Ambulances Still Not Equipped with Navigation Systems

Next time you or someone you love is about to be transported in an ambulance to the closest hospital, you might want to hop in the back of the vehicle and give the driver directions using your cel phone GPS navigation system. Why? Because many ambulances are not equipped with a GPS navigation system that gives drivers directions. Instead many ambulances are equipped with a GPS tracking system that is only used to keep track of the vehicle’s location, but this type of global positioning system (GPS) is not able to give driving directions.
It is important to recognize the differences in the capabilities of these two types of GPS tracking systems. What this means is that ambulance drivers are still forced to rely on paper maps to get to and from emergency destinations in a hurry. In emergency situations, every minute counts. This isn’t exactly confidence-inspiring and seems a bit archaic.

FieldLogix Launches IFTA Plan to Make Fuel Tax Reporting Easy

FieldLogix, an industry leading ‘Green” GPS fleet management system, announces the launch of an IFTA-only plan, designed to make IFTA fuel tax reporting simple and affordable. The FieldLogix IFTA fuel tax reporting plan makes calculating IFTA taxes a breeze because the FieldLogix GPS fleet tracking system automatically tracks everything your accountants will need to determine the amount of taxes your fleet owes in each state.

For fleet management, calculating IFTA taxes is a tedious but necessary part of the job. The good news is that with the FieldLogix IFTA-only plan, determining the mileage driven in each state and fuel expenses for each vehicle can be automatically uploaded into a fleet’s tax software. Therefore, the proper IFTA paperwork can quickly be produced.

Fleet Tracking Improves Customer Service Via Better Response Times

Fleet tracking is the use of GPS and telematics technology to identify, locate and monitor one or more fleet vehicles in real-time. A modern fleet tracking system can help any business that requires the use of a vehicle to get the job done. This includes a wide variety of businesses – anything from a construction company, an HVAC company, and any type of a delivery service – from flowers to serving court papers. A vehicle fleet tracking system combines the installation of an electronic GPS tracking device in a vehicle, or fleet of vehicles, with web-based computer software. This enables a fleet manager to track a vehicle’s location in real-time, collecting all sorts of data in the process – from vehicle diagnostics to driver speeding alerts.

School Bus GPS Fleet Tracking System Keeps Students Warm, Dry and Safe

Don’t like standing around waiting for the bus? Me either, especially when it’s freezing cold or raining outside. For some lucky students at Lehigh University, a new type of GPS fleet tracking system is being installed in the school’s fleet of school buses. The new GPS fleet tracking system will enable students to track where their bus is in real-time, so they can spend their time waiting indoors instead of outside at the bus stop. Better yet, the service is free for students!

Best Garmin Fleet Tracking System for Small Fleets

All fleets require management and monitoring. Even fleets with less than 25 vehicles. For business owners with employees and contractors on the go, investing in a GPS fleet tracking system is a smart investment because it will make their businesses more efficient and more productive. The bottom line savings that one should expect in gas bills, vehicle wear and tear and employee productivity is to be expected from a high quality fleet tracking system solution.

When you have to immediately service a customer or get your driver across town in rush hour traffic, it’s important that you have up to the minute information exactly when and how you need it so that you can make the most intelligent decision at a moment’s notice. A modern fleet tracking system will help you during these times.

More Employers Using GPS Tracking System to Manage Workers

More and more companies and cities across America are using a GPS tracking system to keep tabs on where employees are during work hours. Privacy experts say it is totally legal. Across the US, little black boxes are being tucked into vehicle dashboards. Why? Because installing a gps fleet tracking system into a fleet vehicle saves money, controls costs and keeps employees on the right track. It is not the kind of GPS system most people have in their car, but a black box that tracks where a car has been.

Managers really like the ability to monitor employees in real-time during work hours. There have been several instances where a GPS fleet tracking system has helped catch employees doing things they aren’t supposed to be doing. One fleet manager found an employee on the golf course when he was supposed to be working! Another employer caught an employee moving furniture with a company truck during business hours. One employee was busted after he put his moto-cross bike in his 18-wheeler big rig truck and went to the motorcycle racing track while on the job.

Reduce Fuel Costs with FieldLogix Fleet Tracking System

With FieldLogix, fleet management is no longer left in the dark wondering where their drivers are or what they are doing. A real-time fleet tracking system can empower you to better optimize, manage and capitalize from your fleet’s activities. Different fleets have different reasons for using FieldLogix: fuel costs are reduced, drivers are more safe and also held more accountable, improved customer service, lower maintenance costs, tax reporting needs, increased fleet productivity.

Gas Prices Expected to Rise in 2011 Due to Egypt Turmoil

Gas prices have steadily been rising since December. Gas prices are expected to keep rising due to two primary reasons:

1) The cost of oil is expected to increase due to political upheaval in the Middle East, particularly Egypt and Tunisia. Egypt is not a major oil-producing country, but about 2 million barrels of oil pass daily through the Suez Canal, which is controlled by Egypt. The outcome of the political turmoil in Egypt will certainly have an effect on gas prices. The situation may end quickly or the uprising may spread, no one knows at this point.

Garmin Launches Navigation System for Truck Tracking, Fleet Management

Garmin Intl Inc. (GRMN) recently launched the dezl (pronounced “diesel”) series navigation system, designed specifically for the trucking industry. The dezl GPS fleet tracking system is pre-loaded with features that can save truckers time, money, and fuel.

The navigation system appeals to both drivers and fleet management for different reasons. Truck drivers will like the navigation device because it can make finding places on the go as simple as possible. The Garmin navigation device can quickly locate highway exits, fuel stops, rest areas, lodging, truck stops, anything the driver may need along his route. The GPS navigation device also has Lane Assist which helps drivers navigate with confidence and drive safer.

Sacramento Saves $60,000/month in Fuel with GPS Fleet Tracking

The City of Sacramento recently spent over $100,000 on a GPS fleet management system. Many tax payers questioned if the new fleet tracking system was a luxury or a necessity? Turns out, that within the first month of using the fleet management system, the City identified ways to cut fuel costs by over $60,000 in just one month.

According to Keith Leech, City of Sacramento Fleet Management, “The analysis identified savings in excess of $60,000 a month in fuel costs alone, quite an impressive figure considering the cost to equip those 184 vehicles was just over $110,000. Simply stated, the system paid for itself in just two short months making it an excellent investment for the City and a real money saver for the tax payers.”

A real-time GPS Fleet Tracking System can help to Cut Fuel Costs and other Fleet Management Costs. It can also help to:

* Save time and reduce paperwork
* Quickly identify wasteful activities
* Accurately track and measure operating efficiencies

Keep Your Family Safe with OnStar Aftermarket Rear-View Mirror

ven if you don’t drive a GM vehicle, many people have seen the commercials for the OnStar telematics system. The ones where the family vehicle crashes crashes and the OnStar telematics system automatically alerts emergency services. OnStar launched an aftermarket rear-view mirror equipped with its OnStar telematics based communication system this year (2011) at CES. Even if you don’t drive a GM, now any vehicle can use the OnStar system and service.

OnStar services are currently installed in over 6 million vehicles. The OnStar mirror will retail for $299 at Best Buy. The device will hit the shelves this Spring. The monthly fee for the service will be $18.95.

OnStar and other telematics companies are exploring different ways to bring the Internet experience into the automobile. OnStar Telematics, a division of General Motors, currently offers drivers a variety of connected services, including turn-by-turn GPS system navigation, automatic crash response, stolen vehicle location, and much more.

Google Maps Adds Fuel Cost Calculator to Driving Directions in Europe

Google Maps (GOOG) just launched a Fuel Cost Calculator to driving directions for Google Maps in Europe. Google’s new Fuel Cost Calculator can be used to estimate the average fuel cost for your journey. When a user asks for driving direction between two locations on the map, it shows an estimate of how much cash your have to spend in order to procure fuel for the journey. The estimated fuel cost appears at the bottom of the list of driving directions.

This new tool can be very helpful for many reasons. With rising gas costs on the horizon (Oil is expected to top $100 a barrel this year.) it would be nice to be able to plan your trips taking gas costs into consideration. If utilized properly, this new tool can help you to become aware of your carbon footprint, and gives you the opportunity to really cut your gas costs, which is a great incentive to take the time to plan your trips more efficiently.

Gas Prices Could Reach $4 by Spring as Oil Prices Continue to Rise

There has been a steady rise in gas prices over the last year. According to AAA, the national average for regular unleaded gas is $3.11 a gallon. Over the last year, prices are up 39 cents a gallon, or 14%. Crude oil is up by a similar percentage, currently trading at just under $90 a barrel.

“Unless we see increases in supply, it’s hard not to see a tighter market,” John Felmy, the American Petroleum Institute’s chief economist, said in a conference call with reporters. Felmy said worldwide oil demand in 2010 hit a record of more than 87 million barrels a day.

New reports out this week show demand for oil and gas is up according to API and some analysts say that could mean paying more at the pump. Many experts are saying drivers could be paying $4 a gallon of gasoline this spring. There’s also claims some experts have been under-estimating prices for months.

The gas price increase may be due to several reasons including:

1. Global demand for oil is increasing as China, India and the Middle East are rapidly expanding.

2. Rising interest in crude as an investment can cause higher prices.

3. Winter weather has been extra cold in many parts the US and Europe, creating more demand for heating oil, which can cause an increase in gas prices.

4. The BP oil spill resulted in Obama administering an oil drilling moratorium, which means no more offshore drilling on the Gulf Coast, further reducing the oil supply.

5. OPEC continues to restrict supply.

GPS Tracking With No Warrant Keeps Two Home Invasion Suspects in Jail

Last week there were more legal disputes involving GPS tracking without a warrant and 4th Amendment rights. The highest courts in New York, Oregon and Washington have ruled that warrants are required when law enforcement officers want to track someone with GPS tracking technology, but the Ohio Supreme Court has not yet decided on the issue.

GPS Tracking Without a Warrant

In Ohio, two men accused in a number of home-invasion robberies in Franklin County are trying to get the evidence thrown out court because the sheriff tracked them by placing a GPS device on their car without a warrant. A judge in Fairfield County, where the last of the home invasions occurred, ruled in July that investigators didn’t need a warrant to attach the GPS tracking device to the car. The two men pleaded no contest in that case, and each was convicted and sentenced to prison. They are appealing the convictions, based largely on the GPS tracking issue. Trial dates are tentatively set in May.

Fleet GPS Tracking System Helps Cleaning Business Save Thousands

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.

Vehicle GPS Tracking System in Dallas Garbage Trucks Pays Off

GPS tracking systems were installed in the City of Dallas’ garbage trucks at the end of 2009. At that point in time, some people were not convinced that the GPS tracking system would be worth the hefty price tag of $700,000. Several City Councilmembers voted against the deal over concerns echoed by the sanitation drivers union and a rejected GPS bidder. “There’s no proof that it’s going to work,” said union spokesperson Elisa Gonzalez. ”

But the majority of City administrators believed that by monitoring sanitation workers and improving the fleet management efforts of garbage trucks, they would be able to reduce overtime and increase overall efficiency and performance of waste removal teams. And turns out, they were right.

Dallas City Officials recently announced that the tracking system (in the first 12 months of use) has saved the city $677,000 – almost paying for itself. That means the GPS tracking system is saving the City of Dallas a little over $56,000 month. Now that is an amazing ROI!

Fleet GPS Tracking Helps Keep Roads Clear and Safe This Winter

There has been record snow fall in many parts of the US this winter. Right now in California, there is record rainfall which means accidents, landslides, flooding, etc. Driving in winter can be quite a challenge. Harsh winter driving conditions are especially challenging for those responsible for keeping the roads clear and safe. Municipalities and snow removal companies are working long and hard to clear away the water, ice and white blankets of snow that inevitably slow down drivers during the busy holiday season.

The equipment and vehicles used to remove snow are now equipped with GPS fleet tracking devices. With the help of the fleet tracking system, the roads can be cleared much quicker. The GPS tracking can show the exact location of the road cleaning equipment in real-time. The system can monitor the position of the equipment from anywhere with an internet connection, allowing managers to visually dispatch their fleet without having to be on site.

Best iPhone Apps to Save Drivers Time and Money on Gas

Fleet Fuel Management and Green Fleet iPhone Apps

iGasUp ($2.99) displays the 10 closest fuel stations are and where the lowest fuel prices (gas or diesel) are, from you current location. If you plan to fill up later, you can enter your destination’s ZIP code and the app will provide the 10 cheapest fueling options in that area. The app also provides gasoline brands, directions and the distance to each station using Google Maps. Oil prices are provided by Oil Price Information Service, which also provides price data for AAA and Garmin GPS.

greenMeter ($5.99) can measure and analyze your vehicle’s engine power, fuel economy, and your driving to increase efficiency, fuel consumption, reduce fuel costs and lower your environmental impact. Results are displayed in real-time. GreenMeter is an energy management and tracking system designed to provide measurement and analysis to create efficiency.

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