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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.
Twitter is the social-media platform that lets users communicate in short posts called tweets. It is very common for Twitter users to snap pictures using their mobile phone and to instantly upload them to Twitter. But users should beware, because you may be sharing more than just a photo. You may actually be revealing where you live, work and play.
Ever snapped a photo with your phone, then uploaded it to post on Twitter? You may have shared more than just an image. ICanStalkU.com was set up by tech consultants to alert Twitter users that their smartphone pics are embedded with GPS data, making it so easy to determine your precise latitude and longitude that “a first grader could stalk someone,” says cofounder Larry Pesce. For its part, Twitter’s image-hosting service strips geotagged data from phone-uploaded pics, but third-party services like TwitPic are still vulnerable. Twitter has twice suspended ICanStalkU’s account, calling the site’s cautionary tweets spam. But Pesce says, “If we thought of it, someone else much more evil and smarter has been using it.”
Did you know that GPS location data can be recorded when someone takes a picture of you?
According to the New York Times, when Adam Savage, host of the popular science program “MythBusters,” posted a picture on Twitter of his car parked in front of his house, he let his fans know much more than that he drove a Toyota Land Cruiser. Embedded in the image was a geotag, a bit of GPS data providing the longitude and latitude of where the photo was taken. Hence, he revealed exactly where he lived. And since the accompanying text was “Now it’s off to work,” potential thieves knew he would not be at home.
Geotagging is when a device such as an iPhone, Android smartphone or digital camera stores your location or geographical information, such as your GPS coordinates, within a photo or movie file (such as .jpg or .mov files). The tricky thing about geo-tags is that they are invisible to the naked eye. Geo-tags are part of the meta-data, or underlying data about the data, that accompanies each file. The problem occurs when you or someone you may know are geo-tagging your photos and then uploading them to the internet – especially social media sites like Twitter. When social media users take a picture or video and upload it to their page, they are probably transmitting far more data than they think.
Garmin just released a new GPS navigation App for the iPhone called Garmin StreetPilot. Garmin StreetPilot App gives iPhone users an intuitive Garmin interface for everyday navigation– without tapping into your dataplan. The Garmin StreetPilot App offers mapping, free real time speed camera alerts, traffic avoidance options and a host of other options for efficient routing, simple effortless planning and stress-free travel whether driving or on foot.
The Garmin Street Pilot App has advanced navigation features such as Garmin’s exclusive PhotoReal junction view , lane guidance, 3D buildings, trip planner, trip computer, Garmin’s “Where Am I?” safety feature and free real-time speed camera information including the location of temporary mobile cameras, based on real-time feedback from the ‘Speedwatch’ community.
With ultra-fast map drawing, panning and zooming, the preloaded maps and Points of Interest offer coverage even when there is little or no mobile signal available. So just as with a Garmin Nüvi, the maps and directions are always there when you need them most – especially when you can’t get cell or Wi-Fi signals or your dataplan is running low.
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!”
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.
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.
On Friday of last week, Standard & Poor lowered its rating for U.S. debt one notch from AAA to AA+. Following the downgrade, oil fell to the lowest price in more than eight months as investors fled commodities for assets such as Treasury bills and gold after the downgrade. Poor economic news flooded the market and pushed oil prices below $90 a barrel, despite government agreements to raise the nation’s debt ceiling.
Oil prices had the largest weekly loss since May 6, when the death of Osama bin Laden was announced. Crude oil prices were down more than $3 per barrel Monday afternoon. Further declines in oil and gad prices are anticipated.
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.
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.
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.
