The possibilities of GPS technology applications for tracking people and assets are endless. Here is a great example of how GPS technology can be used to help bicyclists make the world a better place.
OnAsset Intelligence Inc. and Push America have come together to provide a location monitoring and tracking system for bicyclists on a 12,000 mile cross-country bike ride called the Journey of Hope, which raises funds for people with disabilities. The cross-country bicycle journey began last week in Seattle, and will start June 12 from San Francisco. Approximately 80 bicyclists are planning to ride into Washington, D.C. this year.
The tracking system will help to keep the bicycle riders safe. For example, if a rider gets lost or loses his riding partner, he can log into the tracking system and figure out where to go. If someone steals his bike along the journey, then authorities will be able to quickly recover the bicycle. The GPS tracking system also gives confidence to donors, whose donations are typically based upon the number of miles completed by the rider, because the donor can monitor the rider’s actual progress.
Riders will be equipped with OnAsset’s SENTRY 400 GPS tracking technology. Every 30 minutes, the GPS tracking devices will send location updates to OnAsset’s Vision software platform via the Push America website. Thanks to the GPS tracking system, the bike riders’ families and friends, race coordinators, donors and other interested parties, can keep track of a rider’s current location.
There are several good devices that can perform GPS tracking and store a lot of data, and there are even a few business fleet vehicle tracking solutions that hard core bikers may want to consider. FieldLogix has a battery operated GPS tracking system that is affordable.
For most bicyclists they are looking for the following features in a GPS tracking system:
* GPS receiver with a tracking system to store where you’ve been
* sufficient memory to store a week’s worth of touring data
* battery operated with disposable batteries
* don’t want to carry a laptop for data storage
* bike handlebar mount
* ability to hold a lot of map data
* ability to function beneath trees or other potential barriers