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Fleet management systems have been around a while and have become so complex that it has evolved into Field Resource Management. This article explores 5 reasons why all fleets need at least a basic Field Resource Management system.
Fleet management is tough for anyone – but could you imagine operating a fleet of 300,000 trucks? The Army and Marine Corps have an inventory of over 300,000 trucks. Military vehicle fleet management is an incredibly tough challenge. They are trying to decide which fleet vehicles to keep, and how they will go about fixing or replacing damaged and outdated fleet vehicles.
Over the past several years the military has done a decent job of forecasting the quantities and types of fleet vehicles they will need. But fleet management forecasts with this size and type of fleet is never going to be perfect. Forecasts of future buys have been difficult due to internal disagreements over how to modernize the fleet of more than 150,000 Army and 25,000 Marine Corps Humvees. Because of their sheer numbers and the potential costs of acquiring new vehicles to replace old ones, Humvees are creating a challenging fix-or-buy-new dilemma for decision makers.
CES is the world’s largest consumer electronics trade show held every year in Las Vegas in January. This year, recent advancements in vehicle, navigation and telematics technology made this area one of the most exciting parts of CES.
Here are highlights of the new technologies showcased at CES 2011:
Navigation
Garmin revealed a new version of its Nuvi navigation GPS system with an oversized screen, and TomTom displayed its Go 2505 GPS model with a new traffic service.
A Boeing Global Positioning System (GPS) IIF-1 satellite, built for the U.S. Air Force, is expected to be launched into orbit soon. Boeing is currently under Air Force contract to build 12 GPS IIF satellites. This will be the second satellite launched under the 12 GPS system satellite contract.
The GPS IIF satellites, with a design life of 12.7 years, will have improved anti-jam capability and substantially increased accuracy from earlier satellite versions. The GPS system signals are so accurate that time can be calculated to within a millionth of a second, velocity within a fraction of a mile per hour and location to within feet.
Min Kao, the co-founder and CEO of Garmin, an industry leader in GPS system devices, just bought the 41st-floor condo at 15 Central Park West for $40 million from real estate developer William Lie Zeckendorf. The transaction is Manhattan’s second most expensive of the year, after the $44 million sale of the Duke Semans Mansion. The Journal reports that the final price actually comes out to $9,940 per square foot, not counting the enormous terrace.
Like many wealthy buyers, the CEO of corporate giant Garmin GPS purchased the apartment through a limited liability corporation, so until now his identity had not been disclosed. Mr. Kao was born and attended college in Taiwan. Over the past several years he has lived in the U.S. Forbes last year estimated his net worth at $1.6 billion, down from $4.7 billion in 2007, following a decline in Garmin stock.
Fleet management take heed. Several trucking industry regulations have recently been proposed by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The proposed truck driver hours-of-service and speed limit regulations will have a huge impact on the trucking and transportation industry. The proposed rules are stirring up quite a heated controversy.
On Dec. 23, 2010 the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) issued a regulatory proposal that would revise hours-of-service (HOS) requirements for commercial fleet truck drivers—requirements that have gone through multiple iterations and sparked numerous legal challenges since 2004. The rules are expected to be finalized by July 26, 2011.
GPS tracking systems are now being used by several ski and snowboard resorts worldwide for two primary reasons: more safety and more fun. Many families love going on ski/snowboard vacations together. But sending your young off children off to ski school by himself can be a bit disconcerting. What happens if your child gets lost or hurt on the mountain, how would you know? How would you be able to find him?
Well, don’t fret. The good news is that with a specialized GPS tracking system called Flaik, skiers and snowboarders can be located in real-time. If a skier needs to be located immediately, a resort employee can log into the system with an internet connected computer or phone. The web-based GPS tracking system can instantly display the child’s exact location.
Fleet GPS tracking systems are being used more and more by local San Diego businesses, especially service-based businesses with unsupervised mobile employees on the road. A vehicle GPS tracking system can not only improve worker efficiency but a GPS tracking system can also help to cut fuel costs and improve customer service.
“Within 90 days we were able to increase profits by over 10%. Wireless fleet management systems can put a spotlight on a worker’s habits that waste time and consume excessive fuel. Even the best employees aren’t always working as productively as they could be,” said John Barr, President of San Diego Windows and Decks Cleaning Services.
GPS tracking devices were handed out all weekend to elementary and middle school aged children by the Red Cross in Beijing. The GPS tracking phones look like a big wristwatch and were designed especially for children. The Red Cross is handing out 20,000 tracking devices this month and hopes to give out a total of 100,000 GPS tracking devices by the end of 2011. The GPS tracking system enables parents and guardians to know where their children are at all times.
The GPS tracking wristwatch phone can call up to four numbers and can receive calls from up to 20 different numbers. With the push of one button, children can instantly be connected talk to their parents. Children can also use the GPS tracking devices to set off an alarm by pressing an SOS button. The GPS tracking system is also able to notify parents when children who carry them are close to dangerous places, such as rivers, construction sites and highways.
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is accepting nominations for its CoolCalifornia Small Business Awards, which recognize small California businesses (under 100 employees) that have shown leadership and taken action to reduce their energy bills and greenhouse gas emissions and made notable, voluntary achievements towards reducing their environmental impact. Nominations are being accepted until January 24, 2011.
Two categories of awards will be given — one recognizing the CoolCalifornia “Small Businesses of the Year” and another to the CoolCalifornia “Climate Leaders.”
The businesses of the year must demonstrate significant, measurable actions taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, save energy, invest in clean or renewable energy, purchase environmentally-conscious products such as hybrid or electric vehicles, and educate employees, customers and the general public. The “Climate Leaders” will be the most proactive nominees in reducing environmental impacts, through changes that may include efficient lighting, recycling programs, increased weatherization or the buying of environmentally-friendly products.
