This article gives a great description on GPS vehicle tracking systems and what they are used for. It discusses the types of businesses that use GPS vehicle tracking systems and also how they benefit companies that use these systems.

GPS vehicle tracking systems are a popular tool for business
owners; Original equipment manufacturers from General Motors to
Bobcat are including tracking systems in their vehicles. Here's
some background information to help you:

Businesses that use GPS vehicle tracking systems

Who uses GPS tracking? GPS tracking systems are used by
businesses in the service, transportation and manufacturing
industries. Businesses of all sizes, with fleets of 1 to
thousands of vehicles, rely upon their tracking systems to add
to their profitability.

Types of businesses using GPS tracking:

* Contractors who provide HVAC, plumbing or electrical services

* Limousine and taxi companies

* Uniform / Linen Services

* Food and Beverage Distributors

* Street Sweepers

* Pest Management Services

* Snow Plow Services

* Car Carriers

* Landscaping and Irrigation contractors

* Cable Company Contractors

* Bulk and Route Delivery

* Fuel / Oil Haulers

* Hazmat and/or Chemical Haulers

* Produce / Perishable Delivery

* Utility companies

* City, county and state motor pool fleets

What is it? GPS tracking systems consist of a device installed
in the vehicle, a central server and software for the owner to
access the information.

All GPS tracking devices use data from the U.S. Government's
constellation of Global Positioning System satellites to
determine a vehicle's location, speed and direction of travel.

The tracking device transmits data from GPS satellites overhead
to a central computer server via either a communications
satellite or, more often, via the local cellular phone network.
The vehicle data is updated every 2 - 15 minutes, depending upon
the owner's preferences and manufacturer's settings.

The central server makes the tracking data available to the
system owner through the Internet. The owner logs onto the
tracking company's secure web server and sees their vehicle data
on a map and in text form. Some tracking companies make the data
available for download, so the owner could archive it on their
own computer.

How GPS vehicle tracking systems benefit businesses

Why do they use it? Users of GPS tracking systems have many
reasons why they've installed them:

1. Tracking systems reduce vehicle costs by targeting speeding
employees, who waste fuel, cause excessive engine wear and
ultimately, drive up insurance rates.

2. Using the system's automatic mileage reminder reduces
downtime and enhances vehicle resale values by encouraging
scheduled, preventative maintenance. Your tracking system will
remind you when it's time to rotate tires, change oil or perform
other scheduled maintenance.

3. Many insurance companies offer discounts of up to 30% for
vehicles protected with tracking systems.

4. Productivity is improved by: a. documenting long lunch
hours, b. exposing unauthorized breaks, c. comparing driver
overtime requests with system reports of driver activity, d.
logging personal vehicle use after hours or on weekends.

5. GPS tracking systems improve customer service by showing you
which employee is closest to the client who just called. WOW
your customers--give them precise arrival or delivery estimates,
based upon the actual location of your vehicles at the moment
they call.

6. Your system can tell you the exact time and date each
employee reached each customer. If a customer questions when
your employee arrived or left --prove it to them.

7. Is one employee more productive than another? --Check the
data. Is it time to add a vehicle? --Use your system and there's
no more guessing.

8. Use your system to correlate overtime performed with your
employees' overtime requests. See who is putting in extra time.

9. Never make another phone call to find out where your
employees say they are.

10. Simplify asset management by displaying everything on one
computer screen. Make work easier for your dispatcher.

11. Tracking systems work without any input from the driver. No
driver logs needed.

Purchasers of GPS vehicle tracking systems say they recover
their investment in an average of six - 12 months, by both
reducing expenses and improving productivity. While some users
recoup their entire investment at one time by recovering a
stolen vehicle, most users are repaid more gradually.

About the author:
Ken Sink, owner of My Vehicle WatchDog, is a veteran with 20+
years of transportation experience, including fleet management
of over 800 vehicles. Visit http://www.MyVehicleWatchDog.Info
for more information about GPS vehicle tracking systems from
Fleet Management Solutions, Networkfleet and Sprint/Nextel.
Submit your info for a quick, no-obligation system quote.
Quantity discounts for volume purchases.

Keywords: GPS Tracking, gps tracking