On a weekly basis, we will post highlights from news found across the net that relates to GPS tracking, hardware, software, vehicle tracking and location, or asset monitoring and protection.

This weeks news focus is on distracted driving.

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Employees Use of Cellphones While Driving Becomes a Liability for Companies

In the wake of the $21 million settlement in the Coca-Cola distracted driving lawsuit, companies have learned how much of a liability it is for them when an employee is guilty of talking on the phone during an accident.

Lawyers are not going after the employees who are driving and texting, but the companies they work for.

Improve fleet management systems by reducing instances of distracted driving using a GPS solution, along with an enforced cell phone policy.

Read Full Story Here…

Jury Awards $21 million to Woman Struck by Coca Cola Truck in Distracted Driving Case

An employee of Coca Cola was talking on a cell phone when they struck a woman causing her to lose her arm in 2010.

A jury awarded her $21 million because they felt the cell phone policy the company had in place was vague and not sufficiently enforced.

Proper driver training, the enforced use of a cell phone policy, and a reliable GPS vehicle tracking device can help fleet managers to cut distracted driving risks.

Read Full Story Here…

Zoomsafer 2nd Annual Distracted Driving Survey

This week Zoomsafer released the results of their 2nd Annual Distracted Driving Survey.

The results are show that companies are realizing the negative effect distracted driving can have on their bottom-line and are taking measures to correct it by establishing and enforceable cell phone policy.

Along with a cell phone policy, using GPS mobile tracking to monitor an employees driving behavior will help to further increase driver accountability.

Read Full Story Here…

On a weekly basis, we will post highlights from news found across the net that relates to GPS tracking, hardware, software, vehicle tracking and location, or asset monitoring and protection.

This weeks news focus is on vehicle safety.

To receive this weekly update by email:

Update Me

USDOT Proposes Groundbreaking Rule to Prevent Rollover Crashes for Nation’s Large Trucks, Buses & Motor Coaches

In an effort to,“prevent up to 2,329 crashes, eliminate an estimated 649 to 858 injuries, and prevent between 49 and 60 fatalities a year,” the NHTSA is proposing a new federal safety standard that will require large commercial trucks, motor coaches, and other large buses to use electronic stability control (ESC) systems.

The ESC systems use sensors that monitor vehicle movement and steering. This helps prevent rollover crashes using automatic computer-controlled braking to help drivers to correct over or understeering.

The use of telematics and GPS vehicle tracking equipment helps to improve driver accountability, reducing instances of unsafe driving habits.

Read Full Story Here…

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Conducts Bus Safety Inspection Sweeps in 13 States and the District of Columbia

The FMCSA, along with the USDOT and the NHTSA, are ramping-up efforts to increase and improve safety on US highways and interstates.

13 states were doing rain or shine inspections of buses and their drivers in an effort to make sure bus maintenance and driver compliance is up-to-date.

Companies using vehicle tracking solutions provide a more accurate log of maintenance history for review during inspections.

Read Full Story Here…

NHTSA Hosts Technical Workshop on Electric Vehicle Safety

With the increase of companies turning to EV fleet use, the NHTSA decided it was necessary to hold a technical workshop on electric vehicle safety.

With sales of some EV units expected to more than double in 2012, the NHTSA is taking a proactive approach to maintaining vehicle safety on our highways.

EVs using GPS monitoring help to create an even greener fleet, saving even more on annual fleet costs.

Read Full Story Here…

Using “highly trained and experienced” police officers committed to improving the quality of life within their communities, SSA provides a fleet of three officers to secure and patrol in the Pacific Palisades, Hancock Park, and Windsor Square areas of Los Angeles.

Their mission: to further improve customer service interactions.

Being an affluent part of Los Angeles, filled with expensive homes, vehicles, and wealthy individuals, exhibiting the highest level of customer service possible is a main priority for SSA.

The problem was, SSA’s customers wanted to know:

• Their address was being patrolled frequently through-out the day.
• Security patrolled their location slow enough to perform a security check.
• SSA patrol parked their vehicles to to do a walk of their property.
• There was tangible proof to verify their property was being patrolled as requested.

Understanding that SSA is a small business with the potential to grow and expand later, GPSTrackit wanted to provide a scalable solution that was cost efficient, yet powerful enough to meet their customer demands.

The L2000V GPS tracking solution was the perfect GPS technology for SSA.

We were getting a bunch of new phones, iPads and tablets and different things and he mentioned your service. We mentioned our other GPS solution was not providing timely data and that we kept receiving messages about a weak signal and how it was just a bunch of problems. That’s when our [wireless rep] suggested that we take a look at GPSTrackit.”

– Larry Chamberlain, Vice President and Director of SSA.

Using the L2000V from GPSTrackit, SSA has been able to greatly improve the level of customer service their clients receive.

Benefits the company is able to pass on to their customers are:

• Landmarks show how often a car visits a specific address.
• Idle reports show if a vehicle has been sitting with the engine on for more than 55 minutes.
• The detailed report will show what addresses have been visited and when, the vehicle speeds, and more.

SSA Security Group, Inc.’s customers have gained an increased sense of security and peace of mind that they are getting the services they are paying for.

By being able to show them a printed or faxed report of the vehicle activity for a specific address, customers feel they are being more closely protected.

For more information on how a GPS tracking solution may benefit your business, click the link below to view a demo or receive a quote.

Why Owners Should Consider GPS Tracking for Protecting Their Pets

In today’s society, 62% of U.S. households have pets. In most cases, those pets are considered a loved member of the family and often treated like children.

It is no wonder that pet owners are doing what they can to take their pets safety more seriously.

With pets being taken and mistreated only to be left astray, owners are looking for more reliable ways to protect their pets.

Animal Statistics

Of the 62% of household pets in the U.S. 78 million are dogs, while 86 million are cats. Just think, there are more than 70 million stray cats roaming free on the streets.

When it comes to companion animals (pets) that are lost each year:

• 5 – 7 million companion animals are sheltered annually
• 3 – 4 million companion animals euthanized annually (60% dogs/ 70% cats)
• 15 – 20% of companion animals are returned to their owners (had tattoo’s, id’s, or microchip)

Benefits to Using a GPS Tracker as Pet Locator

Pet owners are learning there are benefits to using a GPS tracker as a pet locator:

• Prevent pets from becoming lost or stolen
• Prevent shelter fees by tracking and locating your own pet
• Geofence protection can alert you the moment your pet is out of their designated area
• Software is user-friendly

Reasons Pets Become Lost

Understanding how and why pets become lost is the key to prevention.

The following is a list of the top four reasons pets become lost:

• Opportunity: Door left open, gate left open
• Curiosity: Digging under a fence, darting past an owner
• Panic: Loud noises, thunder, lightening
• Theft

Making sure you close the door or gate behind you can help to prevent a pet from wandering off.

If you see where they have been digging under a fence, take precautions to fill the hole and provide a barrier preventing your pet from being able to reach the other side.

Try creating as much white noise as possible for your pet. This may help with desensitization.

When your pet experiences loud noises give them a massage to help them to relax.

Doing this while playing a CD of loud noises at increasing volume over a period of days will help your pet to better adapt to the loud noises in the future.

To prevent theft, some pet owners have opted for the chip. Others are touting the praises of GPS tracking using locator collars, while others aren’t quite as convinced.

Past Complaints About Using GPS Devices for Companion Animals

Pet tracking using GPS tracking devices is a simple and efficient way to keep tabs of your furry friends. Some complaints owners have expressed over using GPS technology to track their pets are:

• Device battery doesn’t last long enough
• Digital maps are complicated to use
• Range isn’t far enough

Though this may have been the case years ago, technology has greatly improved over just the last few months.

Improvements to battery life, maps, and data range have made pet locator collars using GPS technology that much more attractive for keeping the family pet safe and sound.

Being able to establish such GPS alerts as geofencing provides owners with the ability to establish a geographic boundary for their pet.

If for any reason their pet goes outside of their predetermined geofence, the owner will be sent an alert by email and/or text.

This will help to improve the chances of recovering their pet before they are picked up and taken to a nearby shelter, thus saving owners from paying unnecessary fees.

Sadly, the trust that people place in parking services is not always warranted, as was the case in Cocoa, Florida.

Premier Parking Spot, owned by Jay Nieves, in Cocoa Florida was the subject of a sting operation lead by Jeff Deal from news station WFTV. Acting on a tip received by a concerned citizen, Deal outfitted a 2012 bright red Chevy Corvette with a GPS tracking device to do some further investigation.

Known as a location for vacationing drivers to park their cars when going on a cruise, Deal hired a husband and wife to drive the outfitted corvette to Premier Parking Spot to park for a week. Just a few short hours later, PPS owner, Jose (Jay) Nieves, drove the car off the lot and continued to do so over the course of the week.

When the car was initially moved from the parking lot Deal received a text message alerting him that the car had been moved and was currently being driven. Using a web application and with the help of a helicopter Deal was able to track the car as it drove all over the city and even parked it in his driveway.

The goal behind the surveillance was to bring light to the fact that there is an issue with joyriding among parking lot businesses. It’s for this reason that WFTV did not press charges once they finally confronted Mr. Nieves with their findings. Though this may anger some who feel it gives Mr. Nieves a free pass to move on and set up shop somewhere else, their goal was accomplished.

The county officials have the ability to file their own charges against Mr. Nieves with the GPS tracker evidence that has been presented so far, should they choose to.

Since the story broke more customers are coming forward with claims their vehicles had been driven while they were away on vacation as well. The question is: what does all this mean for other parking lots running an honest business, and the millions of people who park their cars in them?

Safety is always a concern when leaving your vehicle unattended. Anti-theft devices like car alarms can alert you if you are close by and even send you text messages if you aren’t, but it won’t help to track your vehicle if it leaves its designated parking location.

Customers that use a GPS tracking device as an anti-theft device will have the flexibility of instant notifications when their vehicle is moved, enters, or exits a specific geographic location or enters a specific landmark using geofencing. This information can be retrieved by computer, laptop, cell phone, or iPad. This means you are able to track and monitor the location of your vehicle where ever you are.

For more information on how a GPS tracking solution can benefit your business, click the link below for a demo or quote.

“From what I’m seeing with this GPS system is that it is a total vehicle management program and it’s pretty easy to use.”

Businesses in the services industry have learned they need to be innovative when it comes to finding ways to save time and money.

Many are discovering that GPS tracking can be used as a reliable, real-time business management system.

Looking for a replacement solution for their GPS tracking devices, ARS Services, LLC contacted GPSTrackit about their products and services.

In addition to providing photographic silver recovery services and products, some of the additional on-site services ARS provides nationwide include:

• Project Management
• Retail Site Surveys/Inspections/Preparation
• Roll Out and Installation
• On-Site Repairs
• Digital Signage
• Kiosk and ATM Equipment

With business growing and expanding rapidly, ARS needed to find a way to more efficiently manage their large fleet of vehicles.

Having service technicians working in states from the East to West Coast, it was important to find a solution that would offer a complete fleet management solution.

The key for ARS was to establish a reliable, real-time fleet management solution that was very easy to use and would allow them to:

• Improve operations and communications
• Increase driver accountability
• Help manage instances of speeding
• Increase productivity and profitability

GPSTrackit was able to provide ARS with the perfect solution to meet their fleet management needs.

Understanding that the company was already using GPS technology among their fleet, the L2000 GPS tracking device was the perfect system for ARS. The reason being:

• It easily integrates with existing Garmin units used by service technicians.
• The Notes feature allows 2-way text messaging to streamline dispatching and prevent distracted driving or distracting technicians on the job-site.
• Alerts provide dispatch on the status of service technicians while they’re on the job-site.
• When a technician finishes a job alerts show where the technician is, what their next job is, where it is, and how long it will take them to get there.
• Reports and alerts will also show ARS how fast service technicians are driving, and whether or not the vehicle is being used after-hours.

The data ARS has been able to retrieve by using the GPS vehicle tracking and monitoring solution has helped the company to meet its fleet management goals, while saving the company time and money.

ARS has improved operations and communication using:

• Reports to determine vehicle status, vehicle location, and vehicle history.
• Notes to send messages to drivers instead of calling them to prevent instances of distracted driving or adding unnecessary time to a service call.
• Vehicle location reports to dispatch the closest driver to a service request.

With GPSTrackit I don’t even contact the technicians. I just go into GPSTrackit, find out where they are, and map out where the other job is. Then we can call them and turn them around and re-dispatch them because they’re only 5 miles away from the next customer.”

- Mark Krug, Director of Field Operations.

Using the L2000 GPS device from GPSTrackit, ARS has improved productivity and profitability using a system that allows real-time access to their technician’s location with the click of a button.

• GPS use provided a 10-15% increase in number of jobs completed daily.
• Traveling time has been reduced using ‘greener’ routing.
• Less expenses spent on repairs to engine wear and tear.

ARS says its driver accountability has improved using reports and alerts that monitor speeding and engine idling, which accounts for up to 80% of the fuel that is wasted by drivers on a daily basis.

“Speed alerts help me because I can look at a location and determine it is a residential area that is 35 miles an hour and they’re doing 45. I’m able to call them and let them know they have to watch their speed because its an issue,” states Mr. Krug.

• It has helped prevent unnecessary increases to insurance premiums due to tickets.
• Using motion sensor technology ARS knows if a vehicle is being used after-hours.
• Speed and After-Hours reports are proactive checks and balances for technicians.

“When I get those after-hour alerts, I check that I sent the person out on that job, so the alert should match the driver with that job. If I see a person that’s out and they’re not on a job then I can ask what’s going there,” states Mr. Krug.

ARS Services needed a complete fleet management system that was easy to use to track, monitor, and protect its vehicles nationwide.

Using the L2000 from GPSTrackit, ARS has found a reliable asset monitoring and vehicle tracking and location solution that will grow with their business.

To learn how a GPS tracking device can benefit your services business, click the link below to learn more.

Guy knows food. When it comes to protecting his ride, a Lamborghini Spyder Gallardo, if Guy Fieri and the people at British Motor Car Distributors had GPS tracking, his car may have been found in hours and not months.

Teen Repels into Luxury Dealership and Steal’s Guy’s $200,000 Lamborghini

In March of 2011, Guy Fieri’s $200,000 Lamborghini Spyder Gallardo was stolen from British Motor Car Distributors. The thief, then 16, Max Michael Wade is said to have repelled into the dealership evading alarm systems and ultimately the police. Had a GPS tracker been in place an alert could have notified Guy and the dealership the moment the vehicle drove off.

GPSTrackit Offers Guy Fieri 30 Day Trial of Free GPS Tracking Services

Many people do not realize the benefits to using GPS tracking services. GPSTrackit is dedicated to promoting the complete vehicle management that is found when using a GPS vehicle tracking and monitoring solution. To show what we mean, we’d like to offer Guy Fieri a 30 day trial of free GPS tracking services to learn just how beneficial it can be.

A few advantages Guy, and others who use our GPS tracking solutions, can enjoy are:

• Vehicle Location: Provides you with an address of where the vehicle is currently located.
• Ignition: Know when and where your vehicle has been started and stopped.
• Tow Alert/Motion Sensor: Alerts you when your vehicle is being moved.
• Geofencing: Alerts you when your vehicle moves into or out of a specific geographic location.
• After Hours Alert: Sends an email or text message when your car is moved between set time periods.
• Vehicle Maintenance: Receive an alert when your vehicle needs to be serviced.
• Mobile Access: see the status of your car via personal PC, tablet or smartphone.

Plus, if someone else is driving Guy’s car he can easily see if they are speeding, idling, or even braking and/or accelerating harshly.

Getting Started With GPS Tracking

Guy, for more details on your free trial, contact GPSTrackit at (866) 320-5810 ext. 222 for more details.

For those serious about protecting their vehicles from theft, choosing to use a GPS vehicle tracking and monitoring device is a simple, efficient, and cost effective GPS tracking solution to protect your assets, save you time and money.

For more details on how a solution may fit you, click the link below for a quote or demo.

About GPSTrackit.com

Established in 1999, GPSTrackit.com is a leading North American supplier of GPS hardware and software technology located in Southern California. GPSTrackit.com is dedicated to providing the most cutting-edge GPS technology available in the marketplace today, backed by the best customer service in the industry.

GPS tracking and monitoring devices are being used to track people, pets, and even phones.

They can provide information about a vehicle or equipment’s use and movements. So how is GPS technology being used to simplify agriculture and farming?

Reduce Manual Labor Needed for Tractor Use

Farms and agricultural businesses managing dozens and hundreds of acres have quite a bit of area to cover. Literally!

GPS tracking and monitoring devices can simplify agricultural and farming tasks such as:

• Cultivating
• Fertilizing
• Pest Control
• Harvesting

Using a GPS tracking and monitoring system, agricultural centers can program which routes tractors use.

This will help save money and time by reducing fuel consumption and the need for additional manual labor.

Target Specific Areas Needing Crop Dusting

Crop dusting is important to the success or failure of a farm’s crops. With the negative effects it can have on the environment and crops themselves, farmers are looking for ways to minimize treating areas that are uninfected.

Using a GPS solution, workers can record the geographic location of insect problems.

This data can then be used to treat only those specific areas, preventing the unnecessary treating of an entire farm area and protecting the health of uninfected plants.

Geofencing and Landmarks Used to Monitor Crops

GPS technology can be programmed to create landmarks and geofences around specific geographic locations. This information can be used to zone specific areas of a farm to provide information regarding crop yields.

Each crop can be set-up with its own geofence or landmark to help establish things like:

• Crop yields
• Soil sampling
• Feeding schedules

This information can be used to determine how well a particular crop is or isn’t performing. Information regarding the nutrient quality of the soil, the amount of fertilizer the crop is using, and any treatments it has undergone for pests can be recorded and used for future planting.

GPS Technology is Constantly Advancing

GPS use in agriculture and farming is growing as quickly as the technology is advancing.

Farmers have learned the benefits of using GPS technology and even use it as a way to track and locate wayward farm animals.

With the technology advancing as rapidly as it is, so are the many ways GPS tracking is being used to save time and money to help further ‘green‘ the farm.

Introduced by Senator Ted Lieu (D-Torrance) in response to a series of article written by L.A. Times reporter Ken Bensinger, the BHPH legislation now moves on to the Senate Judiciary Committee on April 24, 2012.

If passed, the bill will set a cap on auto loan interest rates of 17.25%. Currently lenders can legally charge buyers up to 30%.

Articles written by Mr. Bensinger for the L.A. Times highlighted the fact that BHPH dealers have been proven to provide inaccurate and erroneous interest rate information for borrowers that directly affects their monthly payments.

“Some of California’s hardest working residents are being exploited simply because they desperately need a car to get to work or to drive their family to school or to the doctor,” Lieu told committee members yesterday.

Additionally, a second bill focused on the BHPH dealerships was introduced in January by Assembly Member Mike Feuer (D-Los Angeles) to prevent the installation of payment assurance devices, along with other mandates.

Kenneth Shilson, founder of the National Alliance of Buy Here, Pay Here Dealers (NABD) has found fault with both pieces of legislation.

Mr. Shilson believes the practices used by BHPH dealerships, “reflect the risk each dealer takes on when financing ‘unbankable’ customers.”

Implementing the use of a GPS tracking solution for asset protection and monitoring on BHPH vehicles has long since been standard practice in the industry.

Its use goes beyond simply ensuring that a BHPH borrower makes their payment on time. The GPS technology also helps in ensuring their vehicles are protected from possible theft and damage.

“When my vehicle was stolen I was able to lead the sheriffs department across a three county chase to where the vehicle was parked with a bunch of other stolen vehicles. Pretty cool!”

– Paul Johnston

Landtech Field Services, LLC, a Lafayette, Louisiana based company, is delivering solid management services for land surveying field crews.

In businesses since 2007, LFS, LLC manages crews in Louisiana and the surrounding states.

Being a small business,  Mr. Johnston needed a reliable vehicle location monitoring system to manage his fleet.

He also wanted to be able to:

• Protect his fleet from possible theft.
• Set limitations on idling and personal use of their vehicles.
• Access information regarding his fleets when he is on the road.

With just three vehicles to track, the solution for Mr. Johnston was to implement the use of the L2000 GPS asset monitoring and protection device.

It provides an easy and cost effective solution to anti-theft protection for any sized fleet and can be customized and  expanded as your fleet and business grow.

Some of the features making the unit beneficial for LFS, LLC include:

• Real-Time Vehicle Location and Status
• Historical Movements of Fleet Vehicles
• Custom Landmarks and Geofences
• Motion Sensors for Anti-Theft Protection
• Engine Idling Alerts and Reports
• Track and Monitor Fleet Using PC, Laptop, or Smartphone

Establishing a GPS tracking solution allowing Mr. Johnston to create geofence locations has helped LFS, LLC. to track and locate their fleet regardless of where they are.

Businesses are able to save time and money by protecting their fleet with real-time alerts and reports from a reliable GPS tracking unit.

July 14, 2011, at 12:25 a.m., Mr. Johnston was in Texas when he received a text from his vehicle tracking software that his vehicle had left the geofence for his office.

Mr. Johnston was able to use the information from his GPS vehicle locator to contact his local sheriffs department to recover his vehicle.

“I was in Texas working & I received the text messages that my vehicle had left the geofence of my office. I called the local police back home and explained what was happening. They transferred me to the local sheriff as the thief crossed parish lines,” stated Mr. Johnston.

At 1:45 a.m. police were able to recover his stolen vehicle parked behind a building among other stolen vehicles.

Using a vehicle monitoring system it took Mr. Johnston 80 minutes to track, locate, and retrieve his stolen fleet vehicle.

This saved him time and money as none was spent having to replace a stolen vehicle, repair any damages, or on any increases to insurance premiums.

Not to mention, using the Idle and Geofence reports with scheduled time alerts, Mr. Johnston is now able to improve driver accountability when field technicians use their vehicles for personal use.

To learn more about GPSTrackit products for asset monitoring and protection, click the link below.