GPS Navigation Systems were created in the early 1970’s by the U.S. Department of Defense for military purposes. Since then, GPS Systems have come a long way. In the past, GPS systems were expensive and difficult to use. Many people often preferred to use a paper map and hand written driving directions. But now times have changes. Modern vehicle GPS systems are easy to use, very affordable and give accurate turn-by-turn directions to drivers through computerized speech. All consumers have to do is make sure the GPS devices are charged and ready to go.
How does a GPS System work?
GPS technology uses 24 orbiting satellites with very accurate clocks. The timing between your GPS receiver and at least three different satellites allows a distance to be measure. Then by using triangulation and distance mathematics, your location can be determined.
A GPS System can do more than just give directions: As with most technologies, the hardware has gotten smaller and better. Today GPS systems can be installed in a multitude of places. Most cell phones now have a GPS receiver built in, and even there are even GPS watches too. GPS can be used to track wildlife, pets, stolen vehicles, fleet delivery trucks and even your children! Modern GPS systems not only give you turn-by-turn directions, it can also include features such as hands-free calling, MP-3 music, Blue-tooth, 3-D street level mapping, real time traffic reports, touch screens, FM transmitters, fuel pricing and weather reports.
Optimizing your driving route with a vehicle GPS system will not only prevent you from getting lost but it will also reduce your gas expense and reduce your carbon footprint. It may not seem like a lot day to day, but over the course of a year it really adds up. The average U.S. driver using a GPS system with real-time traffic updates is able to cut nearly 4 days off of their annual commute as well as decrease their carbon footprint (vehicle CO2 and greenhouse gas emissions) by over 21%.
Garmin GPS Systems are the best and they are known for their bright screens and simple menus. One of the best Garmin consumer GPS tracking system features is the “find closest gas station” option. It definitely comes in handy when you are in the middle of nowhere and are running dangerously low on gas. If you are hiker, you can take a portable some GPS devices with you, because when you are ready to turn around and head back to the car there is a function called “bread crumb trail”. This feature shows you exactly the route you just walked and will lead you right back on the same exact trail.
Managing mobile employees is never easy. How do you know where they are or if they are taking long lunch breaks or are going to be late for their next appointment? With a good GPS System such as FieldLogix, tracking mobile employees has never been easier. Not only can you make sure they are working but you can help them save time by avoiding accidents or traffic. Or you can help them see more customers in a day by optimizing their driving routes which is usually a win-win for everyone – customers, managers and employees alike.
Fleet management is certainly a challenging task, regardless of how many vehicles you have in your fleet. Fleet management GPS systems such as FieldLogix can help fleet managers to cut costs, increase productivity and also go green.