GPS Vehicle Tracking Systems



             


Thursday, March 20, 2008

People Who Can Benefit From GPS Tracking

Have you heard of GPS tracking before? GPS tracking, when used with the right equipment, makes it possible for the whereabouts of someone or an item, like a cell phone or a vehicle, to be recorded. For instance, if your car was stolen, but equipped with GPS tracking, the authorities could use your GPS tracking to get the exact coordinates or location of your vehicle.

Although GPS tracking is nice, there are some individuals who can benefit more from having it than others. One of those individuals is business owners, particularly those who run a freight broker business. If you run a freight broker business, it is your responsibility to get your client?s goods from one location to the next. In the event of an accident or theft, your client?s goods may not make it to their intended destination; however, GPS tracking can make it easier to do. With GPS tracking, you can know exactly where all of your drivers are, at all times. This is almost always guaranteed to make your business run more smoothly.

If you do a lot of traveling, especially to distances that are quite far from your home or your comfort zone, you may want to think about having GPS tracking equipped installed and activated either in your vehicle or on your cell phone. GPS tracking on cell phones is nice, but to be effective, you must make sure that you carry your cell phone with you at all times. If you have GPS tracking installed and activated in your vehicle, it could assist you if were ever to break down. The authorities or your family could tell where you were if you have your GPS tracking equipment activated. This is particularly helpful if you and your vehicle became disabled to the point where you couldn?t seek help yourself.

If you live in an area that is regularly the target of automobile thefts or if you have one of the most commonly stolen vehicles, you may want to think about installing and activating GPS equipment in your vehicle. As previously mentioned, GPS tracking makes it possible to know where your vehicle has been and even where it currently is. With GPS tracking, stolen cars are often recovered a lot quicker; in fact, sometimes stolen cars without GPS tracking are never even recovered.

If you are the parent of a teenager, you may want to think about having GPS tracking equipped installed and activated in their cell phones or their vehicles. With teenagers, you can never be too careful. They, unfortunately, do not always think through all of their actions. Even the most careful of teenagers can be the target of a crime, like kidnapping or auto theft. GPS tracking on cell phones and in vehicle may one day help to save their lives.

The above mentioned people are just a few of the many who can benefit from having GPS tracking equipped installed, either in vehicles or cell phones. If you are a business owner or just a regularly citizen who wants to stay on the safe side, you are urged to further examine GPS tracking and what it can do for you.

Quentin Chamberlain is a writer for RM Tracking . com where you can find accurate information about GPS Tracking and other related information.

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Saturday, March 1, 2008

Advances in GPS Tracking - SOMEBODY Knows Where You Are!

Geographical Positioning Systems or GPS in short have been around for some time now, and what was once a novelty has become a wrist watch based minor device with some very major applications. GPS works on the principle of triangulation from a reference system based in space. Having its genesis in the Transit System being used in the US Navy in the late 1950s, where a 2 dimensional system was used to find the location of ships with the aid of satellite reflection waves, the current generation GPS systems have come a very long way indeed.

GPS is increasingly being integrated with diverse applications that require knowledge of own geographical location. With the miniaturization of the GPS device and increase in the satellite imagery resolution, it is becoming an affordable solution for a vast range of applications ranging from wild animal tracking to whale herd movement, submarine tracking by Naval forces to precision guidance for missiles. GPS devices have become an essential part, rather the most essential part of a number of applications that have tracking of an object or a living being as its prime objective.

The principle on which a GPS functions and which is used to ensure flawless tracking is based on the trilateration or triangulation in 2 dimensional terms. The principle is based on the time difference it takes for clock signals to arrive at the GPS receiver from various satellites hovering in space. The differential in time is fed to the GPS software which in turn determines the location of the object in relation to the satellites. Tracking takes this feature a step further by integrating the principle of radio broadcast with GPS location service or a viewing service or a central node station using means to communicate with it. The coordinates of the GPS, when translated onto a mapping service and stored in the GPS?s memory make a primitive tracker where the way points of movement can be tracked. This feature, if combined with moving vehicles can become a vehicular tracking system. The use of other devices like GPS based phone can assist in human tracking in the field. The same is finding extensive use in the armed forces around the world. Central management of resources by large corporations is also done using a GPS device; albeit some covertly and some after declaration. When using a central command center to coordinate the GPS coordinates of all neighboring GPS stations, a grid can be formed and movement patterns of a large body can be tracked. The possible applications for tracking are limited only to ones imagination and of course the budget.

The question ?Where am I ?? might still remain unanswered if you ask it to yourself, but for someone tracking you, he knows exactly your latitude, longitude and altitude. Just ask him.

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Tuesday, February 12, 2008

7 Ways to Use a GPS Vehicle Tracking System

Have you ever thought about installing a GPS vehicle tracking system? Although you may have seen the commercials and have some knowledge of how the system operates, you may still have questions as to how the GPS actually works and how it can serve your personal needs.

1- The most obvious reason to have a GPS vehicle tracking system is in a situation where your car is stolen. If you ever become a victim of vehicle theft and are lucky enough to have a GPS system installed all you will need to do is to inform your GPS carrier of the theft. They can track the cars??? exact location and its speed, when the vehicle has been located, they will call police to recover it for you.

2- If you happen to be traveling in your car and it begins to show signs of a mechanical issue, or perhaps it completely breaks down and leaves you stranded in the middle of nowhere, you will have the peace of mind of knowing that you only have to push a button and help will be summoned. Most systems will have this particular button labeled as a ???communication??? button.

3- Perhaps one of the most important and emotional reasons to have a GPS vehicle tracking system installed in your car is the ???panic??? button. This button is to be used in cases of emergency. This can include everything from a fender bender to a carjacking, what ever the reason, when this button is pushed an operator at the GPS carrier can immediately listen to what is happening. If it is safe, and there is no robbery taking place, they will talk to you and help to asses the situation. If, however, they determine that it would be detrimental to speak to you, they will contact the authorities for you.

4- If you happen to be directionally challenged, you have the capability to press the communication button. This will put you in contact with someone who can give you directions that will lead you to your exact destination. In fact, a GPS vehicle tracking system is great for many of life???s little mishaps.

5- For instance, if you, or your children, lock you out of your car, it can easily be unlocked by phoning into the call center of the service you choose. This is also a very handy feature if you tend to lose your car in a crowded parking lot, they will find it for you and send the lights flashing and the horn honking for you. Maybe the best thing about being able to call for help in these types of situations is that you don???t have to actually see the grins on the faces of the people you are speaking with.

6- For many parents, this device can give them peace of mind. It gives them the ability to call and check upon the exact whereabouts of a car that is being driven by a child without directly interfering with their plans.

7- The advantages of having a GPS vehicle tracking system installed are numerous, but beware of what you are paying for before you sign on the dotted line. Find out exactly what options your plan covers and what the monthly service fee is. Make sure also, that your system is being installed by someone who is licensed to do so.

Read more articles about gps tracking and gps tracking vehicles on Peter Wallander websites.

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Saturday, February 2, 2008

Improve Customer Service With GPS Vehicle Tracking Systems

Business owners: use GPS vehicle tracking systems to improve customer service and bring your business into the Information Age.

The Information Age allows us to read breaking news, review up-to-the-minute stock-market information and check on the status of our bank account--all on demand. We take for granted the ability to find what we want to know when we want to know it.

The concept of a constant flow of information through precise, up-to-the-minute notification is accepted by a majority of society. Having our email forwarded to our cell phones is another example of how 'connected' we are today.

So, why do we ask our customers to put up with delivery estimates of 'sometime between 9 a.m. and noon?' Do we put our customers on hold while we call our service technician to find out when they'll be at the customer's site?

Are you providing your customers with outstanding service? Are you taking advantage of every tool available? Or is your competition?

Consider using GPS vehicle tracking systems to bring your business into the Information Age.

Who should consider GPS vehicle tracking systems? Any business using vehicles, who has demanding customers and faces competition in selling a product available from several sources.

A broad spectrum of business types use GPS vehicle tracking systems. Florists, HVAC contractors, limousine companies, food and beverage distributors and many other businesses have all improved customer service through GPS tracking.

Why? GPS vehicle tracking systems provide up-to-the-minute information you can use to answer your customers' questions. Improving customer service equates to more satisfied customers, resulting in more business and more profits.

With the real-time data provided by GPS vehicle tracking systems, you can tell your customer where your employee is right now and estimate more accurately when your employee will be arriving. WOW your customers with precise delivery estimates.

The historical data from GPS vehicle tracking systems will tell you and your customer when your employee last visited their site and how long they were there. You can also analyze visits to their location for the last 30 days or longer with data downloaded from your tracking system.

Using GPS vehicle tracking systems requires devices installed in each vehicle and a PC connected to the Internet. The system provider operates a secure server which displays data: speed, direction of travel, location. After logging into the server, you view the data using a web browser.

Some systems allow you to add a specific location, such as a customer's building, to the map. This simplifies determining which vehicle is closest or visited that location last.

Where do GPS vehicle tracking systems work? Some GPS systems are limited to cellular system coverage areas; others use low-earth orbit communications satellites for coverage everywhere.

Now, before your competition realizes how to use GPS vehicle tracking to their advantage, research your options, pick your system and lease/buy it. Do it today.

Welcome to the Information Age.

Ken Sink, owner of My Vehicle WatchDog, is a veteran with 20+ years of transportation experience, including fleet management of over 800 vehicles. Visit http://www.MyVehicleWatchDog.Info for more information about GPS vehicle tracking systems from Fleet Management Solutions, Networkfleet and Sprint/Nextel. Submit your info for a quick, no-obligation system quote. Quantity discounts for volume purchases

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Friday, January 18, 2008

How Vehicle Tracking Technology Has Changed

Fleet tracking technology has been around for decades, but only recently has it become practical and affordable for even the smallest fleet operators. From the earliest systems of two-way radios to sophisticated GPS and computer tracking of today, vehicle tracking technology has evolved and improved tremendously.

Early systems
The earliest vehicle tracking systems started with the advent of two way radios. With a radio in each vehicle and a base station, fleet operators could talk to their drivers and map their progress through each day?s route. Changes and emergent calls could be sent out to the field more easily, making operations more efficient.

The downside, of course, is that radio communications had limitations in distance, accuracy, and the ability to connect with drivers going in and out of their vehicle. The information received at the base station was only as good as what the drivers provided, and for fleets of any significant size, tracking and mapping progress manually was a challenge.

The dawn of GPS
When GPS tracking became widely available, it transformed the vehicle tracking landscape. Fleet operators could now locate each vehicle electronically and track it via computer, making it easier to keep track of large numbers of vehicles and verify the information provided by drivers. Of course the early systems were tremendously expensive, making them far out of reach economically for all but the largest fleets.

As GPS units became smaller and cheaper, and computer tracking capabilities became more advanced and less expensive, the modern fleet tracking systems took shape. Each vehicle carried a tracking unit that was monitored and information communicated back to the central base station, while the base station expanded in size and complexity to handle the large amounts of information coming in.

Companies that use this type of fleet tracking have to invest significant amounts of capital in the vehicle units as well as the infrastructure for a central base station to monitor and dispatch the fleet. There are expensive monthly subscription fees as well.

A new innovation
A recent innovation in the vehicle tracking industry is transforming the efficiency and affordability of fleet tracking systems. This new system uses a small tracking unit in the vehicle and a web-based interface that is accessed via a regular mobile telephone. There is no investment required in expensive central infrastructure and fleet managers can monitor the system from anywhere for no monthly subscription fee. This allows supervisors and managers to spend more time in the field and less time in the office.

The affordability of this new technology makes it practical for even the smallest fleets. This in turn brings the benefits of vehicle tracking ? less driver downtime, more efficient routing, etc. ? to operators of all sizes and compositions.

The future of vehicle tracking
Of course nobody can predict the future with 100% accuracy, but most industry experts agree that the new wave of technology is leading vehicle tracking into a new era of convenience and affordability. For the first time ever, small and medium fleets can afford to adopt vehicle tracking and enjoy the many benefits that come along with greater efficiency.

Richard Harris is a vehicle telecommunications expert who has developed an innovative vehicle tracking system. He advises on vehicle tracking, and a range of information can be found at http://www.autoalert.me.uk/news_toc.jsp

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Friday, November 30, 2007

The Evolution Of GPS Vehicle Tracking Applications

GPS vehicle tracking has been in existence for some time, at least since the late 1970's. Many trade names have been associated with it such as Lojack and LoTrans. These were early applications created particularly for the inventory and tracking of service vehicles, fire and police department vehicles. They depended upon the World War II LORAN (Long-range Radio Aid Navigation) system. These earlier systems provided a centralized office with the geographic location of vehicle fleets and were a great deterrent to vehicular theft. They however provided no geographic intelligence to the driver of the vehicle.

The present day vehicle tracking is accomplished by using GPS, which is a popularized name for Global Navigation Satellite System. It provides the driver with a highly accurate map, portrayed on a small screen incorporated into the GPS receiver. Here the driver can monitor their present location, plan the best route and obtain an estimate of time to arrival. The Global Navigation Satellite System was developed by the United States and the Soviet Union created its GLONASS during the Cold War to accurately guide their extensive ICBM and SLBM inventories. Later it was used as a backup guidance system for both nations' nuclear submarine fleets.

The current GPS tracking used in vehicles comes to us, in civilianized form courtesy of President Ronald Regan. It was after the tragedy of airline flight KAL 007 that President Regan made it available for civilian use. GPS vehicle tracking allows an uncorrected location accuracy of 3 square meters. The ability for civilian transponders to receive the p coded military GPS signal occurred after President Clinton authorized its' release in 1996. Today you are able to know within feet and inches the location of your vehicle while on the move.

A GPS vehicle tracking device is composed of three parts; the space segment which is composed of 30 geosynchronous satellites orbiting along six (6) planes, the control segment which is composed of six (6) land based monitoring stations and the user segment which is a radio receiver capable of calculating its precise position from comparing multiple radio signals from the satellites. The satellite signal is the output of a satellite's location in coded latitude and longitude and the time. By comparing the signals of many satellites and comparing the time of reception, the receiver can determine its exact location. This calculation is a result of a mathematical process called trilateration.

Today there are smart business applications for the use of GPS vehicle tracking device. One of its applications is in the taxi business. Two separate firms in the United States (Dallas, Texas and Atlanta, Georgia) and one in London, England have used it to improve on their dispatch capability. The dispatcher has a Geographic Information System workstation computer that includes a radio transceiver. This provides them with a map of the city and shows the active location of all taxis. It also shows the dispatcher which taxis are working and those that aren't.

When a call is received, the dispatcher logs the client into the database or the system automatically locates the caller's cell phone location or if the client calls using a wired phone system. This later feature prevents crank calls or dangerous situations in which the end aim is the robbery of the taxi driver. The dispatcher can manually assign an available driver or the system can automatically assign. This application of GPS vehicle tracking device has resulted in more than 50% increase in business, a significant reduction in waiting time for customers and a dramatic increase in profitability.

For the latest GPS vehicle tracking devices and where to buy GPS systems at low prices, go to http://www.gpstrackingsys.com

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