GPS Tracking

MSP K9 Unit Equipped with GPS Technology

The Michigan State Police (MSP) has recently upgraded a crucial sector of its law enforcement fleet, but it’s not what you would typically think of when it comes to fleet management.

All 29 MSP canines have been equipped with Global Positioning System (GPS) tracking collars to help with the search and retrieval of not only the canines themselves if they are lost, but also may be able to potentially help track an injured canine handler.

“In November last year, the department lost its first canine during a search,” said Sgt. David Yount, commander of the MSP Canine Unit. “If we are in this situation again, the GPS (tracking) collars will provide an efficient way to track and retrieve a missing canine.”

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Where Did My Shopping Cart Go?

According to a report from AFP (Agence France-Presse), Spanish police in Madrid caught a man who stole thousands of supermarket trolleys (or shopping carts as they are called in the U.S.) by tracking him with GPS tracking devices, which were hidden on several of the carts.

The 37-year-old man is thought to have stolen 290,000 euros’ (or $390,000) worth of trolleys, which he then sold as scrap metal, according to a statement made by Madrid police. The police department covertly attached the GPS tracking devices to the trolleys after being alerted by several supermarkets in the city, which reported losing more than 3,000 trolleys this year.

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DCF Plans to Save Money by Tracking its Employees

The Department of Children and Families (DCF) for the State of Connecticut is considering adding GPS tracking devices to its fleet of 800 vehicles to monitor the misuse of its vehicles.

In her proposal to Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s budget office, DCF Commissioner Joette Katz estimates these GPS devices will save the state nearly $250,000 in the first year by being able to provide data on the misuse of its vehicles, verify overtime hours, and may potentially save 20% on fuel consumption. The state’s legislature’s research arm reported that it spent $15.7 million on gas alone in fiscal 2008. Since then, the state has taken steps to reduced its fleet by 800 cars.

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New and Improved Equipment to Help Fight the Winter Snow

Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown, along with city departmental commissioners and directors, conducted the annual inspection of Buffalo’s snow fighting fleet today at the Department of Public Works Broadway Garage. Brown said today in a news release, “We have more, and improved equipment this year, as well as a continued high-tech approach to implementation… We are ready for the snow!”

The City has invested a combined total of $800,00 to purchase new snow plow vehicles, and also made significant improvements to some of the trucks its existing fleet. This new and improved snow fighting tools will be used to clear the snow, as well as spread salt on the busy city roadways and neighborhoods.

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Faulty and Expensive GPS Devices Installed on New York Fire Trucks

It looks like New York City Mayor, Michael Bloomberg, has some explaining to do. According to a recent discovery made by the city comptroller, the Bloomberg administration invested millions of taxpayers’ dollars to install custom-made GPS tracking devices on its fleet of fire and garbage trucks, only to have them inexplicably show up on computer screens as if they had sunk to the bottom of Long Island Sound or New York Harbor.

Two audits were released on Wednesday, which revealed that the GPS tracking devices were faulty, that they produced inaccurate locations, and possessed needless features. Along with the various hardware and software related problems associated with the devices, the audit shows that as much as $56,000 was spent for a single unit in a sanitation truck. These units were paid for with $7.3 million under the $2 billion Emergency Communications Transformation Program for New York City’s call-taking and dispatch operations.

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City Leaders Discovered Surprising Results

The City of Albuquerque recently installed GPS tracking devices on its entire fleet of Solid Waste Management garbage trucks in order to increase productivity and efficiency within the department. These GPS devices, which are small enough to fit under the passenger seat of the cab of the truck, have yielded results managers are happy with. According to John Soladay, the department’s Chief Operations Officer, the City has saved roughly $750,000 of tax-payer’s dollars by taking the data obtained from the GPS devices and re-routing old existing routes.

Along with the monetary savings, the City has also received an added bonus from the use of these GPS devices. As a result of being able to monitor the location and whereabouts each truck in its fleet, the City is now able to “prove” where their vehicles are at all times. This means that they are able to identify specific drivers who are acted inappropriately on the job by abusing the use of its trucks for their own personal gain.

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Tracking Grazing Livestock in China

The use of GPS tracking has ventured beyond the realm of gas-powered vehicles. China is beginning to apply its GPS satellite technology to aid herdsmen in monitoring their grazing livestock in Erdos, which is located in northern Inner Mongolia.  The GPS tracking technology was implemented and fitted on to about a dozen sheep and cattle through the animal husbandry bureau in the city’s Hangjin Banner County.

According to Chao Lu, who serves as the head of the bureau, “Herdsmen can see where the herds move through the village’s website or receive short message reports of the movements on their cell phones.” GPS satellite system used to monitor the livestock uses the 3S technology developed by the animal husbandry bureau along with experts from Huadong Normal University and Inner Mongolia Normal University.

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Why Run?

When one is looking for a quick way to get some needed exercise, few options are as immediate and effective as going for a good run.  While beginners may balk at the thought of running for no other reason than to run, many quickly have a change of heart once they realize the gains in cardiovascular endurance, muscle tone, and overall increased levels of energy and mood that result from a solid running schedule.  In fact, many people love the feeling of running and its effects so much that they continue to push themselves to run faster and farther, and in time running events both competitive and recreational in nature began to emerge as the demand for organized running grew.  Today, millions of runners across the globe participate in coordinated marathon events of various scales every year, and the need for an effective emergency medical vehicle fleet management strategy is extremely important.  This year, the fleet of 25 emergency response vehicles in charge of monitoring the 45,000 participating runners in the Bank of America Chicago Marathon will be equipped with LandAirSea SilverCloud real-time GPS tracking devices in hopes of making emergency medical fleet management as coordinated and effective as possible.

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The Need For Global Coverage

The inception and development of advanced telecommunications networks has brought an unparalleled level of interconnection not only between those living within the United States, but among anyone around the world with access to a relevant service network (e.g. internet service providers, cellular networks, and even the United States’ GPS constellation of tracking satellites).  With so much emphasis placed on international business among the fleet management divisions of companies worldwide, leaders seeking efficient business operations are desperately searching for an answer to the global tracking dilemma.  Fortunately, the new SilverCloud Global plan from GPS tracking system leader LandAirSeaSystems provides a viable and cost effective solution.

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The Importance of Precision

Former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld once proclaimed “Be precise.  A lack of precision is dangerous when the margin of error is small.”  As one of the main political players in our nation’s response to the September 11 terrorist attacks, Rumsfeld knows all too well how important precise and efficient information and subsequent action is to the fleet management and communication efforts of the United States military.  With troops stationed in hostile territories all over the world, our country’s leaders are faced with the overwhelming responsibility of providing military personnel and civilians in affected areas with a steady stream of necessary supplies.  Fortunately, the advancement of America’s GPS network has allowed for the Joint Precision Air Drop System (JPADS) to find their way to those who need them, no matter what the surrounding terrain may be.

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