GPS Tracker Used to Bust Bank Robbers
13 Apr 2012Bank robbers will need to think again if they think they can get away scot-free from robbing a bank — even if they’re wearing a Bill Clinton mask as a disguise.
That’s because more and more banks are beginning to use a high-tech device to entrap bank robbers. Here’s how it works:
A bank robber enters a bank, walks up to a bank teller, and demands money, either verbally or in a note. The bank teller complies with the request, but slips a high-tech GPS tracker device into the wad of money inside the bag.
Once the bank robber has the stolen cash-in-hand and proceeds to make his getaway, a bank representative activates the GPS tracking device. Police then can track, locate, and arrest the robber with the aid of the so-called “money tracker”.
Banks and law enforcement are rather mum on the details on the GPS tracker for fear that would-be bank robbers would figure out what to look for and remove it. However, what is known is that the GPS tracker device is so small that thieves would literally need to go through each stack of cash to find the money tracking device.
Instead of taking days, weeks, months, years — if ever — catching a bank robber and recovering the stolen money, these small GPS trackers are helping police catch robbers within 24 hours, and commonly within an hour. By leveraging technology and working together, financial institutions and law enforcement can track and catch bank robbers more quickly, while also increasing the odds of recovering the stolen money.
The tiny GPS tracker device is being used by banks in various parts of the country to catch bank robbers, including states such as Massachusetts and New York. With the success that has been seen so far on the device’s use in catching bank robbers, it’s likely that this tiny GPS tracking device will continue to assist law enforcement in catching criminals.
Gas Prices Loom Near the $4 Mark
10 Apr 2012According to the AAA Fuel Gauge Report, the highest recorded unleaded gasoline price is $4.114, which occurred on July 17, 2008. And if you didn’t already know, we are getting close to that record — real close. As of Saturday, April 7, 2012, the average price of regular unleaded gasoline was $3.932. Of course, some states are already seeing the $4.00 crest in gas prices. Just a month ago it was $3.758, which represents a .17 cent per gallon increase in just one month.
One of the main causes of the near record high gas prices is the tensions in the Middle East — specifically Iran, which is “threatening to disrupt about 20 percent of the world’s oil supply,” commented Cathy Hein, a spokeswoman for AAA Carolinas, in the Winston-Salem Journal.
Besides the Middle East tensions, problems in refineries, disruptions in pipelines, and the pricier summer gasoline blends are other reasons for the high gas prices. Typically, we see gas prices rise in the spring. When refineries switch over to less-polluting, cleaning-burning summer blends, they shut down some operations, reduce supply, and stop producing winter grade blends.
It’s not only consumers who are feeling the pain at the pump. Imagine what fleet managers — or just about any business that uses vehicles in its operations — are having to contend with as a result of the higher gas prices. Fleet operators rely on operating a fleet of vehicles for income, and when gas prices are high, combined with a tough economy, they can really feel squeezed.
Although fleet operators are always interested in saving money, when gas prices top $4 per gallon, it’s even more critical to find ways to save money. This is when fleet managers place extra attention and focus on how their employees are driving, how routes are planned, and other ways to increase their fleet operating efficiencies. No longer can they afford to have their employees idling unnecessarily, speeding excessively, or accelerating suddenly. For example, an average of one gallon of gas is burned for every one hour of idling.
One of the best ways to see fleet cost saving results is through a GPS fleet tracking system. A GPS fleet tracking system can help fleet managers realize an immediate reduction in fuel consumption, and can produce a return on investment (ROI) in weeks. Besides helping to derail drivers excessive fuel consumption bad habits, a fleet tracking system helps to reduce unnecessary pollution.
If you’re a fleet manager and looking to reduce your gasoline consumption in lieu of the near record high gas prices, give us a call or visit our GPS Fleet Tracking page.
GPS-Enabled Food Trucks
5 Apr 2012There’s a food truck phenomenon going on, and we’re not talking about hot dogs, burgers, and fries either.
These days, food truck entrepreneurs are cooking up gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches, Korean BBQ, sweet potato fries, hand-made sandwich cookie and ice cream combo, Black Angus, organic grass-fed beef, and a host of other delectable goodies sure to raise your cholesterol level by 10 points.
While Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco may be pioneers in the gourmet food truck explosions, chefs nationwide are using their trucks to bring their high-quality creations to the masses.
Even more clever than the food they are creating are the names these mobile chefs are coming up with. Just check up some of following names of food trucks around the nation:
- Two Pitas in a Pod
- Tacos Straight from the Truck
- Asian Persuasion
- Asian Cravings
- Kogi Korean BBQ Truck
- New York on Rye
- Let’s Be Frank
- The Munchie Machine
- Casanova Fish Tacos
- Food Truck Fiesta
- Munchie Mobile
Not only are food trucks diversifying their offerings and improving the quality of their cuisine, but they are becoming more high tech. Cities such as Boston and Hoboken are requiring mobile food truck owners to purchase and install a GPS tracker on their trucks. Among other reasons, the food trucks installed with the GPS tracking device will make it easier for parking officials to keep track of the food trucks and make sure the truck operates in specified zones.
With the expected growth in the food truck business coupled with stricter city government rules regarding food trucks, we can expect to see more GPS tracking requirements for food tracks to come.
For instance, Sacramento has some food-truck owner unfriendly rules that require them to constantly move their location. A GPS tracker may help uses find their favorite “Taco Straight from the Truck” mobile food truck more easily.
Besides being able to locate your favorite food truck, perhaps an even bigger benefit of GPS-enabled trucks is: surprise and impromptu food inspections. That’s a good thing right?
So, until the GPS-enabled food trucks become more widespread, how do you find your ever moving taco? Here are a few sites offering to help you fulfill your food truck fix:
- Road Stoves (LA)
- TruxMap (LA, Austin, NY)
- Mobile Cravings (smaller cities)
- Food Truck Fiesta (DC)
- Mobi Munch (smaller cities)
- Roaming Hunger (many cities)
Time will tell is the food truck revolution is a craze, fad, or here to stay. In the meantime, enjoy your gourmet grilled cheese straight from the truck.
