5 Ways Drivers Can Cut Fuel Costs

Here are a few easy and free ways you can cut your weekly fuel bill…

1 Reduce driving

Try to reduce the amount of time spent on the road. Reducing business mileage completely will be impossible, but substituting some journeys and using conference calls, instant messaging, or video-conferencing means fewer miles traveled, and also less time lost for staff while traveling. The added bonus: Happier staff usually means more productivity.

Although public transportation can’t always offer the door-to-door flexibility of a company car, there may be some journeys where it can offer useful savings, particularly when traveling into urban, downtown areas.

2 Drive fewer miles

If several members of staff are attending the same meeting, could they meet up somewhere beforehand and just take one vehicle instead?

Three members of staff arriving in one car immediately saves two-thirds in travel costs. Car-sharing can also work well with commuters traveling to and from the office.

75% of Drivers Open to Sharing GPS Data with Insurance Companies

Over 75% of auto insurance policyholders in the U.S. would welcome a telematics-based insurance program, if sharing their driving data had the potential to reduce their insurance premiums, according to the 2010 LexisNexis Risk Solutions Telematics Survey. The Telematics Survey measured auto policyholder receptivity to allowing insurance companies to use data collected from telematics devices in their vehicles to help determine rates.

The LexisNexis telematics survey measured consumer comfort levels around sharing personal driving information compared to other types of personal information from sources including Internet banking, mobile phones and social networking sites. The results showed policyholders more comfortable sharing GPS system driving data with insurance companies than personal information on social networking sites like Facebook.

Additionally the study found that:

* Over 57% of policyholders are comfortable sharing information about events that led to traffic accidents with insurance companies. 57% of policyholders also believe that auto insurance rates should be determined by actual driving data.
* Only 29% indicated they were comfortable with social networking sites storing personal information such as messages and photos posted on websites.

* Policyholders’ main concern is privacy; however they are more receptive to sharing driving data with insurance carriers than they are to sharing personal information with banks, or allowing mobile phone carriers to store text messages.
* 80% of policyholders believe that tailgating should affect rates.
* 59% of policyholders believe that miles driven per year should be used to determine rates.
* More than half of policyholders feel that minor speeding infractions (5 mph over the speed limit) should not impact rates.

Demand For Vehicle Tracking Solutions Increasing

According to a new research report from Berg Insight, by the end of this year (2010), 4.3 million passenger cars in Europe will contain an on-board telematics system. Stolen vehicle tracking is still the primary telematics application, followed by automatic emergency call, driver assistance and auto insurance telematics.

The Berg Insight report on the European car telematics market was quite positive. According to the Berg report, the global automotive industry crisis is behind us, as the market has been improving. Demand for aftermarket vehicle tracking solutions is now coming back to pre-financial crisis levels. The OEM market segment is showing signs of increasing activity. Many programs that were aborted in late 2008 have now been resurrected as car manufacturers are putting new focus on their telematics strategies.

Fleet Management System Optimizes Resources and Make Customers Happier

The Best GPS Fleet Management Systems Cut Costs and Increase Customer Satisfaction.

Do you want to save your company money by running a more efficient business? A good GPS fleet management system can optimize your business resources and make customers happier. GPS fleet tracking devices can capture location data every few seconds and transmit it to back-office software for real-time map display and in-depth performance analysis.

Cut Fuel Costs and Increase Customer Satisfaction with FieldLogix GPS Vehicle Fleet Tracking and Fleet Management System. With FieldLogix you can track your fleet vehicles with real-time fleet tracking, and always know where your vehicles are 24/7.

Golf GPS System Reviews 2010 – Garmin, SkyCaddie and Golf Buddy

Handheld Golf GPS System Reviews 2010

Garmin Approach G3 Golf GPS

The Approach G3 is a more affordable version of the Garmin GPS for Golf G5.

* Detailed golf course maps give precise distance information about fairways, hazards and greens from any point on the golf course
* The GPS device will continuously update your position and show you the distance to each target
* The Approach G3 steps away from our traditional recreational product line to bring something brand new to the golf market at lower price point

G3 has a smaller screen than the G5 (2.6 inches diagonally, vs. the G5’s 3 inches and has about an inch less in height and width. However, it still has many of the great G5 features, including:

* Free pre-loaded golf course maps in the U.S. and Canada plus free updates.
* Touchscreen operation and touch-targeting.
* Waterproof.
* Hole preview.
* Digital scorecard (but no stats pack).
* High-sensitivity receiver.

Golf GPS System Reviews 2010 – Garmin, Callaway and OnPar

Golf GPS System Reviews 2010

Garmin Approach G5 golf GPS

* Rugged, waterproof golf GPS unit with 3-inch sunlight-readable touchscreen display
* U.S. golf course maps preloaded, including fairways, hazards, and greens
* No annual fee; new maps available for download from Garmin.com
* Measure shot distance with highly sensitive readings to eliminate guesswork from your game
* Digital scorecard for up to 4 players; save and review scores on your computer at home

The G5’s features have easy-to-follow menus on the touchscreen. The best part is Garmin preloads a database of 14,000+ courses for free, and adds courses and updates for free via its website. The database is fairly extensive and should have most of your local courses. A nice feature is that it can show distances to and from anywhere on the course just by touching and dragging. Touch your target for a distance, or touch and move the flag for precision distance. The G5 also has a good score-keeping utility.

The Garmin GPS Approach G5 for golf retails for $399-440 but I found it for sale online for $300 at Amazon.com.

Stop GPS Data Recorded in Photos From Revealing Where You Live

Did you know that GPS location data can be recorded when someone takes a picture of you?

According to the New York Times, when Adam Savage, host of the popular science program “MythBusters,” posted a picture on Twitter of his car parked in front of his house, he let his fans know much more than that he drove a Toyota Land Cruiser. Embedded in the image was a geotag, a bit of GPS data providing the longitude and latitude of where the photo was taken. Hence, he revealed exactly where he lived. And since the accompanying text was “Now it’s off to work,” potential thieves knew he would not be at home.

Geotagging is when a device such as an iPhone, Android smartphone or digital camera stores your location or geographical information, such as your GPS coordinates, within a photo or movie file (such as .jpg or .mov files). According to Wikipedia, a geotagged photograph is a photograph which is associated with a geographical location by geotagging. Geotags are useful in helping people find a wide variety of location-specific information. For example, one can find images taken near a given location by entering latitude and longitude coordinates into a suitable image search engine.

Garmin GPS Systems – The Woman Behind Australian Karen’s Voice

Karen Jacobsen’s voice is instantly recognizable to millions of people worldwide. But she isn’t a famous singer – not yet at least. Jacobsen is the woman behind the soothing voice that gives you directions when you are driving and using your vehicle GPS system. To millions of drivers and GPS users worldwide, she is known as “Australian Karen.” Garmin GPS manufacturer chose Jacobsen over a decade ago because of her calming Australian accent, which now guides people all over the globe.

While she has anonymously been speaking to people for years through global positioning systems, she now hopes to put a face to her famous voice. Jacobsen is now hoping to leverage her soothing familiar voice into a successful music career.

Microsoft T-Drive Uses GPS Tracking Data to Reduce Cab Drive Times

No one knows how to get around a city faster than a cab driver, which is why Microsoft gathered GPS tracking data from 33,000 taxi cab drivers in Beijing for several months. Microsoft engineers sifted through three months of GPS vehicle tracking data transmitted from the GPS devices. They wanted to identify shortcuts cab drivers were using to avoid traffic signals, congested intersections and other slow-downs.

T-Drive, complete with the capability to find real solutions to real street traffic situations. The software can determine what is the best route for a Beijing cab driver at any given time based on the accumulated Beijing cab drivers’’ knowledge of congested areas and shortcuts. According to Microsoft, “on average, the cabbies’ routes shave off 16 percent of a trip, saving 5 minutes for every 30 minutes of driving.”

Reduce Transportation Costs and Go Green with a Fleet Tracking System

Want to save money and go green? Does your company have mobile workers or mobile assets – like a construction company, furniture company, HVAC / building services company? Then here is a great way your company can go green and cut costs at the same time. A GPS fleet management systems can be a powerful tool used to drive down costs and take control of your mobile resources.

Can FBI Track Vehicles with GPS Without a Warrant

In some cases, if someone is caught doing something illegal, and 1) the GPS tracking system information was used to convict him or her and 2) the GPS tracking system was placed by law enforcement without a warrant, convictions are not possible or overturned. But in other cases, courts have upheld the use of evidence obtained by placing a GPS device on a suspect’s car without a warrant.

Environmentally Conscious Driving Improves Sustainability

Environmentally conscious driving can be a cost-effective way for drivers to cut down on fuel costs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions without paying a premium for eco-friendly vehicles, says Business Driver Magazine. By making small changes in your driving habits, you can help to reduce these numbers and save money at the same time. By driving smarter, you can reduce your fuel costs and your “carbon footprint” as well.

Here are some smart, smooth safe driving techniques from FieldLogix Green GPS Fleet Management System that will reduce fuel costs by around 7 – 20%, depending on how you use the system and the size of your fleet.

When most people think about being a green driver, they think about driving a hybrid, which is a great way to drive green. Hybrids cut fuel costs and produce less greenhouse gas emissions. But what if you can’t afford a new hybrid? Or what if you already have one and are looking for more ways to reduce your carbon footprint?

Fleet GPS Vehicle Tracking Systems – How to Choose the Best One

fleet gps dispatcherChoosing a GPS vehicle tracking system can be challenging. There are dozens of products on the market with a very broad range of features. This article will help you determine which features your business really needs. It will also tell you what you should look for when researching options of a fleet GPS system.

Vehicle tracking is one of the fastest growing markets for GPS technology. Companies of all sizes are taking advantage of modern GPS devices. If you have more than one company vehicle, you have a fleet – and GPS fleet tracking saves businesses money!

The ability to track vehicles at all times can significantly reduce your business operating costs. To ensure your company is operating at maximum efficiency, necessary costs such as fuel and employee overtime can be closely monitored and verified by a GPS fleet management system. For example, excessive vehicle idling not only uses excess fuel, but it also causes unnecessary vehicle wear and tear, and produces harmful greenhouse gas emissions. By effectively utilizing the data and reports produced by a real-time vehicle fleet tracking system, fuel costs can be drastically reduced by over 20 percent.

GPS Data Reveals Users Search Most For McDonald’s, Starbucks, Walmart

GPS location based mobile phone search tracking data was recently used to reveal the most searched brand names in the U.S. This type of data gives insight into what drivers are searching for when they’re on a mobile phone or mobile device. Most Searched Restaurant McDonald’s Most Searched Retailer Walmart Most Searched Coffee Starbucks Most […]

Fleet Tracking System with GPS Costs Less Than You Think

fleet tracking system cuts fuel costs

Fleet Tracking System with GPS Offers Quick ROI

In today’s tough economy, many small businesses are trying to survive the recession and are not too keen on spending their cash. So the question arises of the ROI of GPS Fleet Tracking. Is investing in a Fleet Tracking System with GPS worth it?

The purpose of a fleet tracking system is to increase productivity and cut costs. Because most of the cost-savings results of implementing a fleet tracking system are immediate and long-lasting – it ends up costing a lot less than you may think. With a GPS enabled fleet tracking system, you can see exactly what is happening when your trucks leave your sight. It’s like being a fly on the wall. For example, you can see exactly how much fuel is being wasted from unnecessary idle time.

How To Immediately Reduce Fleet Management Costs

mmediately Reduce Fleet Management Costs with the best GPS Fleet Management System

Modern fleet management tools and technology are changing the way fleet managers look at vehicle fuel consumption. Economic conditions, legal regulations, reduced margins and heavy competition have created a high level of urgency for all fleets to consume fuel in the most effective way possible. Regardless of size, every fleet must pay for fuel, and every penny counts.

All fleet owners and fleet managers seek cost-effective ways to optimize fleet fuel consumption. GPS fleet tracking technology can be one of the most cost effective means to optimize fuel consumption. You can immediately reduce fuel consumption by up to 20% by investing in and utilizing a fleet management system. The best fleet tracking systems, such as FieldLogix, can IMMEDIATELY REDUCE fleet operating costs and provide a positive return on investment (ROI) in less than 6 months.

CNN Says GPS Tech Can Fuel Jobs and Internet Revolution

Fareed Zakaria, editor of Newsweek and host of Global Public Sphere (GPS) for CNN Worldwide answered questions about prompting job creation in the U.S. in a session of the show broadcast Oct 31. Among the fields Zakaria discussed as having huge potential for growth was Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) technology which he credits as the fuel behind the “next internet revolution.” Zakaria, who is among the best respected financial commentators in journalism today, suggested that America needs more investment in industries that will continue to shape the way society works and people communicate, like GPS systems, in order to reclaim jobs that have gone to other countries.

Zakaria says that the key to getting growth and middle-class jobs back is that we make massive investments, investments in technology, investments in research and development, investments in infrastructure. That is in a sense, investing in the middle class, because that is investing in the industries of the future, the industries that will create middle-class jobs. “Perhaps the most intelligent investment we can make is in human capital, particularly in talented people in science, math and computers,” said Zakaria.

The Best Vehicle Tracking GPS Systems

The best GPS vehicle tracking systems are all user-friendly. Users with limited computer skills can easily learn how to master the systems and produce results quickly. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all GPS tracking solution. Depending on your situation, there are a number of things you should look for.

1) If you are going to be tracking a person or a small piece of property, ensure that you look for a small, inconspicuous, easy-to-install tracker.

2) For tracking a personal vehicle, you will want something that will track your vehicle both indoors and outdoors, and one that will run on the car’s battery so you don’t have to worry about replacing a dead battery.

3) If you are concerned with tracking a fleet of vehicles, you will need a tracker that will allow you to customize settings for different vehicles, that provides you with convenient text message and email alerts. Trackers like the FieldLogix GPS Fleet Management boast each of these features plus provides in-depth performance metrics, identifies problems such as excessive speeding and idling, inaccurate time-sheets, unauthorized vehicle stops and personal vehicle use. Fleet GPS tracking systems should always be integrated with Garmin navigation and Google Maps.

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