Belleville – July 9^th, 2009 – Safety Track, today announced the release of MARCUS® SpeedLimit, a new real time alert function that will notify fleet managers and owners when a vehicle moves faster than a posted speed limit while traveling on major highways and motorways. Additionally, this information is available on secondary roads in 60 cities throughout the United States.

MARCUS® SpeedLimit is an improvement on the existing speed alert functions that have been available for the last 10 years. Previously, drivers had to travel faster than a pre-determined set speed before the GPS would generate an alert. With the MARCUS® SpeedLimit product, real time alerts are sent when a driver travels 10mph faster than the posted speed limit of a specific road. MARCUS® SpeedLimit uses new posted speed limit information now available from NAVTEQ, the leading provider of digital map data; to compare vehicle speeds to the actual speed limits of the roads customers travel. When exceptions are recognized, email alerts are sent to dispatchers and fleet owners within 30 seconds to help them better understand their drivers’ habits.

Over the years, customers using Safety Track GPS fleet management systems have been able to encourage their drivers to change unwanted driving behavior resulting in fewer accidents and less overall vehicle maintenance.

The main causes for car accidents are reckless and negligent driving. Company drivers who drive more than 80% of their annual mileage on work related journeys have more than 50% more injury accidents than similar drivers who do not work on the roads during the day. Business drivers typically have collision rates that are 30-40% higher than those of private drivers.

The MARCUS® SpeedLimit feature is now available for all customers using the new MARCUS® V8 GPS Fleet Management System for an additional $1.00 per vehicle per month. Users of the application can select Posted Speed Alert in the Alerts application and activate this feature automatically. Customers can also access the Posted Speed Alert Report to provide a summary for any vehicle or fleet.

“NAVTEQ is proud to be an integral part of Safety Track’s high quality solution. Improved arrival time estimates and more choices in route selection are key functions that provide fleet managers’ great value.” said Roy Kolstad, Vice President, Enterprise Americas, NAVTEQ. “NAVTEQ continues to invest in value-added content and products that enhance our map and allow fleet management companies to optimize efficiency.]]> http://www.safetytrack.net/archives/2192/feed 0 http://www.safetytrack.net/archives/1957 http://www.safetytrack.net/archives/1957#comments Mon, 04 Jan 2010 16:06:24 +0000 jeff http://www.safetytrack.net/?p=1957

One of the main problems with modern economics is, of course, management. It can be difficult to manage the portions of a business that have a lot of individual components – a hotel chain, for example, or a line of busses. That difficulty also applies to companies like taxi or limousine fleets, which is why good businessmen should consider buying technological tools to aid them in that task and to help them get the most money and profit out of their rather significant investments.

What is Fleet Tracking?

First, let’s talk about a specific section of the American economic scene – the transportation industry. More specifically, we’ll talk about the personal transportation industry. It’s not easy getting around these days, and becoming harder all the time. It’s for this reason that so many enterprising businessmen and women have caught onto the idea that people will pay good money to ferry passengers from one place to another. That, in a nutshell, is the goal of the modern taxi industry.

Now, there are a fair number of taxis out there. In some places, like New York City, they all operate under a single head – the famous Medallion or “yellow cabs” of the city. Sometimes, taxis are owned by individual drivers, and make money by picking up street fares. More common, though, especially in smaller communities, are the phone summon taxis that are run by taxi companies. The person needing a ride calls the taxi company, and the company dispatches a taxi to pick them up. These types of taxis – known as FHVs or For Hire Vehicles in the industry – are generally run under a single company manager and require a lot of management to be efficient.

That’s where fleet or vehicle tracking comes in. GPS fleet tracking solutions are available on the consumer marketplace for discerning businessmen and businesswomen to use for their own taxi fleets in order to determine what’s happening in their company and what happens where – important when it comes to doling out paychecks or dealing with insurance problems, things like broken down taxis or auto accidents may cause.

Why Use GPS Fleet Tracking Solutions?

The first step in good management is to know exactly what’s happening, how long it takes, how long it costs, and where it takes place. That’s especially difficult in a taxi fleet, as all those reports depend on individual drivers – whose personal interests may be at odds with your own. If you have a driver prone to laziness, for example, he or she may report more hours on their payroll than they are actually filling, thus depriving his or her fellow employees as well as the company as a whole of valuable profits. This can also give the company a bad name, which, again, hurts fellow employees as well as you or anyone else in upper management.

So what do GPS fleet tracking solutions do? Simple. They record and observe in an unobtrusive way. They mark times, fares, stops, fuel expenses, and even, if you choose, things like speed. Are you concerned that some of your employees may be using your vehicles to break traffic laws? GPS fleet tracking solutions let you keep an eye on locations and speed limits, letting you know how fast they’re going at all times. GPS systems can also help the driver, helping him or her get to where they need to be faster and more efficiently than simply relying on street maps and personal memory.

Different Types of Vehicle Tracking

There are two main varieties when it comes to good fleet management software. These depend specifically on the type of information you need and the type of technology you want to include in your vehicles. This can also make a big difference in cost, so make sure you research your options extensively before settling on one or the other. Ask yourself if the extra features of any specific system are really worth the extra cost you’ll be paying for them.

In fact, educating yourself about the details of these systems is probably a good idea. Good GPS fleet tracking solutions or fleet maintenance software can cost a lot of money, and it shouldn’t be a bill lightly looked at. With luck, these systems will last a long time and be used for a lot of solutions, so you should treat them with utter seriousness when it comes time to buy – make sure you educate yourself about all your options and know beforehand what you want, and you’ll end up with the best possible solution for your money in the end.

1. Use less fuel and stop speeding drivers
The EPA estimates that reducing speed by 10MPH increases fuel efficiency by 20%. Our HVAC customers report $150 savings per 10 vehicles in one month by keeping their drivers at a maximum of 65MPH. The owner of a towing company saved $4000 over two months just in fuel costs. Do the math for your business and add up your savings. The dollars add up fast-here’s a simple example with a very conservative estimate: 50 vehicles reduce speed and save $10 each per week in gas costs. That’s $26,000 in a year. Slowing down a speeding driver can also limit tickets, accidents and litigation against your company.

2. Limit unnecessary trips and unauthorized use
Customers tell us their employees off-route driving completely ends once they know a GPS fleet tracking unit is installed in their vehicle. No more extended lunches, driving off-route to go home to eat, run errands, etc.

One customer reported that one driver was traveling home 60 miles per day when they should have been working. That’s a potential savings of $15-20 in fuel per day. And that’s just for one driver.

3. Ensure proper work hours, lunch breaks and overtime records
This is self explanatory, and another area where you can save thousands of dollars per year. Employees won’t likely record bogus work, lunch or overtime hours if they know their work vehicle is being tracked. If you can gain just 30 minutes of productivity each day you will save about $3,000 per employee each year.
The more your workers actually work and record correct information, the more your business is operating cost-efficiently. The immediate impact GPS fleet tracking units provide in this category is mentioned quite often by our satisfied customers.

4. Monitor company gas purchases/gas cards
Lets face the facts–gas will only get more expensive, and some employees try to cut corners and cut money out of your bottom line. Can you afford even one employee stealing $20 in fuel every week ($1040/year) from your gas account? That’s $1040 you could put in your own gas tank! This is another area where questionable purchases can be tracked and verified with our easy-to-use GPS fleet tracking software.

5. Theft prevention
Track all your vehicles every two minutes and have alerts sent to your cell phone, email or PDA whenever your vehicle is started or moves outside of a designated area (geofence). This feature gives you peace of mind 24/7/365.

To summarize, below shows a standard cost savings by implementing a GPS fleet tracking system.

• Reducing speed on a single vehicle by 10MPH increases fuel economy by 20%
  - 7 gallon weekly decrease in fuel usage
  - Weekly fuel savings of $20-30
  - Annual fuel savings of $1,000-$1,500
  (varies based on MPG, daily miles driven and fuel cost)
• Eliminating unnecessary driving by 10 miles per day for a single vehicle
  - 4 gallons of fuel saved per week
  - Weekly fuel savings of $14
  - Annual fuel savings of more than $700
  (varies based on MPG and fuel cost)
• Losing 15 minutes per day of productivity from a single employee
  - 65 hours per year in lost productivity
  - Approximate savings of $1,200-$2,000
  (varies based on hourly rate)
• One employee uses a company gas card to fill their personal vehicle once a month
  - Monthly fuel savings of $70
  - Annual fuel savings of $840
  (varies based on fuel tank size and fuel cost)

The below sample cost savings and ROI is for a single employee. Your ROI will vary based on number of vehicles in your fleet, amount of miles driven and fuel consumption.

Use digital GPS fleet tracking to see where your vehicles are every minute on your PC screen. Get instant alerts on your email or phone. Set geofences, speed limits and more. Lower your fuel costs and increase productivity. Our easy‐to‐use web interface let’s managers have all their critical fleet information with the click of the mouse. Companies realize an ROI within weeks of using the system simply by the positive change in driver behavior. Other uses and benefits included:

• Monitor Gas Cards / Gas Purchases: Let’s face the facts‐‐fuel is an expensive business cost at any price, and some employees try to cut corners and cut money out of your bottom line. Can you afford even one employee stealing $20 in fuel every week ($1040/year) from your gas account. That’s $1040 you could put in your own gas tank! This is another area where questionable purchases can be tracked and verified with our easy‐to‐use GPS fleet tracking software.
• Dispatch: The system allows dispatchers to send drivers to more jobs without the cost of more vehicles. Routing becomes easier and more efficient. The advantages to your dispatchers are valuable and immediate.
• Driver Accountability: Drivers now have a way to verify customer visit times and work completed. This offers them a reliable way to track their progress and protects them (and you!) against customer complaints. Further, there won’t be anymore “gray area” when an employee or customer disputes time spent on the job.
• Customer Service: Your customers will benefit from increased accuracy, faster status reporting, detailed billing information, and fewer delays in arrival time. These are just a few of the ways your customers and your employees will enjoy GPS tracking. “You can’t manage what you don’t measure”. Nothing is more true than when discussing a business with a commercial fleet. Waste and inefficiencies come in many forms.

• 13.2% reduction in fuel costs
• 19.2% decrease in miles traveled
• 13.4% reduction in overtime costs
• 27.4% improvement in fleet utilization
• 26.1% improvement in workforce utilization
• 23.8% improvement in service response times

Is it time you look closer at tracking your vehicles?

• Launch Your New GPS System with Incentives
• Launch your new GPS system in a positive manner by rewarding your team for good driving behaviors. For example, offer gift cards or cash incentives each month to the drivers who have the least amount of “Idle Time” or who have the lowest number of “Speed Alerts”. This approach drives the behavior of your goals while making it fun for your team.
• Taking Advantage of an Insurance Discount is Just Good Business
• Many insurance carriers provide 10% to 20% discounts to companies whose fleets have GPS tracking on them. Not taking advantage of this expense is simply leaving money on the table.
• Your Star Performers Won’t Mind a Tracking System
• In any organization, there is a wide range of employee performance. Your best employees often have to work harder to cover for the mistakes of your weakest employees and that leads to resentment. Best performers wish all teammates would “pull their weight”. A tracking system simply ensures this equality will improve team productivity and morale.
• In Just a Few Years, Most Companies Will Have GPS Fleet Tracking Systems
• Concern about drivers or technicians leaving your company must be taken with a grain of salt. Keep in mind they will only be faced with a similar situation in the near future. An Aberdeen marketing report predicts that60%+ companies will have fleet tracking systems by 2012. The trend of increase usage will certainly continue with the excellent ROIs that fleet tracking systems provide to businesses everywhere, regardless of the industry.
• Your Drivers Benefit as Well……
•  Every member of team likes it when things go smoothly. The ability to enhance your dispatch capabilities means more efficiency and less confusion for the entire fleet.
• Drivers or technicians appreciate your ability to back them up should a customer dispute their work. The easy‐to‐read web reports let you pull information instantly verifying exactly when and where a technician or driver was on any given day.
• Dispatchers can easily re‐route a driver and give them directions should they get lost.

• 13.2% reduction in fuel costs
• 19.2% decrease in miles traveled
• 13.4% reduction in overtime costs
• 27.4% improvement in fleet utilization
• 26.1% improvement in workforce utilization
• 23.8% improvement in service response times

Is it time to start tracking your Fleet?

Cost vs. Cost Savings.  That is the question here.  As work slows down in this economy would the ability to track your fleet vehicles be worth the upfront cost and the ongoing monthly cost.
When you look at a real-time tracking AVL (Automatic Vehicle Locator) the question isn’t always the upfront cost of the hardware ($199 – $399 per unit), but the ongoing monthly monitoring cost ($14.95 – $49.95 per month). This may not sound like much in the scheme of things, but when added to 20 -30 trucks the costs can add up quickly.

Advantages of a real-time tracking system:

• Locate your vehicles Real-time
• Dispatch Capabilities
• Lower Insurance
• Quicker Response Time
• Higher Customer Satisfaction
• Lower Maintenance Cost
• Lower fuel cost

These plus having the ability to maintain employee overtime and payroll cost gives a pretty good nudge to say yes to Fleet Tracking

Now for the down side:

• Up front cost
• Monthly Monitoring
• Employee tempering
• Technology changing
• Follow up

When you weigh the pros and cons of Fleet tracking, and if used properly, the thought of keeping you share of the local business market with better response and lowering your overall companies cost of maintaining a fleet makes sense to track your vehicles.

Companies sometime have trouble making decision on the ROI of a tracking system, they get lost in the paralysis by analysis loop.

Sit down and write out the pros and cons and see if you can find the right reason for your company to track their vehicles.

R. Wayne Johnson, Vice-President Sales & Marketing for the MARCUS® 3G2 GPS states, “Garmin and MARCUS V8 is a powerful combination that leverages the Company’s experience in providing high benefit, low cost solutions. We expect this and similar solutions to solve the business issues that our customers have been clear in defining and demanding.”

About Safety Track.

Headquartered in Belleville, MI, Safety Track, Inc. has delivered GPS Fleet Management Solutions since 2002. Entities like LKQ Corp, Alpine Power, and City of Riverview as well as over 700 service and distribution businesses nationwide and in Canada rely on the Company’s MARCUS® family of GPS Fleet Management Systems to track the movement of their vehicles, employees, and goods. Safety Track customers see dramatic reductions in fuel costs, overtime pay, excessive speeding and increased vehicle safety, with increased customer service due to using the MARCUS® GPS Fleet Management Application. Call 888-296-9829 for more information.

About Garmin International, Inc.

Garmin International Inc. is a subsidiary of Garmin Ltd. (Nasdaq: GRMN), the global leader in satellite navigation. Since 1989, this group of companies has designed, manufactured, marketed and sold navigation, communication and information devices and applications – most of which are enabled by GPS technology. Garmin’s products serve automotive, mobile, wireless, outdoor recreation, marine, aviation, and OEM applications. Garmin Ltd. is incorporated in the Cayman Islands, and its principal subsidiaries are located in the United States, Taiwan and the United Kingdom. For more information, visit Garmin’s virtual pressroom at Garmin’s Pressroom or contact the Media Relations department at 913-397-8200. Garmin is a registered trademark, and Garmin Mobile is a trademark of Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries.