Locating Technologies Blog

Benefits of GPS Tracking of Rental Cars

iwebbe — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 02:50:02 +0000

The availability of GPS systems to help drivers find their way is an unmistakable benefit. But what about other uses of GPS systems?

With the increased use of GPS tracking systems, more companies are using this tracking system to monitor the movements of their vehicles. This is being done by trucking companies, public transportation companies and now, increasingly, by car rental companies.

As with any new technology, there are pros and cons that come with the use of the technology. That is the purpose of this article, to review and discuss some of the pros and cons of GPS tracking of rental cars.

The benefits to car rental companies from having GPS tracking capability for rented vehicles are considered very important. This tracking ability allows them to keep track of their vehicle inventory at all times. Renters do not always indicate where they are going, and rented cars can end up far from the rental car station.

Knowing the position of vehicles allows managers of car rental districts real time information on where their cars are located at all times. This can enable them to get the cars returned faster. It also opens the opportunity, to make money while having the cars returned.

People who rent cars can also benefit from GPS tracking, especially in dangerous winter weather. If a car becomes stuck or disabled, GPS software can alert the renting station that a car may be in trouble, in an accident, or abandoned. In certain situations, this ability could save lives.

GPS tracking can also keep track of the true mileage a rental car travels, which could be a good thing for the renter, or could be a good thing for the rental car company. Either way, it is a very efficient method of managing travel distances and the opportunity arises for pro-active action such as sending the customer a text message when they are nearing the maximum mileage before being charged additional fees.

Why is GPS Tracking of Shipping Containers Beneficial

iwebbe — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 05:25:50 +0000

Importers and exporters all around the world have hoped for a way to self track their shipments. The reason for this is the skullduggery that often takes place with container shipments.

Companies in the shipping business also know how important protection of cargo by constant position monitoring can be. On the other hand, unscrupulous shipping companies, fear the modern technology that will allow both exporters and importers to know when the shipping companies are not reporting accurately about the facts concerning specific shipments. The gps tracking of shipping containers is the future of shipping and a vital benefit for shipping companies to offer their customers.

Domestically, the ability to track the movement of a container, is a cross check on the performance of long distance drivers. It is possible to monitor and log all incidences of stopping for fuel, food and rest. Software is being developed that will notify both shippers and customers when domestic container shipments are routed in ways not in accordance with plans. There are times when this type of information can save a shipment from damage or destruction.

If a container has perishable goods and is routed on southern highways or rail tracks, it is quite alarming to see those goods head for the Northern Rocky Mountains in the dead of winter.

For those reasons, being able to get real time location online, or even by smart phone, is turning out to be vital. Soon companies that cannot offer such service will find their list of clients declining quickly.

Consider a container value can be any where between $8,000 and $1,000,000 of important, or even vital, cargo. The GPS system will also save time and possibly reduce the number of staff needed in a shipping company office.

GPS tracking systems are already used in many business situations. GPS monitoring of shipments can protect, or notify, shippers, owners and police investigators of vital information and evidence in the case of cargo theft.

Planting GPS trackers within cargo itself, in addition to the container, can advise when a container has been opened without authorization. In 2011, cargo theft or loss from shipping company malfeasance cost shipping company customers over $22 billion dollars.

Many times shipping companies sign contracts with importers and exporters that contain schedules and promises of shipment progress and routing. Rarely are all these promises properly completed. With GPS tracking, a contract customer can track shipments on their own. This will allow them to hold shipping companies accountable for inefficient operations. In the end this will be great for competition, with the best shipping companies rising to the top of the business.

Soon GPS trackers will also be able to report information on environmental conditions within a container. Knowing the temperature gradient and humidity inside a container, at all times during shipment, will protect exporters from claims from importers for damages caused by leaking or inadequate containers provided by shipping companies.

As GPS tracking and monitoring become more prevalent, customers, and even countries are beginning to take notice. Soon legislation can be expected to require all shippers to have gps tracking of shipping containers. This will allow customs agents the ability to follow and track the path of any suspect containers at all times.

Locating Technologies – Who are you, and what do you do?

iwebbe — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 04:52:17 +0000

Experts in high performance tracking systems to locate your people and your assets

Serving the global market, Locating Technologies is an Australian-based company with specialist expertise in Wireless IEEE 802.15.4 locating and GPS trackingsystems. Our systems are marketed and sold under the Trailblazer™ brand worldwide. A key advantage of dealing with Locating Technologies is that almost every element of our tracking solution is designed and manufactured by us. This means – particularly for organisations with substantial or complex tracking needs – we have the flexibility to customise our solution to match a client’s unique requirements.And with years of experience in designing and delivering effective technology solutions for organisations, we have developed the insight to ‘ask the right
questions’ so we can identify what data is critical to your management needs –and create a solution to fit.Our goal in everything we do is to provide total customer satisfaction.

We deliver this through our:

Highly accurate, dependable and robust Wireless locating tags and GPS tracking devices
Intuitive, easy-to-use software that can be integrated with many third party software applications
Flexibility to customise a solution for organisations with large or complex tracking needs so that you can access data that is meaningful and highly valuable to the unique requirements of your organisation
Expertise in collaborating with Systems Integrators and Consultants to create a high-value, tailored solution for customers in many types of industries
Range of solutions, ready to go
Choice of Hosted or Enterprise solutions for GPS tracking
Wireless IEEE 802.15.4 locating solution that offers extended range, fast installation, ease of use and unlimited capacity to expand
Easy trial option
30 day money back guarantee (conditions apply)
Competitive pricing achieved through our in-house product development and simple distribution channels
Attractive finance terms for lease-to-own
Loyalty discount for users of our GPS Hosted Solution
Rapid support service

and much more…

Cutting edge locating and tracking solutions to boost productivity and improve safety and security.

As we are the designer and builder of our Wireless IEEE 802.15.4 and GPS tracking solutions, research and development is extremely important to us. We constantly review developments in these areas and can quickly incorporate
enhancements so that our solutions deliver the most effective result for our customers.

So when it is important for you to be able to confirm the location and security of your people and assets, a Trailblazer™ Wireless IEEE 802.15.4 or GPS tracking system is the smart choice.