Using GPS Tracking as a Fleet Management Technique

There are very few cars on the road today that do not have some sort of GPS tracking device installed in them. If you can find one, it is a rare thing. Fleet management services use GPS tracking devices as a means of both locating their vehicles throughout the day, and providing route instructions for their drivers. Individuals also find these systems useful for vacationing or traveling to new destinations. Coordinates and preinstalled mapping software make this possible.

Increasing the Use of GPS

Companies and individuals are not the only ones benefiting from a global positioning system. It is becoming commonplace for communities to place a GPS unit with their mentally handicapped citizens to allow them to be quickly located should they wander off.

A new initiative called Project Lifesaver is being implemented in Dakota County. This project takes fleet management tracking devices and plants them in specially designed bracelets that can be worn by anyone suffering from mentally incapacitating diseases like autism or Alzheimer’s.

There is a company in the UK that has found a unique use for the GPS tracking device. They are using it in an attempt to provide better food retail management. In the food service industry, it is mandatory that suppliers be on-time or early when delivering food supplies. Late deliveries result in a loss of sales for both the restaurant and the supplier.

This company is name PHS Teacrate and they specialize in crate rentals. The recent installation of GPS units on all of their collection and delivery vehicles has resulted in a significant increase in their profit margin. Route managers and dispatchers utilize the information provided by these GPS units to adjust a driver’s delivery route throughout the day. By being able to track a drivers location at any time during the day, they are also able to provide accurate information to customers inquiring as to the status of their pickup or delivery.

Copper theft is on the rise in Mobile County, particularly in the school system. There were five schools in the county that lost a total of 40 copper units last summer and the thefts are not expected to stop anytime soon without some outside intervention. This is where a GPS tracking device will come in handy. The installation of a GPS tracking device on each copper unit will allow the police to track it and the criminal and make an arrest, effectively deterring future thefts from the system.

GPS units are very small and can be hard to detect if hidden effectively. Officials plan to place them inside the system of copper coils in the commercial units, which can weight between 50 and 70 pounds each.

Rising crime rates are creating a need for tracking systems for all types of merchandise and vehicles. Other, more creative uses are being developed for GPS systems every day. The companies who manufacture these units, along with other fleet management devices are very optimistic about their financial futures. The popularity of the GPS device indicates that their business will only continue to grow as the years pass.