Here's a story one of our customers told us recently.
This business owner suspected that his employees were using company vehicles at odd times, and worse yet, clocking more hours than they were working. Like most business owners, he was often out of the office dealing with customers and suppliers. He needed to verify his suspicions. Time wasted by his drivers was no different than money stolen from his business.
So what did he do? One weekend he installed GPS tracking units on his vehicles without telling his drivers. He was out of town again on Monday and Tuesday, but guess what he discovered when he looked at his tracking reports on Wednesday?
On the days he was out of the office each of his service trucks returned to the office no later than 3:30 PM, but the drivers didn't clock out until 5:00 PM! This sent 1 ½ hours of billable time straight down the drain for two different crews. GPS tracking saved 6 hours in payroll in the first two days of tracking. Now that's a good R.O.I!
But wait, it gets better. His GPS tracking reports showed that one driver took a truck at 6:00 PM on Monday evening and drove 34 miles round-trip -- to move his buddy's vending machines!
Needless to say, this business owners small investment in GPS tracking payed for itself within days. As an owner, you only have one set of eyes. You’d like to trust all of your drivers, but reality keeps getting in the way. GPS tracking will give you the peace of mind that comes with knowing what's happening with your vehicles instead of guessing. And this knowledge can add up to a lot of money in a hurry.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Vehicle Tracking: Cell Phones Cause Distraction for Drivers
One of the major benefits of GPS vehicle tracking is increased driver productivity. But what if your tracking device has become another distraction for your drivers?
Many businesses have turned to cell phones to track their drivers. Where this can be an easy solution for a business, it often opens a digital “Pandora’s box” for it's drivers.
Smart Phones have become smart enough to track a vehicle's location, but also smart enough to update one's Facebook page and view pictures of the kids. Businesses may be providing their drivers with the only web access they have throughout their day. The temptation to “reach out” to friends- text a spouse, or check sports scores- is often too great for many drivers.
Research by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute showed that a truck driver looking down while texting for a mere six seconds while motoring at 55 miles per hour will travel the entire length of a football field, and not realize they traveled so far.
The Harvard Center of Risk Analysis estimates that each year cell phone activity contributes to:
636,000 motor vehicle crashes
330,000 injuries, and
2,600 fatalities.
Many companies have already adopted polices banning their drivers from using cell phones in an effort to reduce the number of injuries and the rising costs associated with workplace distractions. These employers understand the potential liability connected with this behavior. Lawsuits have been settled for millions of dollars in favor of people hurt or killed by distracted drivers.
In fact, several politicians and the American Transportation Association have already introduced legislation aimed at banning texting while operating a vehicle. The proposed “Avoiding Life-Endangering and Reckless Texting by Drivers Act of 2009” bill will penalize states in violation of the law, with the risk of losing 25% of their annual federal highway funding.
Do your business a favor…track your vehicles, but do so with a device that does not interfere with your drivers’ daily duties or tempt them to play with “apps” during their work day. The end result will be a safer, more productive work environment.
FoxTrax GPS Fleet Tracking
Clever solutions for vehicle tracking
www.FoxTraxGPS.com
Many businesses have turned to cell phones to track their drivers. Where this can be an easy solution for a business, it often opens a digital “Pandora’s box” for it's drivers.
Smart Phones have become smart enough to track a vehicle's location, but also smart enough to update one's Facebook page and view pictures of the kids. Businesses may be providing their drivers with the only web access they have throughout their day. The temptation to “reach out” to friends- text a spouse, or check sports scores- is often too great for many drivers.
Research by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute showed that a truck driver looking down while texting for a mere six seconds while motoring at 55 miles per hour will travel the entire length of a football field, and not realize they traveled so far.
The Harvard Center of Risk Analysis estimates that each year cell phone activity contributes to:
636,000 motor vehicle crashes
330,000 injuries, and
2,600 fatalities.
Many companies have already adopted polices banning their drivers from using cell phones in an effort to reduce the number of injuries and the rising costs associated with workplace distractions. These employers understand the potential liability connected with this behavior. Lawsuits have been settled for millions of dollars in favor of people hurt or killed by distracted drivers.
In fact, several politicians and the American Transportation Association have already introduced legislation aimed at banning texting while operating a vehicle. The proposed “Avoiding Life-Endangering and Reckless Texting by Drivers Act of 2009” bill will penalize states in violation of the law, with the risk of losing 25% of their annual federal highway funding.
Do your business a favor…track your vehicles, but do so with a device that does not interfere with your drivers’ daily duties or tempt them to play with “apps” during their work day. The end result will be a safer, more productive work environment.
FoxTrax GPS Fleet Tracking
Clever solutions for vehicle tracking
www.FoxTraxGPS.com
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Some Creative GPS Vehicle Tracking Deals Are Risky
As industries go, the GPS vehicle tracking industry is relatively new. As such, many providers are quickly coming up with creative pricing models to attract new customers. Some have even gone the way of cellular providers, offering high-tech devices (tons of apps!) at highly reduced prices, but with a lengthy contract.
Two questions arise for businesses with the need to track their vehicles:
(1)What to you really need in a device, and
(2)Should you enter into a service contract…even if you get enormous up front discounts?
To address the first question, think about what you are trying to accomplish.
Do you want to stop unauthorized driving?
Do you want to reduce the number of "Where are you calls?"
Do you need to know who is closest to an address right now?
Do you want to log stop times for billing or cost accounting?
Do you want to log mileage for billing or cost accounting?
Do you want to spot overlapping or inefficient routes?
Do you want your drivers to know you can see what they're up to?
Situational awareness is the real necessity for most businesses. Bells & whistles are nice, but not a must-have, and often a distraction. With today’s technology, businesses can purchase devices that provide enough information to answer the questions above for under $150.
Now to our second question, “Should I enter into a contract…for any reason?” No! The answer is “no”. The list of reasons is long but includes:
1.You shouldn’t have to…there are GPS vehicle tracking providers that offer service with NO contract
2.In today’s economy, you never know when you’ll have to scale back. In fact, it’s good business practice to be prepared to do just that. A contract locks you in, and by nature is not flexible.
3.You may have a future need that your existing provider can not support
4.You may simply find a better deal
5.Technology changes quickly. So do payment options in new industries. Your device, and payment plan, may be obsolete before long.
A GPS vehicle tracking system is an investment when you have more than a few vehicles. Make sure you reduce your risks by choosing a plan doesn’t lock you in.
Two questions arise for businesses with the need to track their vehicles:
(1)What to you really need in a device, and
(2)Should you enter into a service contract…even if you get enormous up front discounts?
To address the first question, think about what you are trying to accomplish.
Do you want to stop unauthorized driving?
Do you want to reduce the number of "Where are you calls?"
Do you need to know who is closest to an address right now?
Do you want to log stop times for billing or cost accounting?
Do you want to log mileage for billing or cost accounting?
Do you want to spot overlapping or inefficient routes?
Do you want your drivers to know you can see what they're up to?
Situational awareness is the real necessity for most businesses. Bells & whistles are nice, but not a must-have, and often a distraction. With today’s technology, businesses can purchase devices that provide enough information to answer the questions above for under $150.
Now to our second question, “Should I enter into a contract…for any reason?” No! The answer is “no”. The list of reasons is long but includes:
1.You shouldn’t have to…there are GPS vehicle tracking providers that offer service with NO contract
2.In today’s economy, you never know when you’ll have to scale back. In fact, it’s good business practice to be prepared to do just that. A contract locks you in, and by nature is not flexible.
3.You may have a future need that your existing provider can not support
4.You may simply find a better deal
5.Technology changes quickly. So do payment options in new industries. Your device, and payment plan, may be obsolete before long.
A GPS vehicle tracking system is an investment when you have more than a few vehicles. Make sure you reduce your risks by choosing a plan doesn’t lock you in.
Monday, January 4, 2010
GPS Vehicle Tracking: Active vs. Passive Reporting Systems
With a variety of GPS Vehicle Tracking solutions on the market, is an Active or Passive reporting system best for your business? Let’s compare the differences:
Passive Tracking Systems
Passive tracking systems have the ability to store GPS location, speed, and headings. If you choose to use a passive system, your employees keep the system in their vehicle for the duration of their trip and once the vehicle returns, the device is removed. Passive tracking systems store tracking data in memory on the device. In order for you to view the information, you will need to pull the device from the vehicle and connect it to your computer. From there, you can look at the data every month or so, and compile reports on your employees. These systems cater to businesses who only need to track their mileage or who don’t need immediate data about their vehicle locations.
Active or “Real-time” tracking devices
Active tracking devices require no manual interaction to send their data, i.e., you don’t have to remove the device from your cars each time you want information. These devices use a wireless network to send you real-time updates throughout the day. An active tracking device instantly tells you where the vehicle is - which can be critical for many businesses. Real time tracking devices allow you to locate your vehicles on a map and actually watch the vehicles’ movements as they occur.
Active tracking is the best choice for businesses interested in improving the efficiency of their deliveries and monitoring their employees. An active tracker may have geo-fence abilities, which will alert you when the vehicle enters or leaves a specific location. These systems can also help prevent theft and recover stolen vehicles, or alert you if your employee is not in a predetermined location.
Simply put, if you've spent time developing your business and money purchasing the cars in your fleet, it is in your best interest to ensure your employees are on track and not wasting company time and money. If knowing what your employees are doing with your vehicles at any given time is a key component in running your business, an Active Reporting System should be your tool of choice.
Passive Tracking Systems
Passive tracking systems have the ability to store GPS location, speed, and headings. If you choose to use a passive system, your employees keep the system in their vehicle for the duration of their trip and once the vehicle returns, the device is removed. Passive tracking systems store tracking data in memory on the device. In order for you to view the information, you will need to pull the device from the vehicle and connect it to your computer. From there, you can look at the data every month or so, and compile reports on your employees. These systems cater to businesses who only need to track their mileage or who don’t need immediate data about their vehicle locations.
Active or “Real-time” tracking devices
Active tracking devices require no manual interaction to send their data, i.e., you don’t have to remove the device from your cars each time you want information. These devices use a wireless network to send you real-time updates throughout the day. An active tracking device instantly tells you where the vehicle is - which can be critical for many businesses. Real time tracking devices allow you to locate your vehicles on a map and actually watch the vehicles’ movements as they occur.
Active tracking is the best choice for businesses interested in improving the efficiency of their deliveries and monitoring their employees. An active tracker may have geo-fence abilities, which will alert you when the vehicle enters or leaves a specific location. These systems can also help prevent theft and recover stolen vehicles, or alert you if your employee is not in a predetermined location.
Simply put, if you've spent time developing your business and money purchasing the cars in your fleet, it is in your best interest to ensure your employees are on track and not wasting company time and money. If knowing what your employees are doing with your vehicles at any given time is a key component in running your business, an Active Reporting System should be your tool of choice.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Is Free Vehicle Tracking Ready for Business?
We all know that times are tough. Your drivers are wasting your money by using YOUR work vehicles for whatever THEY need. Personal errands, the lake on the weekend, you know the story. You want to put an end to this behavior. You want your workers to show up to the job on time. You’ve heard about GPS tracking and think that it will solve your problem. In fact, you’ve heard that Google Latitude will track a GPS –enabled wireless phone for free. It’s almost too good to be true. Can you track your employees and solve your problems for free?
First, let’s consider the wireless phone (handset) itself. Google Latitude must be installed on each handset. This brings us to the first issue with free GPS tracking:
Each handset must be compatible with the Google Latitude application. Generally, this means that all of your handsets will have to be fairly recent smart phones. Those five-year-old Nextel’s will have to go. You’ll probably have to sign contract for new smart phones, you’ll have to buy a data plan for each new smart phone -- that’s how Latitude reports its location -- and you’ll probably want to buy insurance for the new phones. The phones may only cost $99 with a contract, but if you have to replace one mid-contract you’re looking at $400 to $500.
You might also want to think of the wisdom of giving your employees a tantalizing, ever-present distraction. A smart phone with a data connection is a link to the ESPN, YouTube, the Internet, and beyond. It will present temptations that are too much for some to resist.
Now let’s talk about how Google Latitude works. Google Latitude was intended for groups of friends to find each other. In particular, Google Latitude is designed to let you know of chance encounters with friends. Let’s say you live in St. Louis and are visiting New York. Unbeknownst to you, one of your friends, this one from Chicago, is also visiting New York. In fact, this friend is in a restaurant just down the street. If you are both using Google Latitude, you will each receive an alert. Pretty cool!
Things aren’t all peaches and cream. If you’ve read this far you can see that Google Latitude was not designed for business tracking. The first thing that a business user needs is an accurate tracking history. Yes, Latitude can provide a history, but it turns out that this history is nowhere near dense enough for many business uses. You will be lucky to get a report once per minute. And in my experience many of those reports will be cell tower locations, not the actual GPS fix. So it’s good enough to tell you that your employee was in Forest Park, but not good enough to tell you for how long or how they got there. And there’s more.
Smartphone’s are notorious battery hogs. The biggest battery user is the radio. That’s talk-time to you and me. Every GPS position reported uses talk time, and battery life. So your employee had better keep a charger handy. Battery life is a problem with all handset-based tracking systems, not just Latitude. That’s why even commercial phone-tracking systems report once per minute at the most.
And here’s the real killer... the entire application requires extensive cooperation from the handset user, your employee. The user has to have an account with Google, has to start Latitude, and has to let you into his circle. End-user cooperation only works if the end-user has a vested interest in being tracked. This is not just a problem with Latitude. This problem affects virtually all phone-based tracking applications, even commercial systems. If the user doesn’t want to track, he just turns it off.
And what about reporting and all of those other features you expect from GPS tracking? Theoretically you could build all this yourself, but will you? Can you get a stops report from Google Latitude? Can you dispatch drivers with it? And I hope you’re tech savvy, because nobody is being paid to talk to you when you have a problem.
Last but not least, think a little bit about cost. Smart phone data plans start at about $29 per month with a two-year contract. High quality, 20-second tracking starts at $19.99 per month, with no contract. Yes, the device will cost you $150, but along with that you get reports, dispatching, tracking history, and somebody who will answer the phone when you call. Is it worth it? You make the call.
First, let’s consider the wireless phone (handset) itself. Google Latitude must be installed on each handset. This brings us to the first issue with free GPS tracking:
Each handset must be compatible with the Google Latitude application. Generally, this means that all of your handsets will have to be fairly recent smart phones. Those five-year-old Nextel’s will have to go. You’ll probably have to sign contract for new smart phones, you’ll have to buy a data plan for each new smart phone -- that’s how Latitude reports its location -- and you’ll probably want to buy insurance for the new phones. The phones may only cost $99 with a contract, but if you have to replace one mid-contract you’re looking at $400 to $500.
You might also want to think of the wisdom of giving your employees a tantalizing, ever-present distraction. A smart phone with a data connection is a link to the ESPN, YouTube, the Internet, and beyond. It will present temptations that are too much for some to resist.
Now let’s talk about how Google Latitude works. Google Latitude was intended for groups of friends to find each other. In particular, Google Latitude is designed to let you know of chance encounters with friends. Let’s say you live in St. Louis and are visiting New York. Unbeknownst to you, one of your friends, this one from Chicago, is also visiting New York. In fact, this friend is in a restaurant just down the street. If you are both using Google Latitude, you will each receive an alert. Pretty cool!
Things aren’t all peaches and cream. If you’ve read this far you can see that Google Latitude was not designed for business tracking. The first thing that a business user needs is an accurate tracking history. Yes, Latitude can provide a history, but it turns out that this history is nowhere near dense enough for many business uses. You will be lucky to get a report once per minute. And in my experience many of those reports will be cell tower locations, not the actual GPS fix. So it’s good enough to tell you that your employee was in Forest Park, but not good enough to tell you for how long or how they got there. And there’s more.
Smartphone’s are notorious battery hogs. The biggest battery user is the radio. That’s talk-time to you and me. Every GPS position reported uses talk time, and battery life. So your employee had better keep a charger handy. Battery life is a problem with all handset-based tracking systems, not just Latitude. That’s why even commercial phone-tracking systems report once per minute at the most.
And here’s the real killer... the entire application requires extensive cooperation from the handset user, your employee. The user has to have an account with Google, has to start Latitude, and has to let you into his circle. End-user cooperation only works if the end-user has a vested interest in being tracked. This is not just a problem with Latitude. This problem affects virtually all phone-based tracking applications, even commercial systems. If the user doesn’t want to track, he just turns it off.
And what about reporting and all of those other features you expect from GPS tracking? Theoretically you could build all this yourself, but will you? Can you get a stops report from Google Latitude? Can you dispatch drivers with it? And I hope you’re tech savvy, because nobody is being paid to talk to you when you have a problem.
Last but not least, think a little bit about cost. Smart phone data plans start at about $29 per month with a two-year contract. High quality, 20-second tracking starts at $19.99 per month, with no contract. Yes, the device will cost you $150, but along with that you get reports, dispatching, tracking history, and somebody who will answer the phone when you call. Is it worth it? You make the call.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Vehicle Tracking: Keep Costs Down and Productivity Up
Are you thinking of investing in a GPS tracking system? If so, think about your business objectives before you start shopping for GPS tracking systems.
Are Your Customers Satisfied?
Your company needs happy, repeat customers. And in our increasingly connected world, customers expect timely service and detailed information. When customer expectations are not met, you lose customers. Some will complain. Others defect to the competition without a word.
A GPS vehicle tracking system can eliminate overlapping routes and maximize route efficiency. More efficient routes ensure more of your clients can be served in a given day.
Are Your Vehicles Being Misused?
GPS tracking also eliminates unauthorized vehicle usage by employees. Tracking mileage ensures expense reports are correct, and that company time and fuel is not used for personal errands. Your company's fleet can be monitored and reported back to you every 20 seconds, saving you time and money. Employees who know they're being watched are less likely to run personal errands and lie on their time sheet. A FoxTrax Vehicle Tracking system can eliminate 15-30 minutes of wasted time per day.
FoxTrax GPS Fleet Tracking
Clever solutions for vehicle tracking
www.FoxTraxGPS.com
Are Your Customers Satisfied?
Your company needs happy, repeat customers. And in our increasingly connected world, customers expect timely service and detailed information. When customer expectations are not met, you lose customers. Some will complain. Others defect to the competition without a word.
Do you know if your employees are showing up on time? When a customer calls, asking where your worker is, can you answer with specific and detailed information? If you have GPS tracking, you can answer "yes" to both questions. If not, you're simply guessing. Here's a final question: Can you afford to guess when it comes to customer satisfaction?
Are You Compensated For 100% of Your Services?
In some cases (if you charge by the hour), customers will argue that they were overcharged, and that your employee was only there for a half hour instead of the 2 hours logged. GPS tracking shows you how long your car was stopped at the customer's address. This can resolve billing disputes in hurry, and will save you money.
A GPS vehicle tracking system can eliminate overlapping routes and maximize route efficiency. More efficient routes ensure more of your clients can be served in a given day.
Are Your Vehicles Being Misused?
GPS tracking also eliminates unauthorized vehicle usage by employees. Tracking mileage ensures expense reports are correct, and that company time and fuel is not used for personal errands. Your company's fleet can be monitored and reported back to you every 20 seconds, saving you time and money. Employees who know they're being watched are less likely to run personal errands and lie on their time sheet. A FoxTrax Vehicle Tracking system can eliminate 15-30 minutes of wasted time per day.
FoxTrax GPS Fleet Tracking
Clever solutions for vehicle tracking
www.FoxTraxGPS.com
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
GPS Tracking is Smart Business
The idea of tracking someone can make them feel uncomfortable. That is, of course, if there’s a reason for them to feel uncomfortable. If your service trucks are going where they’re suppose to be going, at speeds that are legal, there should be no reason for discomfort. In fact, tracking should be embraced as a way to better manage vehicle usage and reward efficiency and safe driving.
Watching dots on a map that represent your fleet, as they travel in real time every 20-seconds down the road, is a luxury that should be taken advantage of by businesses concerned about their growing overhead expenses. How much have your fuel costs gone up over the past 12 months due to unnecessary driving? How about labor? Could you have accomplished the same amount of work with fewer employees? How much time is it taking each of your service people on the calls they make? Why is it that one of your trucks always seems to be going out of its way to get to where they need to go? How many speeding tickets have you paid over the past 12 months? Has anyone been injured by someone driving your vehicle? What are the legal ramifications of giving an employee the keys to one of your vehicles? The financial ramifications?
Implementing a solid tracking strategy will allow you to do exactly that: track. You can easily install a tracking device that will act as an auditor of time, speed, and distance. Tracking isn’t as much about trusting your drivers as it is about managing them and teaching them to make more efficient decisions. Remember, little brothers can learn a lot from watching their big brothers; especially if they don’t see them as a threat.
FoxTrax GPS Fleet Tracking
Clever solutions for vehicle tracking
http://foxtraxgps.com
Watching dots on a map that represent your fleet, as they travel in real time every 20-seconds down the road, is a luxury that should be taken advantage of by businesses concerned about their growing overhead expenses. How much have your fuel costs gone up over the past 12 months due to unnecessary driving? How about labor? Could you have accomplished the same amount of work with fewer employees? How much time is it taking each of your service people on the calls they make? Why is it that one of your trucks always seems to be going out of its way to get to where they need to go? How many speeding tickets have you paid over the past 12 months? Has anyone been injured by someone driving your vehicle? What are the legal ramifications of giving an employee the keys to one of your vehicles? The financial ramifications?
Implementing a solid tracking strategy will allow you to do exactly that: track. You can easily install a tracking device that will act as an auditor of time, speed, and distance. Tracking isn’t as much about trusting your drivers as it is about managing them and teaching them to make more efficient decisions. Remember, little brothers can learn a lot from watching their big brothers; especially if they don’t see them as a threat.
FoxTrax GPS Fleet Tracking
Clever solutions for vehicle tracking
http://foxtraxgps.com
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