Category: Fleet GPS System News

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Cell Phone GPS Systems Vs. Vehicle Installed GPS Tracking Systems

Many people have the notion that a cell phone-based GPS system is cheaper and just as effective as a vehicle installed GPS system. However, GPS tracking via cell phones is unreliable for business purposes. A cell phone GPS system may be good for providing directions occasionally, but it doesn’t perform the way an in-vehicle GPS system can.

In addition to providing navigation and optimal routing, a vehicle tracking system can save business owners time and money in numerous ways including: cutting fuel costs, increasing business efficiencies, improving asset management, optimizing vehicle maintenance, improving customer service and reducing your carbon footprint. Cell phone GPS will not help with any of these issues.

Here is list of some of the primary differences between a cell phone GPS system and a vehicle installed GPS tracking system:

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Stop Wasting Money on Excess Idling With FieldLogix Fleet GPS

Stop Wasting Money on Excess Idling With FieldLogix Fleet GPS

Did you know that each year fleet vehicles burn 8.9 billion gallons of fuel annually due to unnecessary idling and speeding? Chances are each of your vehicles burns up to 800 gallons of fuel per year due to unnecessary idling alone, which costs an estimated $2,864 per vehicle annually based on current gas prices of $3.58 a gallon.

Excessive idling is a tried and true fuel waster and is extraordinarily common in truck fleets, where frequent stops and starts are common.

The FieldLogix Customized Green Report identifies which vehicles are wasting time and money on excessive idling and speeding. The Excessive Fuel Report calculates how much money this is costing and shows how much CO2 is being emitted due to these avoidable driving habits. The green reporting features give each vehicle a Green Score and ranks each driver by who is most efficient.

FieldLogix Fleet GPS can you exactly how long a vehicle or group of vehicles has been idling – in real time or via minute-by-minute reports. You can see online where a vehicle was parked at each idling session, overlaid on familiar Google Maps. When enabled, idle alerts can be requested over the next 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 or 60 minutes, or set to alert you every 10 minutes via cell phone text message or email.

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Track Bus, Train and Ship Locations with new GPS System

Ever been stuck waiting for a bus, train or ferry and wondered, “Where the heck is my ride? Well, thanks to modern GPS technology, this issue may become a thing of the past. New GPS tracking systems are being installed across the country so people can monitor the whereabouts of their public transportation in real-time.

This type of tracking system is especially helpful to people when the weather conditions are severe. No one likes standing in the rain, snow or extreme heat waiting for a ride. Now when a bus or train is late, you can take shelter from the heat or cold because you will know exactly when your ride will be arriving.

In Michigan, people on-the-go who use a smart phone or another hand-held device that can access the Internet will be able to track the location of their city bus fleet in real-time using GPS tracking technology. Passengers will be able to tell when the bus will get to their stop.

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School Bus Fleet Updates Telematics To Enhance Safety

School boards are under pressure to not only provide a safe, reliable transportation service to school children and their parents, but also to run as efficiently as possible in light of today’s budget restraints. A GPS tracking system can make a school bus fleet more profitable, plus it helps to keep children safe.

Which is why last week in Prince County, Maryland, a local school board voted and approved to upgrade the school system’s fleet of buses with new GPS tracking systems.

The new GPS tracking system will provide several benefits to the school bus fleet. In addition to being able to guide drivers who have gotten lost, the system will be able to track if a bus is speeding and send e-mail updates. Previously, the only way to know would be to do radar checks or rely on complaints. The system can also monitor bus driving patterns to make sure drivers operate their vehicles efficiently, eliminating unnecessary idling, observing speed limits and not taking detours.

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FieldLogix Helps Dunphy’s ExtermaPest Cut Fuel Bill by $700/Mo

Dunphy’s ExtermaPest Cuts Gas Costs by $700 a Month For a 10 Vehicle Fleet With FieldLogix Fleet Tracking System

With today’s high fuel costs and a sluggish economy, companies are seeking ways to reduce their operating costs. One way to reduce costs dramatically is through the use of a GPS fleet tracking system.

Ron Dunphy, president of Dunphy’s Extermapest in Palm Springs, California has seen a significant reduction in fuel costs since implementing FieldLogix.

Dunphy said, “Before implementing FieldLogix last year, when gas prices were much lower, I was spending $3,400 a month on fuel for my 10 vehicles. After installing FieldLogix on my vehicles, I now spend $2,700 per month on fuel, even with higher gas prices!”

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FCC to Protect GPS System From LightSquared Interference

LightSquared is currently seeking approval from the FCC to move forward with its plans to build out a broadband wireless network. But the company has been facing fierce opposition from dozens of companies and organizations claiming the proposed network will interfere with GPS system signals.

Construction of LightSquared’s new wireless network is currently on hold as federal regulators wait to make sure the network will not cause interference with GPS system receivers. However, the FCC could not provide a timetable as to when continued testing, design modification, and review of the project would be complete.

In an effort to resolve the issue and make a decision , this week the FCC sent letters to both LightSquared and key members of the GPS industry. Letters were sent to LightSquared’s engineering and technology chief Julius Knapp, and GPS industry members such as Garmin (NASDAQ: GRMN), and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The FCC asked both parties to spell out exactly which GPS devices see interference and how those devices will interact with LightSquared’s newly scaled-down deployment plan.

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Solar Storms May Disrupt GPS System Signals This Week

Over the weekend there were three large magnetic explosions from the sun, prompting U.S. government scientists to caution users of satellite, telecommunications and electric equipment to prepare for possible disruptions over the next few days. As you read this, we are at the peak of the 11-year solar cycle. So drivers should double-check their GPS system, and watch where they’re going.

Solar storms this week could affect communications and global positioning system (GPS system) satellites and might even produce an aurora visible as far south as Minnesota and Wisconsin. Usually the aurora borealis, called the northern lights, are limited to northern latitudes, but the energy of this storm’s colliding energized particles may broaden the display.

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GM Launches New Vehicle Tracking System to Monitor Teens While Driving

General Motors is testing a new tracking system in the US. The tracking system can be used to locate a stolen vehicle, and it can also keep track of family members behind the wheel.

The vehicle tracking system is called Family Link. For parents of inexperienced teen drivers, using Family Link can help to give parents peace of mind because they will be able to monitor their child’s location and know they are safe. The service enables users to log onto a website at any time of the day to find their vehicle’s location.

The Family Link tracking system can send text or email alerts set for specific times. OnStar is planning to expand this to include alerts when a driver arrives at a destination, if a predetermined speed limit is broken or when a navigation boundary is crossed.

In order to use the system you must have a vehicle equipped with On-Star and subscribe to the On-Star service. Even if you don’t drive a GM, any vehicle can use the OnStar system and service by purchasing an aftermarket rear-view mirror equipped with the OnStar telematics-based communication system.

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Gas Prices Expected to Drop 35 Cents in Upcoming Months

The stock market plummeted last week as uncertainty and fear about the economy in the US and Europe spread like wildfire. Another recession, investors feared, could be right around the corner.

Yes, the stock market plunge was disconcerting and downright scary, but there is some good news. Many analysts are expecting gas prices to drop over the next few months. That’s because the same fears that forced a sell-off on Wall Street also brought down the price of oil.

Gas prices usually fall in late summer as families take fewer road trips. But the recent drop in oil should reduce gas prices even further. Experts are predicting the national average of $3.70 per gallon could fall as much as 35 cents per gallon over the next month. US drivers consume about 378 million gallons of gas every day, so a 35-cent-per-gallon fall would reduce daily total US gas spending by about $132.3 million.

“They’ll see a penny or two drop per day next week,” said Patrick DeHaan, senior petroleum analyst at GasBuddy.com, a consumer Web site that tracks retail gasoline prices around the country. DeHaan said the decline will likely start at stations along highways and other busy areas. Those stations need to replenish their storage tanks every day or so, and they’ll get the cheaper gasoline faster than others.

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Sunshine Landscape Gets an ROI in 18 Days with FieldLogix

Sunshine Landscape Sees Positive Return on Investment in 18 Days with FieldLogix GPS Fleet Tracking System

Carlos Contreras, at Sunshine Landscape in Palm Desert, CA, manages 15 employees who had been using paper timesheets for years. Carlos always suspected that the timesheets weren’t completely accurate.

Carlos then decided that GPS fleet tracking would help him address these concerns and give him more control over his mobile employees. Carlos selected FieldLogix due to its user-friendly interface, affordable hardware, and extensive e-mail alert features.

Upon installing FieldLogix fleet tracking system, Carlos’ suspicions were immediately confirmed. By using the system’s activity reports, he found that his “honor system” was being abused by his employees. By having an accurate way to measure daily work hours, his overtime costs dropped immediately.

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Fleet Tracking System Features to Consider, Part One

Fleet Tracking System Features – Part One

If your business requires vehicles and mobile employees, and you are interested in finding ways to increase your company’s productivity and profitability, then you should consider investing in a GPS Fleet Tracking System.

A Fleet Tracking System can provide your company with numerous benefits at an affordable price. A fleet tracking system can help the average fleet reduce fuel costs by up to 20%. Most customers typically see a positive ROI in less than 6 months.

There are several factors to consider when researching and selecting the right Fleet Tracking System. Here are some of the fleet tracking features you should be considering in your purchase decision.

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New Satellite Technology Allows Planes To Fly Over Polar Regions

A new satellite communication for oceanic flights has been approved by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Now airlines can use the satellite communication to fly through the Polar Regions instead of around them, while still maintaining communication with air traffic control.

Until now, airlines had no way of communicating in the Polar Region besides using a High Frequency (HF) radio, which is so unreliable that airlines decided not to use it because it was too dangerous. Now, being able to fly over the poles, airlines can save time and money. Plus they will produce less pollution.

According to Damien McCormack, director of Aircraft Solutions at SITA, flying over the poles can save approximately 30 minutes to an hour in flight time, depending on the size of the aircraft, flight route and exactly what points over the Poles the plane is flying.

McCormack also said that by saving one hour on an airbus 330, which can accommodate up to 335 passengers, it can account to a savings of 5.5 tons of fuel, which equates to 17 tons of C02 emissions. With a Boeing 747, which can accommodate between 416-524 passengers, saving one hour of flying time would account to saving 10 tons of fuel, which equates to 35 tons of C02 emissions.

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Survey Finds GPS Tracking Lowers Vehicle Operating Costs

A new vehicle tracking survey was released last month in the UK. Results of the study showed that businesses using fleet GPS tracking systems are saving money in several ways. The vehicle tracking survey showed that businesses can achieve measurable benefits in terms of fleet performance, service and legislative compliance.

The vehicle tracking study was conducted by CTrack. The company surveyed over 250 fleet decision makers in the UK. The survey was developed to provide insight into the uptake of vehicle tracking amongst UK-based businesses, how the technology is being used, what benefits are being achieved and what barriers are preventing more companies adopting a vehicle tracking solution. When asked about the primary purpose for vehicle tracking more than a third of the respondents using the technology stated productivity was the main reason, whilst cost reduction, asset management and customer service made up almost half of the answers.

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GPS Tracking System Busts County Employees at Golf Course

Earlier this year in Muskegon Cunty, Michigan, rumors were spreading that city employees were not working when and where they said they were. A county judge, John Ruck, became suspect after hearing rumors that a handful of city employees were misusing city vehicles and decided to take action.

He rallied enough support and money from the county and the state to purchase several vehicle tracking systems. Ruck then ordered someone to install the tracking systems inconspicuously in the trunk of several county owned fleet vehicles. The GPS tracking systems started gathering information in June.

Court administrators reviewed the vehicle tracking system data for several weeks looking for discrepancies. According to Ruck the process was simple – look at the employee’s time card and where the car they checked out was located.

Then lo and behold, the GPS tracking system data revealed that three county workers were not working while on the clock. One spent several hours at a golf course, another at the gym. Both resigned when confronted about the abuse. A third employee, whose error was not as egregious, is going to be disciplined.

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Habitat for Humanity Selects FieldLogix to Improve Customer Service

Habitat for Humanity Selects FieldLogix Fleet GPS to Improve Customer Service and Reduce Fuel Usage

Habitat for Humanity Charlotte announced last month that it has installed FieldLogix Fleet GPS Tracking Systems in its entire fleet of vehicles. Since deploying a fleet GPS tracking system, Habitat for Humanity has reported an improvement in customer response times, the amount of job orders completed, and reduced fuel consumption.

Improved Customer Service

Now Habitat for Humanity dispatchers can keep a close eye on the exact location of every vehicle in its fleet in real-time. According to Habitat For Humanity manager, Jon Huffman, “We can make last minutes changes with just a few clicks. If drivers are running late, we can call ahead of time to let someone know. FieldLogix gives dispatchers the ability to assign jobs in a way that maximizes productivity and service, since vehicle stops are constantly being added or changed throughout the day.”

Reduced Fuel Consumption

Jon Huffman also added, “We have experienced significant savings in fuel expenses since installing FieldLogix. We are quite pleased with that. The initial improvements have been so good that we haven’t had time to see everything else the system can do for us!”

Eco-Friendly Driving

Huffman further stated, “FieldLogix is a Green company with an eco-friendly product. It was important for us to choose a company with same core values as Habitat for Humanity.”

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Leaked FAA Report Says LightSquared Network Will Kill 794 People

A report about the effects of LightSquared’s proposed network was supposedly leaked from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) this week, according to a report from PC Mag. The effects of LightSquared deployment would be far-reaching and potentially devastating to aviation.

The “estimated loss of life from 2014 to 2023 as a result of LightSquared impacts to GPS during a period when the nation’s aircraft were retrofitted to accommodate the LightSquared signals would include 794 deaths, with a value of life totaling $4.9 billion,” the report states.

The FAA’s Navigation Services division also said there will be over $72 billion in additional costs to U.S. taxpayers if the LightSquared LTE system is implemented. The FAA report called that estimates conservative, and it did not include injuries or property loss.

The FAA’s report, dated Jul 12, said the LightSquared network would interfere with the GPS systems that US aviation depends on everyday. The Federal Aviation Administration says even a revised proposal from LightSquared to launch a national wireless broadband network will interfere with global positioning systems critical to aviation.

“Proposed LightSquared operations would severely impact the efficiency and modernization of the safest, most efficient aerospace system in the world. After the LightSquared network is deployed, GPS systems are expected to be unavailable for planned aviation use over the whole of the continental U.S. based upon FAA analysis and tests, ” the report concludes.

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US Drivers Waste $155 Billion Dollars A Year Idling in Traffic

When a vehicle is left idling, it can consume one gallon of gas each hour. “Traffic congestion costs the U.S. economy upwards of $155 billion dollars annually,” said Kleiner Perkins partner Michael Linse in a statement. “Last year alone, U.S. drivers wasted 3.9 billion gallons of fuel sitting idle in traffic, and the U.S. is a small part of a much larger and growing global traffic problem.”

No one likes wasting time and money sitting in traffic. Sometimes it is unavoidable, but sometimes it isn’t. With today’s high cost of fuel and the growing awareness of our need to protect our planet, the amount of idling vehicles must be reduced. Drivers can and should be doing something.

A GPS navigation system with real-time traffic updates such as FieldLogix can absolutely help to reduce the time and money drivers waste sitting in traffic. Reducing idling time by only 15 minutes a day can reduce fuel use by over $84 per year. If you reduce idling time by 60 minutes a day, it would result in a fuel savings of 90 gallons at a cost of over $339 per year.

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Gas Prices Up 11 Cents in Past Month

Currently the average for a gallon of regular unleaded gas is $3.69, according to the AAA Fuel Gauge Report. Today’s price is up 11 cents from one month ago, and up 96 cents from one year ago. Gas prices typically rise in the summer as demand for gas increases because more drivers are on the road.

Historically prices are highest in July and August because Americans drive the most during these two months, according to the Federal Highway Administration. Additionally prices also rise in the spring and summer as refiners switch to more expensive summer blends of gasoline. Federal and local laws require different additives in summer to preserve air quality, but more expensive additives tend to drive up the price.

There are several other factors that could push gas prices even higher. If the U.S. defaults on its debt, it would send shockwaves through oil markets that could push fuel prices even higher, analysts said Monday.

Many are also hoping that the hurricane season is mild this year, as a big storm could decrease the output by refineries. This would absolutely increase prices.

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