The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB,) in conjunction with the National Equipment Register (NER) is making strides to deter the theft of heavy equipment. Through better documentation, accurate equipment identification, proper reporting, increased site security, and a better understanding of the threat of theft, owners of heavy equipment can reduce the incidents of theft.

In a report issued by the NICB, the most common types of heavy equipment stolen by thieves were identified. The report was based on data that was reported by law enforcement to the National Crime Information Center (NCIC,) which is then profiled according to the state, the city, and the months the thefts occurred in, as well as the type, the manufacturer, the style, and the year the equipment was manufactured.

According to the report, in 2014, there were a total of 11,625 heavy equipment thefts that were reported to law enforcement officials. This is up by 1.2 percent, from the 11,486 thefts that were reported in 2013. Read the rest of this entry »

During the “100 Deadliest Days” study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety over the past five years, there were over 5,000 auto accident deaths where a teen was driving.  The AAA is releasing a follow-up report that confirms that distractions are the cause of 60 percent of crashes involving teen drivers. This study also shows a trend where social media use and texting are continuing to climb among teen drivers.

During the summer months teenage driver crashes increases substantially since teens tend to get behind the wheel more during this season. Also, during the “100 Deadliest Days” over the past five years:

• Each year around 1,022 people were killed in crashes where a teen was driving
• There was a 16 percent daily increase in the number of crash-related deaths that involved teen drivers between the ages of 16 through 19 as opposed to other days during the year
• Approximately 15 percent of auto accidents involved a teen attending or talking to another passenger
• Around 12 percent of crashes were a result of texting, talking or using a cell phone
• Around 11 percent of crashes were a result of looking at or attending to something that was inside the vehicle

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Over the holidays and summer vacations, having to function with a skeleton crew is not easy. Although your fleet drivers need to take some time off work, business still needs to get done. Customers want their landscaping in perfect condition or wasp nests removed before they cook out over a holiday weekend.

What they don’t want is for businesses to say they are unable to help due to being understaffed. Knowing this, how can you fill in the gaps when you have fleet drivers that need some time off this summer vacation?

Schedule Jobs Efficiently

Sure you want your fleet drivers to make their deliveries or provide their services in the most effective and quickest way possible. However, when you have to do more with less, it’s important that you focus more on efficiency.

With fleet tracking GPS software, you can find more efficient routes for each job which allows better dispatching of drivers. You can be updated in real time of job progress and let your customers know when they can expect a driver to arrive so they are prepared. All of these actions combined can amount to better efficiency and time savings. Read the rest of this entry »

The Trans Am Bike Race (TABR) is one of the most famous cycling events in the world. This self-supported race takes place each year spans a total of 4,200 miles. Starting on the Pacific coast, in Astoria Oregon, and ending on the Atlantic coast, in Yorktown, Virginia, cyclists go through a total of 10 states, traverse various types of terrain, and are exposed to the elements while making the trek.

The Trans Am Bike Race runs across the TransAmerica Bicycle Trail, which was created for the 1976 Bikecentenial event by the Adventure Cycling Association.  The first race occurred in 2014, and a total of 25 people completed it. Participants are timed from the moment they start to the time the reach the finish line, making it an individual time trial. Riders are not allowed to draft or receive assistance from anyone else, which means that they are totally dependent on themselves; they can only use what they carry with them or what the procure from businesses themselves for food, shelter, clothing, and anything else that they may need. Read the rest of this entry »

Street sweeping companies play important roles in cities large and small. Your mission is to keep streets clear of debris and the foul odors a collection of debris can leave behind. Of course, you don’t need anyone to tell you how important your role is for keeping cities and towns attractive for residents and visitors alike. What you may not know, though, is that GPS fleet tracking can help you do your job more efficiently and offer a much better overall profit for your business. These are just a few ways GPS fleet tracking can help you stay on top of things with your business.

Coordinate Street Cleaning Efforts around Peak Traffic Times

Traffic can be a real problem for street cleaning services. Not only does it clog the streets, but it also slows the street cleaners down. Scheduling street cleaning services for times of day when traffic is lowest in any given area helps to minimize the disruptions and allows drivers to maintain a better schedule.

Ensures no Coverage Gaps

It’s true that not all streets need to be cleaned as often as others. Higher traffic streets tend to collect more garbage, leaves, and other debris. This means that these higher traffic areas will need more frequent cleanings. At the same time, you don’t want lesser traveled roads to fall through gaps that could result in costly and potentially lethal flash flooding or other problems. GPS fleet scheduling software can help you to stay on top of the lower traffic areas so that they are worked into the rotation routinely in order to keep them nice and clean too. Read the rest of this entry »