Equipment theft is a big problem for businesses today. Commercial equipment is an attractive target because it is often left unattended overnight on job sites. All thieves need to do is drive onto the site after hours and load the equipment on a truck and drive off. Then they make big profits by selling the equipment as used equipment, selling it for parts, or shipping it illegally to other countries.

You do not need to let this sad tale happen to your business though. There are actions you can take to reduce your attractiveness as a target and aid in the recovery of stolen commercial equipment, like those mentioned below.

Improve After-Hour Lighting on Work Sites

Thieves do not want to be easily identified. Brightly lit worksites increase the odds that they will not only be caught in the act by passersby, but also that they will be easily recognizable if there are cameras or in police lineups if there are witnesses. Read the rest of this entry »

Researchers use GPS tracking devices to discover the unique personalities and social networks of dogs.

The intent of the study conducted by Mate Nagy, a zoologist from the University of Oxford, was to find out if dogs have groups of social hierarchies and social networks similar to other animals, such as wolves. This has long since been a debated topic with those interested in animal psychology.

Not only is it interesting for researchers of animals who have a passion for studying dog behavior in particular, but for pet owners to know more about how dogs function with others.

Wolves are well known for traveling in packs, where they have social statuses, in that one or two wolves are ahead of the pack, while the others fall behind. By traveling in packs, they are more protected. Read the rest of this entry »

The FMCSA, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, rules for Hours of Service, usually referred to as HOS, are making a major impact on the trucking industry. The rules are aimed at reducing driver fatigue and the accidents it causes.

What the Rules Require

The HOS rules limit drivers to a 70-hour work week in an effort to make sure they get sufficient rest to drive safely. Studies done by the FMCSA predicted the new rules will save 19 lives and prevent 640 injuries due to 1,400 crashes each year.

Drivers can’t resume their work week after the 70 hours are up unless they take off for 34 consecutive hours. In addition, each driver must take a break at least 30 minutes long within the first eight hours of his work day and not work

The penalties for trucking companies who don’t comply are stiff:

Trucking companies can be fined $11,000 per offense

Drivers can be fined $2,750 for each offense Read the rest of this entry »

Car robberies in broad daylight are angering Odessa, Texas residents. Their response has been to install GPS tracking devices in their cars. Police are happy because it makes it easier for them to find the cars and make arrests.

The GPS tracking device is not itself an anti-theft solution, but it helps after the car is taken. Vehicles that are stolen and don’t have GPS units are extremely difficult for the police to locate.

Many of the robberies have occurred on the weekends, five and six each weekend, according to police. For an area that isn’t a metropolis, that’s a lot of thefts.

Vehicle Recovery Systems

Several automakers have started installing them on vehicles, like GM’s OnStar. This system will actually slow the car down if the thief tries to lead police on a chase. Other models that have factory installed theft tracking include BMS Assist, Toyota Safety Connect, Lexus Enform and Mercedes-Benz TeleAid. Read the rest of this entry »

You don’t get paid until you bill the customer. Anything that speeds up the billing process is going to improve your company’s cash flow. GPS fleet tracking is helping speed up the billing process by improving job documentation and making calculating and reporting faster.

Here is a look at how GPS fleet management systems can help you get your money more quickly.

Simplify Billing

Record keeping is time consuming and tedious. Without these records, invoices are only guesses, not based on what happened during the actual job. That’s why so many companies have come to rely on GPS. It simplifies record keeping and calculating invoices.

With the statistics provided automatically by your GPS tracking system, you get more accurate reports. These detailed records let you determine how much to invoice each customer.

The necessary statistics are recorded automatically, making billing almost effortless. There is no more math to cross check or invoices to be rewritten. Read the rest of this entry »