated how far they’ve come in car-to-car communication technology. Ford also showed what the future of driving may look like with talking vehicles that can warn of hazards and traffic ahead. Ford is one of the first automakers to build prototype vehicles demonstrating this exciting new technology.

With vehicle-to-vehicle communication, intelligent cars talk to each other wirelessly, warning drivers of potential dangers. Utilizing advanced wi-fi technology and GPS, intelligent vehicles will help drivers identify and respond to potential dangers as well as identify conveniences while on the road. With this technology cars will be able to send messages to other cars about where they are and where they’re headed.

If there is an accident or any other potential driving hazard coming up, vehicles will be able to instantly receive information about the upcoming dangers, giving drivers more notice and time to respond. The new technology is called a DVI system – which stands for Driver Vehicle Information. This technology provides either audible or visual cues to alert drivers of what potential dangers coming ahead.

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Garmin Announces Launch of Rino Handheld Radio With GPS System

garmin rino gps system radioGarmin International Inc., a unit of Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ:GRMN), the global leader in satellite navigation, just announced the redesigned and upgraded Rino 610, 650 and 655t. If you are a hunter, skier, hiker, or any other type of outdoor enthusiast – and like to venture out into the great unknown, then the all-new Garmin Rino handheld two-way radios integrated with GPS may be perfect for you.

If you put yourself in a potential survival situation, then you have to have a reliable communication device – no questions asked. You’ll also want to have the ability to quickly locate other persons in your party when traveling in a group, so they have a way to notify authorities and tell them where you are, in case of an emergency. If you ever saw the movie “127 Hours” starring James Franco, you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about.

If a friend also has a Rino then you can set it up so that you can see where the other person is via the GPS tracking system. An icon will flash showing the person’s name, location and any other information that they allowed to be public. This is extremely important when forming a network of fellow outdoor enthusiasts. You can also send unit-to-unit text messages to other Rino users in your area – it’s ideal for loud or windy conditions, or just when you don’t want to disturb the wildlife.

The Garmin GPS device also gives you the ability to store up to 1000 locations and save them onto the memory card. It also lets you save many waypoints, aka intermediary locations. For example, when hiking and you make a turn to start heading into another direction, you should record your waypoints. In case you decide you need to backtrack, the Garmin GPS system will take you right back to your last waypoints.

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AT&T Launches New Fleet Tracking Solutions To Help With CSA Compliance

AT&T (NYSE: T) recently announced the launch of three new dispatch management and mobile transportation applications from Complete Innovations and Xata Corporation (NASDAQ: XATA). Designed to streamline operations, optimize fleet and mobile workforce performance and facilitate fleet manager’s adherence with the CSA 2010 initiative, these new features will enhance AT&T’s portfolio of fleet tracking solutions.

Businesses that use these new fleet tracking features can get valuable insight into fuel consumption, vehicle maintenance needs, asset location and more, while drivers can find destinations more easily to deliver products on time. Over the last several years, the number of companies using fleet management solutions has grown substantially, fueled by advanced technologies such as powerful smartphones, GPS location services and machine-to-machine solutions. Frost & Sullivan industry analysts noted in a 2010 report that the subscriber base for Field Asset Management has increased from 1.4 million subscribers in 2008 to 2.4 million in 2010.

Xata Turnpike from AT&T helps private and for-hire fleets and owner-operators to comply with CSA 2010, a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) initiative intended to reduce commercial motor vehicle-related accidents. Xata Turnpike makes it easy for businesses to abide by hours of service (HOS) and International Fuel Tax (IFTA) reporting requirements, while simultaneously helping them to optimize their fleets’ performances. Users can install Xata Turnpike from AT&T in just minutes and then run the application on their existing mobile devices.

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GPS Fleet Tracking Lowers Fuel Costs By 20% Says Network Fleet

Network Fleet, a leading GPS fleet tracking system, recently published a paper titled, “Don’t Sit Idle While Fuel Costs Rise,” that shows how fleets can use GPS fleet tracking and engine diagnostics to lower fuel costs by as much as 20%.

The Network Fleet paper offers specific actions managers can take to analyze fleet operations and reduce costs. Fleets that begin using a GPS fleet tracking system report a quick, positive ROI primarily due to significant savings in fuel and other operating costs.

The paper uses several different fleets as an example, such as the Eastern Municipal Water District of Riverside, CA. Using the Network Fleet GPS fleet tracking system, the water district managed to reduce fuel costs by $79,000 in the first six months.

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Fleet Tracking System Saves Company Hundreds Each Month

One of the UK’s largest providers of port-a-potties, Toilets+, recently installed a GPS-based fleet tracking system in all 32 of the company’s vehicles. The real-time fleet tracking system is saving Toilets+ as much as £400 ($650 USD) per month in fuel costs, cutting engine-idling times throughout its entire fleet.

According to Toilets+ managing director, Mick Bowman, “Through the fleet tracking system, we discovered some staff were reaching a site and leaving their vehicle’s engine running, often for very long periods. Now drivers are required to switch off and remove the ignition key on arrival….We also use the fleet tracking service to check drivers’ start and finish times to aid the monthly payroll.”

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Gas Prices Driving Businesses to Fleet Tracking

Fleet tracking system sales appear to be increasing this year, mostly due to this year’s recent surges in gas prices. When gas prices top $4 per gallon, companies start looking for ways to save money. Managers start paying attention to how their employees are driving, and for ways to increase operating efficiencies.

Small changes can have a big impact on a large scale, and the cost savings can really start add up. Many are surprised to find out that a fleet tracking system can help them to see immediate results and cut costs across the board. In today’s challenging economic climate, profit margins are slim and companies must implement as many cost-saving initiatives as possible.

In order to remain competitive, companies have to look very closely at every penny spent. Because a fleet tracking system can provide an ROI in less than six months and immediately reduce fuel consumption, plus produce ecological benefits, companies both large and small are utilizing them to create profitable, sustainable fleets.

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Teletrac Fleet Tracking System Chosen by Isuzu Trucks

Teletrac, an industry leading fleet tracking system, recently announced that it has been selected by Isuzu Commercial Truck of America, Inc., distributor of America’s best-selling low-cab-forward trucks, for its 2011 and 2012 model year N-Series customers.

“Safety is no longer just a cost center and compliance issue,” said Teletrac executive vice president, Drew Hamilton. “For many fleets, it’s now a strategic business priority to help trim costs and boost efficiency. For this reason, Teletrac captures the industry’s widest range of safety-related vehicle and driver data, making this information more useful and actionable in real time — to help fleet managers increase bottom-line safety performance, and improve fleet operations overall, ” said Hamilton.

Teletrack’s fleet tracking system is called Fleet Director. Fleet Director locates, tracks and monitors the position and operation of fleet vehicles. This gives fleet management greater visibility into operations to deliver cost saving efficiencies such as lower fuel consumption, real-time tracking of vehicles from the desktop, automatic route guidance, and detailed reporting for advanced decision support and efficient regulatory compliance.

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GPS Fleet Tracking System Saves Alzheimer Patient’s Life

Many people are aware that a GPS fleet tracking system can help companies save money on fuel, increase productivity and improve the bottom line. Some fleet tracking systems even help companies go green by reducing vehicle emissions. But a recent story proves that fleet GPS systems can also provide a myriad of other benefits – including saving a father’s life.

A woman in Louisiana, Joyce Rawls, was concerned about her father because his mental facilities were deteriorating due to Alzheimer’s disease. Anyone who has seen someone they love suffer from Alzheimer’s knows how painful and difficult this must be. The woman decided to purchase a GPS fleet tracking system and had it installed in her father’s vehicle in 2008. Turns out this decision may have saved her father’s life.

The fleet tracking device was installed in her father’s truck for two years before they needed to use it to find him. Then, in April of 2010, her father left the house and either forgot where he was going or forgot how to get back home.
According to a recent press release from TrackNet, the woman said, “My mom called and said that he had not made it back home,” Ms. Rawls reports. “I immediately knew something was wrong and pulled him up on the computer, with our tracking system.” She found her father’s truck in Shreveport, LA, over 30 miles south of his home in Plain Dealing, La. Ms. Rawls immediately called the police in Shreveport, La. and they were curious as to how she knew her father was there. “When I told the police about the tracking unit in my father’s truck and that he has Alzheimer’s, they were very impressed and said it was a smart idea.”

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Soccer Star Caught After High Speed Chase in Stolen Car

Well known soccer star Jaba Mahlangu aka “Pule” was busted this weekend in a stolen car. After the vehicle was reported stolen,vehicle tracking company Netstar was immediately notified. The NetStar vehicle tracking system was able to help police find and recover the stolen vehicle. The suspects apparently had no idea the car was equipped with a GPS tracking system.

The stolen vehicle was not easy for police to recover. The driver of the vehicle was trying to lose the police and drove at very high speeds in an attempt to get away. Using the GPS signal from the vehicle tracking system along with the help of an overhead flight squad, law enforcement finally was able to catch the driver and recover the stolen car.

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GPS Systems in Las Vegas May Not Be Working – Traveler’s Beware

LightSquared, the hybrid cellular/satellite wireless option that some believe could be a fourth generation mobile outlet for the cable industry, is running tests that may effect GPS system signals in the Las Vegas area. The tests are being conducted in cooperation with the GPS industry and multiple federal agencies this week throughout June in Las Vegas suburb Boulder City.

LightSquared is testing to see whether its service network interferes with GPS system signals. The Las Vegas Sun reports that a test will run after midnight for several hours for 10 days, and it appears to be the first lengthy real-world test to determine whether the operator’s network interferes with GPS systems.

Government agencies have warned law enforcement, pilots, and several other groups that LightSquared’s tests could possibly knock out GPS systems in the Las Vegas area. Late last week, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued an alert to pilots that “the GPS signal may be unreliable or unavailable” within a nearly 300-mile radius of Boulder City, where the test transmitter will be located.

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Man Drives Into a House, Blames GPS System

This weekend a man in New Jersey was driving in heavy fog with his wife and children in the car. Unsure of where he was going, and with very limited visibility, he was blindly relying on is GPS system….and ending up driving straight into someone’s house.

The accident happened on at an intersection where drivers could only turn left or right. Instead, the driver told police he was relying on his GPS system, which said to go straight at the intersection.

Not only did the driver miss his turn, he also went through a stop sign without stopping and then continued off-road for 100 feet before hitting a house. The driver and his son were unharmed but his wife and 13-year-old daughter, neither of whom were wearing seat belts, both reportedly suffered serious neck and head injuries.

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Police Use iPhone GPS System to Catch Stolen Truck

This week a man in El Paso, TX, left his truck running in the driveway and ran back inside to retrieve something before he headed off to work. He told the Police he was only away from the vehicle for a few moments, and to his dismay, someone jumped inside the running vehicle and drove away.

Lucky for the truck owner, he had left his iPhone on the passenger seat of the vehicle. Police said 29-year-old, Joshua Mitzelfelt, allegedly stole the unattended vehicle but did not notice the iPhone.

The truck owner began tracking his vehicle’s location though a website monitoring the phone’s GPS system application while updating sheriff dispatchers. Officers spotted the truck about seven miles from the owner’s residence and arrested the driver.

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Google, Apple Appear Before Senate Over Location Privacy

Executives from Apple (AAPL)and Google (GOOG)are facing another day of inquiries by the US Senate about mobile phones, privacy and user consent. Facebook even joined today’s Senate hearing. U.S. politicians are concerned that companies including Apple, Google and Facebook aren’t doing enough to protect their customers’ location privacy. Members of a U.S. Senate subcommittee are urging Congress to pass new laws awarding wireless subscribers greater control over how smartphones and applications track their location.

These companies plus thousands of developers who make applications for the companies’ platforms — are facing scrutiny over how they collect, use, and store information, including data gathered from smartphones and other wireless devices.

“I think anyone who uses a mobile device has an expectation of privacy, and sadly that expectation is not always being met,” said Sen. John Rockefeller IV, chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. “The mobile marketplace is so new and technology is moving so quickly that many consumers do not understand the privacy implications of their actions…A mother posting a smartphone photograph of her child online, he suggested, may not realize that “geotagged” location data may be embedded in the image file.”

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The Battle Over Warrantless GPS Tracking and Privacy

In recent months, there have been several heated court battles between law enforcement agents and privacy rights advocates. One side argues that using a GPS vehicle tracking system to monitor suspect’s without first obtaining a warrant is perfectly legal and OK. The other side argues that this is a violation of a person’s rights to privacy.

The constitutional matter until now has been left to district courts around the country to decide, resulting in a patchwork of conflicting rulings. The use of GPS vehicle tracking devices is poised to become one of the most contentious privacy issues before the Supreme Court, if it agrees to hear an appeal filed by the Obama administration last month. The administration is seeking to overturn a ruling by a lower court that law enforcement officials must obtain a warrant before using a tracker.

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