Colder months are fast approaching, and we are trading our T-shirts and shorts for long-johns and parkas. Remember that, along with ourselves, our vehicles withstand this frigid weather as well. And if you are not careful, your car can take a physical and financial beating.
The chill in the air can affect everything from tire pressure to fuel. Certain precautions can be taken during this time of year. Here is a simple checklist for “winterizing” your vehicles:
• Make sure your tires are properly inflated.
• Never mix radial tires with other tire types.
• Keep your gas tank at least half full to avoid gas line freeze-up.
• If possible, avoid using your parking brake in cold, rainy and snowy weather.
• Do not use cruise control when driving on any slippery surface (wet roads, ice, sand, etc.)
(Excerpt from AAA’s Winter Driving Tips)
After checking off these items, you’re ready to hit the road once again. But as you know, the streets can be unpredictable. The next step to surviving – no, thriving – in the colder months is to help your drivers find the most efficient routes possible. You can do this by implementing GPS systems on your fleet of vehicles.
Check out this video for more tips.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Cracking Down on Unauthorized Use of Vehicles
What’s with that piece of aluminum foil over the vehicle's antenna?
That’s weird, but it must be what kids are doing these days.
Why are some of these trackers unplugged?
My drivers know that these are to stay plugged in and connected to the network at all times. Why are some GPS trackers “working” better than others? I check the hardware and software; there shouldn’t be any problems.
Why am I getting a scrambled signal? Are they trying to jam to GPS tracker?
Have you ever considered that your employees could be tampering with your systems? These are strong accusations, and this probably won’t apply to a lot of employees. However, can you afford NOT knowing what is happening around you?
What can you do if it is happening to you? Do you know how much money or fuel you could be losing out on because of dishonest employees?
It is an increasing problem with fleet managers, and it isn’t getting any better. But with these tips, you should be able to figure out what’s really going on.
• Hide an extra device in the vehicle. If the device the driver knows about "doesn't work" and the hidden device does, you have a pretty good idea that something is going on.
• If things just don't seem to add up write down and match odometer readings to mileage reported by the tracker. This will help you figure out whether the device is being turned off or otherwise disabled.
• Drive the same route yourself with the same device. See if there are reporting gaps due to lack of coverage, canyons, mountains, or other obstructions.
That’s weird, but it must be what kids are doing these days.
Why are some of these trackers unplugged?
My drivers know that these are to stay plugged in and connected to the network at all times. Why are some GPS trackers “working” better than others? I check the hardware and software; there shouldn’t be any problems.
Why am I getting a scrambled signal? Are they trying to jam to GPS tracker?
Have you ever considered that your employees could be tampering with your systems? These are strong accusations, and this probably won’t apply to a lot of employees. However, can you afford NOT knowing what is happening around you?
What can you do if it is happening to you? Do you know how much money or fuel you could be losing out on because of dishonest employees?
It is an increasing problem with fleet managers, and it isn’t getting any better. But with these tips, you should be able to figure out what’s really going on.
• Hide an extra device in the vehicle. If the device the driver knows about "doesn't work" and the hidden device does, you have a pretty good idea that something is going on.
• If things just don't seem to add up write down and match odometer readings to mileage reported by the tracker. This will help you figure out whether the device is being turned off or otherwise disabled.
• Drive the same route yourself with the same device. See if there are reporting gaps due to lack of coverage, canyons, mountains, or other obstructions.
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