| A local equipment rental company that specializes in | | | | Our local rental business contracted with a nationally |
| building and construction rental decided to use GPS | | | | known GPS tracking service provider. They also opted |
| auto tracker technology to help manage their business. | | | | to have the service company provide and install the |
| It seemed that due to the down turn in the home | | | | tracking devices in the rental equipment. You can often |
| construction industry they were seeing an increase in | | | | purchase your own tracking devices but you then will |
| equipment losses and fraud. Small backhoes and | | | | be responsible for the maintenance and replacement |
| excavating equipment were especially subject to being | | | | of any faulty tracking units. Generally when you |
| rented and not returned. In one case 6 rentals were | | | | contract for the tracking service company's equipment |
| made to an individual that used someone else's identity | | | | they will do the maintenance and repair of broken |
| to secure the transaction. The loss of equipment | | | | tracking devices as part of the contract. |
| equaled almost $200,000.00. The rental companies | | | | A business can as our local equipment rental company |
| insurance covered some of the loss but a large part | | | | has done contract for what is called geo fencing. |
| had to be absorbed by the business. In addition many | | | | Basically this feature is used to assure that equipment |
| pieces of equipment were being used inappropriately | | | | and vehicles remain in the area they are assigned to. |
| or abused. This abuse led to the early depreciation and | | | | Recently the rental company was notified that piece |
| value of the equipment by reducing its expected | | | | of equipment was beyond the area that the company |
| operational life. | | | | allows its equipment to be used. The rental agreement |
| Real Time GPS auto tracking technology can be a | | | | clearly stated that the trenching machine was only to |
| great way to keep track of vehicles, equipment and | | | | be used with in a 4 county area. The GPS tracking |
| labor resources. New technology now allows small | | | | Service Company notified the rental company that |
| GPS tracking devices to be placed or hidden on just | | | | their equipment was out of bounds. The rental |
| about any valuable resource. These devices provide | | | | company tried to contact the renter but after repeated |
| not only the location of the device but also its route of | | | | calls and no response they notified local law |
| travel, time that the unit is at rest, its speed, and in | | | | enforcement agencies. The renter was stopped on |
| many some cases provide valuable information on | | | | the interstate more than 160 miles away. After a short |
| critical mechanical functions such as engine | | | | investigation it was determined that the renter had |
| temperature, hours of operation and even fluid levels. | | | | used false identification to rent the trencher and he |
| GPS tracking devices are designed to use the GPS | | | | also was wanted on a felony warrant. The rental |
| portion of the unit to record and store geo physical | | | | company recovered their equipment undamaged due |
| data and in some case vehicle mechanical information. | | | | to the GPS auto tracking technology. |
| This information then is uploaded to a GPS service | | | | In many cases insurance companies will give |
| provider via existing cell phone or satellite phone | | | | businesses that use GPS tracking technology a |
| technology. These uploads are timed according to the | | | | discount on vehicle and equipment insurance. As you |
| needs of the business. Data uploading can be | | | | can clearly see the use of this technology may save |
| programmed by the service provider to range from 1 | | | | you money and help you manage your valuable |
| minute to once a week. In general the more frequently | | | | business resources. It does pay to carefully research |
| the data is uploaded the more the tracking service | | | | each GPS service company to assure that they meet |
| company will charge the customer. A business such | | | | your individual company needs. This technology will not |
| as an equipment rental business may only need to | | | | only save money but give you piece of mind knowing |
| upload its data once a day thereby saving money. | | | | where your valuable equipment is at all times. |