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FieldLogix announces the release of its guide for creating a company policy for dash cameras. The guide discusses all of the factors involved when creating a dash camera policy and how to make the policy driver-friendly in order to minimize driver resistance. “In todays’ litigious world, fleets are often targeted by unscrupulous motorists for insurance […]
Garmin has two different smartphone models currently on the market – one with AT & T and one with T-Mobile. The less expensive AT& T Garmin Nuviphone, which retails for $49, has the great navigation and GPS system you would expect from Garmin, and the smartphone capabilities are pretty good, too. According to Garmin’s website, […]
The World’s First Direct-to-Eye Communications Display in a Snow Goggle, Integrating GPS Technology, State-of-the-Art Sensors, and Superior Optics: Rincon/Zeal’s Transcend Snow Goggle. Described as the most technologically advanced goggle in the world, it features advanced optics and Head Mounted Display technology, showing real-time data in a heads up display inside the goggles themselves. The Transcend GPS-enabled goggles, available from Zeal Optics in Fall 2010, features GPS & vertical odometer technologies, and provides real-time access to performance statistics including speed, altitude, temperature, and time.
Skiers, snowboarders and any other action sports lover are going to love this new GPS device – GPS enabled goggles by Recon. The ability to see video of what you just did is one thing, but to see it on an interactive map that displays speed and elevation is something that has never been done before.
This new snowboard technology will in essence be a ski and snowboard goggle where you view your cellphone screen, your speed and altitude on a small display on the inside of the goggle lens. The GPS system enabled goggles will feature a 15mm diagonal micro display will provide you with your real-time speed, jump hang-time, vertical gain/loss, altitude, temperature and will even include a stopwatch and GPS tracking capability for rescue situations – which is a great safety perk.
GPS tracking technology is exploding with new uses and applications….Wasting valuable time searching for your car in parking lot is never a fun experience. It can be quite frustrating as it often happens at the worst moments – when it’s raining or when you’ve got a handful of heavy items. Well thanks to the Park’n Find iPhone App, it will never happen again.
The Park’n Find iPhone app obtains the users position using the iPhone’s GPS tracking capabilities approximates the vehicle location to a street address. Users are guided back to their parking locations with a GPS satellite image of the parking lot showing where their car is parked relative to their current position. The map keeps the area between the user and their car in focus with automatic map zooming and panning as the user moves closer to or farther from their parked vehicle. Additional guidance is provided by an arrow that shows which general direction to walk.
This month the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced that the number of truck driver traffic fatalities had declined 20 percent in 2009, dropping from 4,245 in 2008 to 3,380 in 2009. The reduction in large truck-related deaths is the lowest level in recorded Department of Transportation history. The results also show a 33 percent decrease in fatalities since the stricter Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) hours-of-service regulations became effective in January 2004.
In addition to the 20 percent reduction in crash fatalities involving large trucks, the number of truck occupant deaths decreased 26 percent in 2009, from 682 in 2008 to 503 in 2009. The number of truck occupants injured in truck-related crashes also declined 26 percent. Those are the largest declines among all vehicle categories.
According to a recent study conducted by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI), funded by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), implementation of driving behavior management systems using in-vehicle telematics devices can result in a significant reduction in the number of risky driving behaviors. Based on this research, Travelers (TRV)is paying its customers in the form of insurance discounts of up to 15% to educate their employees in safe driving by using data obtained from fleet telematics devices.
Similar to global positioning systems (GPS), fleet vehicle telematics go beyond navigation and positioning by storing and sending data on how a vehicle is operated. Fleet telematics devices can help reduce fleet maintenance costs, improve vehicle efficiency and result in insurance discounts. Recently Travelers (NYSE: TRV) announced a potential discount of up to 15 percent on certain auto liability insurance premiums for qualifying businesses that effectively use vehicle telematics technology to monitor their company owned commercial fleet vehicles and driver behavior.
Travelers Insurance is one of the world’s largest insurance companies. Traveller’s Insurance announced this week that it is now paying fleets in the form of insurance discounts if the fleet installs fleet telematics systems. According the a TRV press release, the fleet must install vehicle telematics technology “in a sufficient number of their fleet vehicles and that they are actively incorporating safety information from the devices into their ongoing safety feedback to drivers, at least on a quarterly basis.”
Golfshot is the creator of the No. 1 iPhone app for golf. Today the company released Golfshot: Golf GPS® onto Google’s Android system today. The new GPS iPhone app launch marks an important growth period for Golfshot as the company expands its reach into additional smartphone equipment and providers.
According to a recent press release by the company, Golfshot: Golf GPS® on Android has the same GPS rangefinder and scoring capabilities currently used on the iPhone version. Golfshot uses global GPS positioning to display yardages to any point on a golf hole, acting as a distance rangefinder. To display yardages, the app uses both a List View and Aerial View that auto adjust distances based on a user’s location. Over 30 million holes of golf have been played using Golfshot since its release in July 2009. Golfshot GPS on Android is available in 12 languages spanning 150 countries worldwide.
A new GPS navigation iPhone app called CycleStreets was launched last week. The new iPhone app is free and turns your iPhone into a cyclist’s version of a Garmin GPS navigation system. The new CycleStreets iPhone app is already close to the top of the charts for GPS navigation apps. The app shows the best bike-friendly routes to get from here to there, and displays a map for you to check during your journey. It not only keeps you on bike paths, but also shows you short-cuts that can trim time off your ride.
According to the press release, the app from Bike Hub uses GPS system satellite navigation style routing that has been engineered specifically for cyclists. It keeps you on bike-safe paths and streets, and arranges your route to minimize up-hill cycling. You can even pick if you want the quietest route, the quickest, or a balanced route.
“We have generated more than $1 million in fuel savings since 2008, and our reduction in GHG emissions since 2006 is equivalent to removing more than 3,000 cars from the road,” says Erv Lauterbach, president, Carrier Building Systems and Services. With over 3,000 fleet trucks and cars in North America, Carrier reduced emissions by more than 30 percent since 2006 by deploying a diverse set of strategies, including right-sizing fleet vehicles and monitoring driving patterns using global positioning system (GPS) data to removing unnecessary weight from fleet vehicles.
Carrier Corporation is reducing its fuel use and green house gas emissions following an analysis of the company’s entire fleet of vehicles. Carrier changed its sales fleet by removing gas guzzling trucks in favor of hybrids and smaller engine vehicles. Carrier’s GPS system generates data that has provided visibility to other savings opportunities, for instance, carrying unnecessary equipment in trucks increased both weight and gasoline usage. Fleet vehicles now carry only the tools and parts that are required. The GPS technology provides data for fuel economy performance across the country and has led to an average mile per gallon increase of nearly 7 percent, according to the Carrier Corp.
According to the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), there are easy, cost-effective ways for fleets to reduce their environmental impacts and operating costs at the same time.
Step 1: Measure Emissions and Set Goals
Understand your fleet’s current greenhouse gas emissions. Simple calculations allow you to track greenhouse gas emissions based on how much fuel is consumed.
Create a baseline by collecting fuel consumption data.
• Calculate your greenhouse gas emissions using the EDF’s online tool.
• Develop a goal to reduce emissions over time.
• Report your progress over time.
Step 2: Improve Vehicle Selection
One of the most important environmental decisions a fleet manager makes is which vehicles to have in the fleet. Consider the following strategies:
• Select the right size. Analyze your operational needs and eliminate excess vehicles. Four-wheel drive and 6- or 8-cyclinder engines can increase costs and emissions.
• Choose “best in class.” Select vehicles with the highest fuel economy that meet’s your firm’s price and performance needs. • Evaluate total lifecycle costs, including acquisition, fuel consumption, depreciation and resale.
• Offer employees incentives to choose more cost-effective, efficient vehicles, for example, sunroofs and satellite radio.
• Incorporate hybrid trucks. Truck fleets should consider incorporating hybrid trucks into their fleets. Trucks are responsible for 6 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. Hybrids reduce GHG emissions by 30-50 percent, decrease particulate matter (PM) 96 percent, and improve fuel economy 30-50 percent, saving money at the pump! There are many incentives available to help fleets bring down the initial costs of a hybrid.
