GPS Vehicle Tracking Tools and Blog

Vehicle tracking systems have been available to fleet managers for some time and despite an initially slow uptake in the technology, they have now become very popular amongst those who run commercial fleets. Not only do they give fleet managers peace of mind knowing that they have the exact location of every vehicle in their fleet at any one time – they can also improve fleet efficiency too, an important factor during a time of economic hardship.

A GPS tracker works by using a triangulating algorithm to give the precise location of the vehicle it is fitted to. This information is fed through to a remote-operating centre, which can then chart the location of every vehicle in the fleet. Through this mapping system, fleet managers can prioritise routes or re-allocate a vehicle to a pick-up, minimising the time that the customer waits for their collection and maximising efficiency. The utility services and network companies running fleets of mobile engineers are also finding this system extremely useful, as it allows them to allocate call-outs to the nearest available vehicle. Courier and delivery services have been using vehicle tracking systems for several years and were the first organisations to really appreciate the benefits of such a system.

Vehicle tracking systems don’t just relay information on a vehicle’s location, though. Good quality systems can also provide fleet management professionals with additional information such as the speed of a vehicle. Speeding is an extremely inefficient operation as increased speed invariably means increased fuel consumption. Major fleets that have used these systems have been able to reduce their annual fuel bills by up to 40% just through the information provided by vehicle tracking systems.

By spending a little company capital at the outset, a GPS vehicle tracking system can help facilitate effective scheduling, which results in a reduction in the amount of time vehicles are standing idle or not being used at optimum efficiency. They can also reduce delivery time delays and improve supply chain management by enabling fleet managers to prioritise routes. This leads to better customer relations as fleet managers are able to give their customers more accurate estimated arrival times.

Another saving comes in a more unexpected area. Fleet insurance policies can be cripplingly expensive, particularly for small and medium sized companies. However, insurers now regard vehicle tracking devices as a major force in the fight against vehicle theft and offer substantial policy discounts for fleets with GPS trackers fitted. Faster recovery times of stolen vehicles, a reduction in the potential damage to stolen vans and cars by thieves and eliminating the need to hire replacement vehicles to cover the shortfall left as a result of a vehicle theft all add up to a considerable annual saving.

Vehicle tracking systems can also tell a fleet manager if vehicles are being used out of hours by drivers for their own, personal use. Technically, this could be regarded as misappropriation of a company vehicle and can cost firms a great deal of money over the course of a year. If a driver knows that their movements are being plotted by a remote GPS tracking device, then he or she will be less inclined to use a company vehicle inappropriately. Again, this all adds up to savings for the company.

In a time of recession, every business is looking for ways to improve productivity, efficiency and cut costs. Although it may seem strange to advocate spending money on a complex vehicle tracking system during these lean times, the long-term savings these systems represent are financially prudent and an essential part of effective fleet management.

In a perfect world we would be able to meet new people all across the globe, inspire others to do business with us, develop secure friendships, and ultimately end up achieving every last dream that we have pondered, fantasized over, or imagined.

Since the world is not so perfect, we need to find the perfect vehicle that will take us places that we have never been able to go to before now.

Wouldn’t it be nice to be at home and be able to travel, lets say to Belgium, or Paris at the same time? What if you could be in Belgium, Paris, Perth, Minneapolis, Miami, Dublin, or Tokyo at the same time? Sound impossible? Not anymore thanks to our favorite vehicle called the Internet!

I can be meeting new people, doing business, learning, and developing my websites, and a plethora of many other things all at the same time, in virtually any location on the face of our planet…BUT the question is, what is the perfect vehicle that will take me there?

I’ve discovered an amazing place and community called Entrecard.com on the Internet. It is designed to take you all across the globe, and allow you to meet and connect with others who will read your blog, website, or informational business page, and potentially do business with you. Their network is enormous and you have the opportunity to be seen in the cyber world with everything that your voice has to say.

I was amazed when I came across this addictive option for my blog. They allow you to have a card almost the same as a business card that you would personally hand out to friends, family, business acquaintances and associates as well as new prospective clients.

This is how it works. You go through a list of sites that are categorized under a specific title and then you read through their post(s), and if you like what they have to say, you drop your business card into their entrecard spot, and voila, you are telling them that you like what they have to say and to come check out your blog too.

I have discovered that it is simple etiquette to read their post(s) first and then leave a comment that you were there before dropping your card. I believe that Entrecard.com is a fabulous tool and vehicle for people whom you would never connect with in your lifetime to see your blog, but I think that there may be many people who are just dropping their card into yours without ever stopping to see what you have voiced for that day! Thus missing a goldmine of information, content, and matters of the heart!

Let me tell you why I have this theory. I have a tracking software that shows me how many unique or new people have come to my site, where they came from, what pages they were most interested in, and how many minutes they stayed within my site on each page. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, I appreciate every single one of you, however, the amount of people staying less than 10 seconds on my site are astronomical!

Nearly 60% of all people who are visiting my site are there long enough to say “HI” by dropping their Entrecard into my slot. Most aren’t even taking the time to read what is posted or bothering to comment on what I have spent valuable time pouring my heart into for someone else to read.

Now mind you if you are just trying to get more traffic to your site, I completely understand that if you spend time reading each blog and making a comment that you would be trapped at your office or home computer reading all day long, but I just feel I need to remind you that you may very well miss out on a very life changing post or thought within someones blog that you might have very much needed to hear. By simply clicking through and not at least checking it out or marking the blog to come back and re-read later on, you are sometimes selling yourself short by concentrating only on yourself and your own traffic.

So, in my short journey through Entrecard, I have met several bloggers who have been most helpful and nearly bent over backwards to help me in my journey. They are funny, witty, and also have been impacted by the things that I have had to say within my blog and they weren’t afraid to voice that to me either. I wish more people would have the same freedom and say what they truly believe and think!

The experience is addictive! One blog with an Entrecard that I found particularly interesting and insightful was www.dearestjessica.blogspot.com because she is beautiful, real, honest, and has a no bones about it approach which I applauded her for being bold enough to display and show the world! Bravo!

There are also a multitude of contests to win free advertising, and other perks that are extremely competitive and just plain fun! Do yourself a favor and stop there because they are fabulous!

One last thing that I have found to be an invaluable tool to dropping my card into another persons space, is that if you click the button to drop your card in, and then you hit the ad on the same widget above the button, it will take you to another site where you can read interesting content on a subject that you maybe wouldn’t have chosen on your own. Then you can drop your card in their slot and keep moving forward!

This is the easiest and most efficient vehicle that I can say gets your blog seen, and makes people want to come back to see what you have to say! Its just another one of the steps that you can take that will open the doors of opportunity in your life, and give you the vehicle to touch someone else’s life, with what is in your heart!

This world is not perfect, but there are a lot of people within this world that strive to have perfect hearts, and it is time to reach out and connect with those who are willing to share our hopes and dreams through this beautiful journey we call life! See you again with more thoughts about our destinies, dreams, and more matters of the heart! You are loved, and have a fabulous day.

Low value cars are being targeted less and less by opportunist thieves due to increases in car security and immobiliser technology. So how can you keep your car well equipped and avoid car insurance claims?

Having your vehicle stolen is one of the most frustrating acts that can occur. Not only can it cause massive inconvenience and potentially be very costly, but even if you have suitable car insurance to replace the vehicle you may still be paying for the theft for years due to the loss of a no-claims discount and the likely increase in renewal premiums.

The good news however, is that reducing the chances of a vehicle theft occurring goes hand in hand with reducing your car insurance premiums. Most car insurers recognise if drivers install high quality alarms, immobilisers and other security devices and offer discounts that reflect this.

One of the more basic forms of vehicle protection is the steering wheel lock – however, these generally act as limited deterrents. The better ones however, have been categorised by the Motor Insurance Repair Research Centre and some have the Thatcham category three rating – wheel locking devices come under category four.

Vehicle engine immobilisers (category two) and alarms (category one) are widely recognised by insurers. However, due to their popularity many car thieves have become more sophisticated and can tackle most cheap systems. In order to earn a significant discount from an insurer you’ll need to have a recommended device installed.

Tracking devices are also worth considering – they are classed under category five and are a great way of finding stolen vehicles. Bear in mind however, that installation from a certified installer will usually be required.