GPS Tracking ROI

There’s two great pieces of news hidden in this press release.  I get a lot of them across my desk every day that don’t seem to mean much, but every now and then there’s a gem.

By Calvin Azuri TMCnet Contributing Editor

Zoombak (News - Alert), manufacturer of Assisted Global Positioning System (A-GPS) locators, has announced the availability of its new product, the Universal A-GPS Locator, through Pep Boys outlets around the country. The product has been shipped to 591 Pep Boys locations nationwide, and company officials expect good movement for the product in the back-to-school buying season.

The Universal A-GPS Locator weighs about 2 1/2 pounds, and can be placed on bicycles or in backpacks and other such objects, which need to be tracked. The company also manufactures specific purpose A-GPS locators, called the A-GPS Car Locator and the A-GPS Pet Locator. The Universal A-GPS Locator can also be used in place of these to track cars and pets.

A-GPS devices use both GPS satellites, as well as an assistance server connected with the device, through the cellular network to ascertain the location of the device. This helps in getting a fix on the location even in places where the satellite signal reception may be poor, such as within buildings or around tall structures.  Full article here.

For way too many years now the GPS tracking industry has been hiding it’s light under a bushel … or perhaps it would be more accurate to say hiding themselves behind price and availability mystery. 

Fact is, tracking your vehicles for safety and profit just isn’t that hard … and actually doesn’t cost anything … it will pay for itself in a couple months, easily.

Also, the majority of manufacturers out there today have a dirty little secret.  They build units based around a single GPS-only receiver chip.  This is not the way to go for the future, as GPS on it’s own can not cope with things like a car driving into a parking garage, or let’s’ say taxis driving continually in a downtown "urban canyon" area.

The truth is, "plain vanilla" GPS just doesn’t work properly in many conditions and the majority of companies out there are still trying to ‘feed’ the consumer the left-over unassisted GPS receivers that will frustrate the user, but line the pockets of the guys who manage to unload tem.

Assisted GPS (A-GPS) … which means the units use the cellular phone network in addition to GPS satellites to calculate their position … is the only thing you should buy today … yes you read it here, "Mr. GPS" says so.  Units that cost 10 times the price of these Zoombak units can not come close to their accuracy in difficult reception areas and the sad  thing is, many people in the GPS tracking business aren’t crooks … they just do not understand what they are selling.  A-GPS is the only way to go and now that you can buy units for a very reasonable price and get them installed while your trucks are in for an oil change, there’s even less reason to delay.  Be like Nike and just Do It … Mr. GPS assures you that you’ll be glad you did,

Of course, if you aren’t located near a PepBoys store you can still take advantage of this great system.  Keep tabs on your children, your pets, your spouse and your employees … Zoombak Advanced GPS Car & Family Locator (Model# ZMBK200)

… The use of GPS and wireless technology was supported by taxi drivers and Sincavir, the taxi owners’ union, who cited increased crime rates as the need for real-time vehicle tracking and location. Installations will include ‘engine disable’ functionality and a driver ‘panic button’, both of which directly address driver security concerns. The program will also help taxi fleet owners improve customer service, reduce operating costs and aid in the recovery of stolen vehicles… read full article here:

Is there a lot more crime in Brazil than in the USA, or are Brazilian taxi drivers just a little more open to change than US drivers?  frankly I think it is a bit of both.

You know I have written a number of times about contentious and poorly implemented GPS programs involving US taxies but I’m sure corporations and drivers (and City Parking Authorities, hello Philadelphia ;-)) make just as many mistakes overseas as they do in the USA.  So why do drivers seem to have an easier time adapting to a newer technology that will not only keep them safer but earn them more money?  Beats me.

I know I* have told this story in the past but it’s worth repeating.  A couple years back I went to San Antonio on a business trip.  Since my hotel was downtown and the meeting I was attending was in the hotel, I just took a cab from the airport.  The driver was an older fellow and had that ‘old timer Texas cowboy’ look, the last person you would immediately suspect was ‘into’ new technology.

I noticed he had a little screen on the dash that seemed to be feeding him information and mostly just to make conversation I asked him what it was.  "Oh that is our new GPS tracking-aided dispatch system" he responded.

"Do you like it?" I asked.

"Like it?  I love it!" was the response.  "My take home pay has doubled since I asked for this to be installed in my cab, and I also have a one-button silent alarm I can trigger to get help if I need it."

"Doubled?" I asked, a bit incredulous.

"Yep, at least for now.  You say many of the younger drivers and their union is fighting these things.  Suits me fine."  he interrupted himself to push a button on the dash terminal and then resumed his tale.  "You see that button I just pushed was confirming my next fare pickup to the dispatcher.  There’s a guy waiting at your hotel for the airport, so I won’t wait even a minute for the next fare after I drop you off."

he went on to tell me how the rest of the guys kept giving him petitions to sign to ban the use of the system because it ‘invaded their privacy.  His standard response to petition requests?

"Not no, but Hell No!".

Whet’s your response?