Vehicle Tracking Systems

The high cost of gas is expected to continue to have a major impact on business operating expenses in 2011. Truck fleets will be feeling the most pain at the pump, since the cost of a gallon of diesel is predicted to remain higher than unleaded gasoline. Higher fuel prices will have a domino effect on increasing prices for other oil-based products, such as replacement tires.

Fleet management is looking at technology, tires, vehicle maintenance, and downtime to find ways to cut costs. One of the best ways to cut fuel costs is with a GPS vehicle tracking and fleet management system.

In 2008, BLS Trucking installed a GPS vehicle tracking system in its fleet of approximately 200 diesel trucks. By eliminating unauthorized use and unnecessary idling time, BLS Trucking saved $188,539 in fuel consumption alone during the first year, amounting to more than $900 in savings per vehicle.

n light of today’s economy, most people are looking for ways to save money. People have become more conscientious and realize that saving a few extra dollars by changing their behavior can really pay off over time.

Upgrade the cell phone after two years? I doubt it. Exchange the flat-panel TV for an even thinner model? Maybe next year. Replace the pants with the hole? Maybe next month! People have cut back on eating out, shopping, traveling, you name it.

Recently, consumer spending has picked up, but for many Americans the recession has left something behind: a greater desire to make stuff last. Every dollar in a budget counts and must be stretched.

For a wide variety of goods — cars, phones, computers, even shampoo — the data shows a slowing of product life cycles and consumption. In many cases the difference is mere months, but economists and consumers say the approach just may continue due to the strong impression the downturn made on consumers. It’s similar to the Depression-era mentality when people stored canned goods and sewed clothes rather than replacing them for years.

In a recession, sometimes spending a bit on technology can actually end up saving your business money over the long term. Investments in Web conferencing, fleet management, and other technologies can pay off. There are countless ways technology can save organizations money. After all, technology is meant to be a tool and by definition is supposed to increase efficiency which always translates to saving money.

Record High Gas Prices February 2011

Over the past week, the cost to fill up your gas tank has sky-rocketed. Gas prices increased 17 cents a gallon last week, which is a huge increase. Tom Kloza, chief oil analyst at the Oil Price Information Service, said gas prices’ 6-cent jump reported Friday was the largest one-day increase since at least 2008. The national average price for a gallon of regular gas rose, for the 4th day in a row, to 4.6 cents to $3.33 on Friday, according to AAA. That brings the national average to the highest level since October 2008.

Turmoil in the Middle East is largely contributing to the rapidly increasing gas prices. Oil prices shot as high as $103 a barrel on Thursday as chaos in Libya disrupted crude supplies from the OPEC nation, and traders worried instability could spread to other oil-rich countries in the Middle East. The spike in oil last week could translate to an increase in gas prices of 37 cents per gallon in the coming weeks, according Moody’s Analytics economist, Chris Lafakis. He estimates that for every $1 increase in the price of oil, retail gas prices typically rise 2.5 cents a gallon. “This will definitely be the most expensive February gas prices ever,” he said, adding that gas prices are typically lower during the winter months. Many analysts are predicting drivers will see $4-a-gallon gas by summer.

Diesel prices have gone up for 11 straight weeks for a cumulative 37.2 cent gain, a 70-cent increase from last year. Current diesel prices have already risen 2.1 cents this week to $3.534 per gallon, according to the Department of Energy’s Energy Information Administration (EIA). This week’s price is the 20th consecutive week prices have been at $3 per gallon or more. Current diesel prices are at their highest level since peaking at $3.659 during the week of October 13, 2008.

Even though oil prices have decreased slightly in recent weeks, some experts are saying that the price per gallon of diesel and regular gasoline could approach the $4 per gallon level, due to higher global demand for oil and the coldest winter in recorded history in many parts of the United States and Europe.

Fuel typically makes up about one-third of trucking companies’ budgets, said Kristen Monaco, an economics professor who specializes in trucking at California State University, Long Beach. However, when diesel prices get this high, the cost of fuel is the number one expense for trucking companies.

vehicle rental company in Australia has made a controversial decision to install a GPS vehicle tracking system in roughly 30% of the vehicles in its car rental fleet. Using the GPS vehicle tracking system signal, the car rental company will be able to know in real time the exact location of the vehicle. Plus they can be notified by text message if the car rental customer has breached any of the terms of their rental agreement, such as driving the rented car down a dirt road. Renters can be fined for their driving behavior, if it is a breach of the car rental contract.

Next time you or someone you love is about to be transported in an ambulance to the closest hospital, you might want to hop in the back of the vehicle and give the driver directions using your cel phone GPS navigation system. Why? Because many ambulances are not equipped with a GPS navigation system that gives drivers directions. Instead many ambulances are equipped with a GPS tracking system that is only used to keep track of the vehicle’s location, but this type of global positioning system (GPS) is not able to give driving directions.
It is important to recognize the differences in the capabilities of these two types of GPS tracking systems. What this means is that ambulance drivers are still forced to rely on paper maps to get to and from emergency destinations in a hurry. In emergency situations, every minute counts. This isn’t exactly confidence-inspiring and seems a bit archaic.