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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.
GLONASS is a network of 22 satellites orbiting the earth that are owned and controlled by the Russian government. Starting next year smartphones based on Qualcomm chipsets are going to get a huge improvement in their GPS reception because they will be able to utilize Russia’s GLONASS signals in addition to the Global Positioning System (GPS). According to Qualcomm and an article in PC Mag, adding GLONASS improves GPS accuracy in “deep urban environments” by 50 percent.
New smartphones will actually be able to leverage both satellite networks to get a much stronger, more reliable GPS signal, even in urban like New York City and in the mountainous terrain like in Colorado. Between GPS and GLONASS, Qualcomm smartphones will have 55 satellites to choose from, which makes it much easier for a smartphone or GPS receiver to get a GPS signal.
This week Pew Research released its Internet and American Life Project. Based on their research, virtually all smartphones now include a built-in GPS receiver to enable location tracking, but only 55% of U.S. smartphone owners have used their phone’s GPS system to help get local directions or recommendations.
Pew did not speculate about that other 45%, but I found this to be a very interesting statistic. One of the problems with a smartphone GPS system is that it can be unreliable when you are unable to get a cell phone signal, so those who can afford a smartphone may also be willing and able to spend the cash on a better and more reliable GPS navigation system. Perhaps, the remaining 45% of people who can afford a smartphone either have a handheld GPS device, such as a Garmin Nuvi, or their vehicle has a factory-installed GPS navigation system.
On numerous occasions this summer, kayaks were being stolen from a local kayak rental company in Massachusetts. Despite getting creative and trying different ways to lock the kayaks up securely, they just kept disappearing.
After dozens of kayaks had been stolen, the owner became very frustrated. He decided to take control of the situation and purchased two inconspicuous GPS tracking systems. According to the Metro West Daily News, owner Michael Aghajanian said, “We tried locking things up tighter and what not but the person got into everything. I felt defeated. I’m pretty persistent so I brainstormed. I didn’t care if we lost more boats. My goal was to catch him.”
Aghajanian installed a GPS tracking system on two brand new kayaks and left them out as bait for the thief. After the GPS tracking systems were installed, the kayak thief struck again. Only this time, he ended up getting caught.
This year FieldLogix, an eco-friendly fleet tracking system, launched an online Fuel Efficiency Driver Training Program. The program has been quite a success. Drivers, fleet managers and business owners have all found the driver training program to be quite valuable.
Companies using the FieldLogix fleet tracking system have access to their proprietary Green Fleet Reports to monitor driver performance and improvements over time.
Driver training that targets fuel efficiency can help recognize and change driving habits that waste fuel. Even drivers with years behind the wheel can improve their skills and driving performance through fuel efficiency driver training programs.
The driver told the police she didn’t think she had hit Sabga. Though her car had a telltale dent, the officer said that without proof of where the cyclist had entered the intersection, he would not be able to write a citation against the driver. That meant Mr. Sabga, who was relatively unscathed, would not be able to get her insurance company to cover the damage to his bike, which was now in pieces.
Later that day it dawned on Mr. Sabga that he might have the proof he needed in the data stored in the Garmin (NASDAQ: GRMN) GPS tracking device he used for training.
Over 100 GPS fleet tracking systems have been installed in Bergen County-owned vehicles. County officials decided to purchase and install the tracking systems to cut the county”s operating expenses. They predict the system, which has so far cost about $56,000, will save taxpayers in several ways, including fuel, maintenance and man-hour costs.
The $56,000 cost for the tracking system includes the software and installation, plus a $22-per-month, per-vehicle fee. Jo Marie Sacchinelli, coordinator of monitoring and evaluation for the county Department of Public Works, said she didn’t know exactly how much the county would save, but described the system as a “very good return.”
Need driving directions but don’t have an internet connection? No problem. According to recent press releases from Garmin (NASDAQ: GRMN) Navigon, Navigon has just launched a new GPS navigation system for mobile phones operating Windows software.
The new GPS will system can provide an excellent navigation experience, with offline mapping support. According to ZDNet, “There are times when you need to use GPS navigation without a connection and Navigon will be launching their latest software on Windows Phone soon.”
New map management and update capabilities will enable users to pre-load only portion of the maps they’ll actually use, freeing-up the space for other things. In addition, NAVIGON FreshMaps offers quarterly map updates.
When Interwest Construction Inc. realized one of their trucks had been stolen, they immediately activated the FieldLogix tracking system, which was installed inside the vehicle. Next thing you know, the chase was on
FieldLogix, an industry-leading eco-friendly fleet tracking system, was successfully utilized to recover the missing truck in just a few hours.
In April FieldLogix launched a new version of its fleet GPS tracking system called FieldLogix Lite – an entry-level, real-time GPS vehicle tracking system. You can track one vehicle or manage your entire fleet with FieldLogix Lite at a lower monthly cost than the standard plan. The new fleet GPS plan has been well received and users have reported to be getting “more than their money’s worth” out of the tracking system.
FieldLogix Lite is an entry-level GPS vehicle tracking system that offers a perfect set of features for those who just want basic GPS tracking information at a lower cost. FieldLogix Lite has a basic set of GPS tracking features for companies that want to experience FieldLogix, but are not ready to commit to the full-featured offering. Best of all, FieldLogix Lite users can upgrade the more advanced versions of FieldLogix without having to replace the GPS vehicle tracking devices.
