GPS Tracking Mathematics
Labels: fleet GPS tracking, GPS tracking
Labels: fleet GPS tracking, GPS tracking
Labels: fleet GPS tracking, fleet tracking, GPS tracking, gps tracking device
Labels: fleet GPS tracking, GPS tracking, GPS tracking cost
Labels: fleet GPS tracking, GPS tracking, gps tracking software
Labels: fleet GPS tracking, GPS tracking, gps tracking software
Labels: fleet GPS tracking, GPS tracking, gps truck tracking
Labels: cargo theft, cargo tracking, GPS tracking
You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink.
We all know this phrase and have heard it many times. Each week, we talk to a number of people who are considering GPS tracking for their fleets. Unfortunately, a number of these companies fail to "drink" from the GPS fleet tracking well. We can explain all of the benefits to these customers, but until they embrace the numbers for themselves, we cannot help them save the money that is there for the saving.
According to AAA, the national average price for regular unleaded is $3.962/gallon. That hurts! What hurts worse is the diesel price of $4.792/gallon. This seems to be all everyone is talking about. So, what does this have to do with GPS Fleet Tracking?
That's simple. Short of discontinuing your business, tracking your fleet with GPS is the quickest way to reduce fuel costs. GPS fleet tracking allows you to set rules for your fleet and enforce them! People simply drive differently when they know they are being tracked. Thus, fleet managers and owners are able to reduce their overall consumption with very little outlay of capital.
Consider these example calculations for a typical GPS fleet tracking scenario:
1 fleet of tractor/trailers with 20 trucks
The cost of a fleet GPS tracking unit, per vehicle, averaged out for a year, is $62.36/month for the first year. The second year, it is just $39.95/month.
Our customers frequently report decreased fuel costs of 15% monthly. In this scenario, that would mean that the fuel savings, which would be $299.47 per month, would exceed the first year GPS tracking cost by $237.11. For just the first year, that's a net savings of $2,845.33!!! Multiply that by 20 and you get a net annual savings for the entire fleet of $56,906.60. That would find a great Christmas party!
A year ago, this calculation for using GPS tracking on this fleet would have net a savings of $1,438.18 per truck and a total fleet savings of $28.736.60.
This further reiterates the importance of adding GPS tracking to your fleet.
One more example of how GPS tracking can decrease the fuel costs for your fleet. On a demonstration unit we recently had installed in a fleet, the driver of the truck involved was idling the vehicle for as much as 5 hours a day. Since a tractor burns a gallon of diesel per hour, that added up to a cost of $23.96 per day in unnecessary fuel consumption! Just by telling the driver that this was an issue and that it was being monitored, the driver cut his idling time to less than an hour each day. That is an instant savings of $19.17 per day by simply adding GPS tracking to the fleet. Oh, and for the year, that single truck with GPS tracking, will save $4.984.20. And that does not even include the potential savings with reduced mileage, reduced labor, and improved capitalization on opportunities!
The expense of operating any fleet has almost doubled in the last year do to fuel costs. GPS tracking of your fleet is the only real way to make immediate impacts. The comparative outlay of capital is peanuts compared to the savings your fleet can achieve. In the examples above, the ROI is achieved in the first month!
I cannot think of a better investment or a more clear investment that can have this kind of impact on your bottom line.
Take care and consider calling your congressman to get the government doing something other than taxing us!
Steven Van Ooyen
Chief Technology Officer
Labels: fleet GPS tracking, GPS for buses, GPS tracking, gps tracking software
What sets apart some GPS Tracking Systems from others is primarily the software. GPS tracking software bridges the gap between the GPS tracking units installed in your vehicles with the user interface you use on your computer to track your vehicles.
GPS tracking software comes in 2 major forms. The oldest is software installed on your PC. This type of software requires the user to install the software via a CD or download on a single or multiple computers. The user can only use the machines on which the software is installed. Often, companies that require installation of software on a PC will require software licenses in addition to GPS tracking service fees. All in all, the idea of requiring software to be installed on PCs is no good.
The second, and best option is Internet based, online-only GPS tracking software. This type of software requires the GPS tracking software user to login to a website where the GPS tracking application is served. Software that is operated from a remote server with no software to install on the user's PC or Mac is called an Application Service Provider model. GPS tracking software run from a server gives users the best possible situation. There is no GPS tracking software to install, the latest of the GPS tracking software is always available for every customer, and you do not every have to worry about waiting for downloads.
Insist on your GPS tracking software being served completely from the Internet and available on any of the major browsers. These should include Internet Explorer, Safari (Mac), and Firefox.
Steven Van Ooyen
CTO - Track What Matters
Labels: fleet GPS tracking, GPS tracking, gps tracking software
I remember hearing this statement from my neighbor when I was a kid. For some reason, it struck a chord with me and has stuck with me for at least 2 decades. It is a very true statement. If you think about it, windows are easily broken and most of our doors can be easily broken down with a little force. So, we really aren't keeping the criminals out if they really wish to get into our houses or businesses. At least not most houses and businesses. So, it is the "honest" people that benefit from the locked doors. If thievery is easy, honest people are more likely to take part.
Take simple workplace theft. Each year, billions are lost by businesses on employee theft. This might be as simple as pens and paper clips or as expensive as products that walk out the door. But, consider the theft of time. I had a GPS Tracking customer this week tell me of an employee that was driving his truck on a 200 mile delivery. The truck driver, who wasn't aware he was being tracked with a concealed GPS tracking system, stopped multiple times on the delivery route to take naps. One of the stops cost the company a truck battery. Another stop resulted in the truck's alternator needing to be replaced. The worst part was the driver's shipment was 7 hours late and the company was forced to eat a delivery charge.
This company now knows the truth about this driver's work ethic and they have a choice to make. Do they tell their drivers about the GPS Tracking they are putting on their fleet of trucks? Do they keep their GPS Tracking concealed from their truck drivers until they have been able to understand the patterns they are trying to fight?
Eventually, I think it is a good idea to let employees know that GPS tracking has been installed in the company fleet of trucks, cars, etc... When employees know they are being tracked by the fleet manager or owners, the employees, who we hope are "honest" people, will respond as "honest" people and respect the company's time and property. The other option for the employees is for them not to show themselves as "honest". Either way, GPS tracking will tell you the truth.
Steven Van Ooyen
CTO - Track What Matters
Labels: fleet GPS tracking, GPS tracking, vehicle tracking
I've talked to more fleet managers and company owners than I can count. Though fuel costs are a big issue for all, labor costs have been a bigger issue than I had originally imagined. GPS Tracking of company vans and trucks allows these company owners and managers to virtually eliminate costs from unauthorized employee activities. GPS Truck Tracking allows employers to know where their people are, when they arrive at their destination, and when they leave.
Let's consider a few examples:
These simple numbers show why every company with a fleet can benefit from GPS Tracking of their trucks, cars, vans, etc... The process is simple and the payoffs are potentially huge. With every fleet owner I have talked to, none feel that they are losing money from paying for GPS Tracking. I can't think of any other industry where that can be said.
Trust your instincts about your company's employees, they are probably correct.
Steven Van Ooyen
CTO - Track What Matters
Labels: fleet GPS tracking, fleet savings, GPS tracking
One of the most common questions we receive when talking to customers is "Why wouldn't I just use my cell phones to track my company vehicles?". This is a valid question that I completely understand. Since most people and companies already carry cell phones, there is a natural attraction.
The problems with cell phones for tracking company cars and trucks are numerous. Of course, it depends on the needs of the customer.
First, for most companies, their assets are in the vehicle that is being tracked. Unfortunately, you cannot count on a cell phone being in a car, truck, or van. So, if the vehicle is stolen, there is nothing in place to track it.
A second issue is cell phone battery life. It is incumbent on the driver to keep the cell phone charged. If all of our drivers were reliable enough to keep their phones charged, we wouldn't be talking about this!
Third, the cell phone can be undermined in the sense that it can be put in a toolbox disabling the signal.
Fourth, the cell phones do not allow you to track idling, ignition starts/stops, or allow for things like starter disabling.
The great benefits to a wired-in device are related to reliability and features. With a wired device, you always know the device is on the job. You also get the benefits of a having access to vehicle information.
Steven Van Ooyen
CTO - Track What Matters
Labels: cell phone tracking, fleet GPS tracking, GPS tracking
Sometimes potentially tragic things are just a little comical. I think that is the case when discussing a particular school bus driver in Red Oak, Texas. You can read more about this story at
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/021108dnmetbusdriverdrink.afbf778d.html. The essence of the problem is that the driver, after dropping off a group of kids at a tennis tournament, took the school bus, went to a nearby convenience store, and purchased beer. Fortunately, the bus driver never returned to pick the kids up. A concerned parent notified authorities of the whereabouts of the school bus driver. As you can imagine, the superintendent was a little upset.
This is one of the easiest arguments for tracking school buses with GPS units that I have ever heard of! Imagine if the entire Red Oak School District bus fleet were outfitted with GPS tracking units. In such a case, every driver would know that their whereabouts are being tracked at all times. Though one might be crazy enough to still do as this guy, it is highly unlikely that they ever would. Certainly not if they intended to stay employed with the school district.
The best news, and the only reason this is comical, in this instance is that the driver never came back to drive those kids home.
One way to combat this in the future is under development at SchoolBusRoster.com.Keep safe and healthy!
Steven Van Ooyen
CTO - Track What Matters
Labels: fleet GPS tracking, GPS tracking, school bus tracking
It was brought to my attention this week that I haven't talked much, if any, about the benefits of GPS tracking for fleets. Well, I can't argue with that. So, let me tell you a story we recently heard.
A local company installed a GPS tracking system and told their drivers about it. Of course, the drivers knew that completely disconnecting the device would send an alert to management. So, they did not dare to do that. Instead, this pair of less-than-highly-motivated employees purchased a large magnet and placed that magnet over the GPS antenna. Unfortunately for these 2 employees, their little scheme failed to disable the GPS unit and it was discovered that the pair was simply leaving the office daily and parking. I hope their card games (or whatever they did to occupy that time) were worth their pentions. Both were 4 years from getting a full retirement.
Anyone who has managed people, white collar or blue collar, knows that employees often look for ways to improve their own situation at the expense of the company. Whether it is employee theft, endless hours of solitaire on the PC, or taking a company vehicle somewhere it should not go, companies lose an unbelievable amount of money yearly do to lack of productivity and theft. One article I found states that employee theft of small businesses totals $40 billion yearly. The same article states that 30% or workers in America will steal at some time in their careers. Wow! Anyone have 3 or more employees?
I've had employees working for me consistently over the last 14 years. During that time, I have never had an employee that was free of the need for supervision. The great thing about GPS tracking is that, for the most part, it can be used for numerous legitimate reasons other than just ensuring your employees are where they say they are. With the added benefits of fuel cost reductions, route verification, mileage logging, and more, loss of morale that might arise from the installation of a GPS fleet tracking system can be completely avoided.
We would all like to think that our employees are upstanding citizens who would never steal or cheat us out of money. If that is true for you, you have beaten the odds. But, chances are, if you knew the whole truth, you might find otherwise. So, we can take our chances or take control.
Take care,
Steven Van Ooyen
CTO
Labels: fleet GPS tracking, fleet tracking, GPS tracking, vehicle tracking
Imagine having responsibility for the lives of over 3,000 students every day. That's what the transportation superintendants of major school districts deal with every day. School buses are on our roads every day of the week. Whether it is the day-to-day routes or field trips, superintendants carry that responsibility along with the drivers. As a result of crashes, close calls, and fatalities, as well as simply overlooking a student left on a bus, a number of safety restrictions have been mandated by the states and federal government.
One item that has yet to be mandated is what we believe to be the new future of bus safety. That is school bus tracking using GPS. While commercial fleets track vehicles on a regular basis, schools have been slower to adopt the technology. Cost is the first, and obvious obstacle. But, once you get beyond that, there are few reasons to not adapt this technology. Take into consideration the following:
I usually don't "advertise" in my blogging since it is really just my opinions and the stating of facts. But, this time I think it is worth it. The cause of bus tracking resonates with me very deeply. Parents put their trust in the drivers of buses daily. But, the fact is that not every driver will always do as they should. Our device, network, and software is designed to mitigate these risks in an economical and unobtrusive manner. GPS bus tracking offers a wide array of benefits (I didn't even talk about the benefits for dispatch and the like) and our cost is very reasonable, especially when compared to some other systems.
If you are an administrator, I hope you consider tracking your buses using our GPS Tracking System. If you are a parent, you might strongly consider a discussion with your school board regarding GPS bus tracking. I don't think you will find a great amount of resistance from those administrators who have taken on this great responsibility.
Keep them safe and well
Steven Van Ooyen
CTO - Track What Matters
Labels: bus tracking, GPS for buses, GPS tracking, school bus tracking