According to http://www.fuelgaugereport.com/, the national average price for a gallon of gas is currently $3.37.  That makes me absolutely hate to visit the gas station.  I am guessing many of your are feeling the same way.  It's fairly easy to control your own driving and reduce your overall fuel consumption, but how do you reduce your teen's gas bill?

If you don't know where your teen is driving, it is hard to debate the impact of their driving on the family budget.  But, with GPS tracking for your teen driver, you can have instructive conversations about how excessive driving is costing the family. 

I like to joke with my daughter, who is 4, when she misbehaves, asking her if she wants me to pay for her wedding.  She looks at me a little funny, but, being the image of Cinderella herself, she eventually agrees that she wants me to pay for her wedding and she would like to follow our rules. 

Similarly, you could threaten your teen with college, a wedding, or whatever you like.  :)  Go ahead, it's fun!  And, it just might be of great benefit to your family budget. 

The key to any of this is being able to show your teen where he or she is being wasteful and then changing his or her behavior.  We have seen this with several customers.  One lady we speak to often has even taken the car away for periods of time due to driving patterns that simply weren't acceptable and were not changing.  She tells me frequently that putting our GPS Tracking System on her son's car actually saves them money.  That was never her original intent, but it has been a nice side effect. 

 I know it can feel like your are breaking the trust of your teen, but in the end, isn't it better to know the truth and make behavioral changes that might save a life or at least save some money?

Steven Van Ooyen
CTO - Track What Matters
MyTeenMatters
Track What Matters Fleet Tracking

One of the most common questions we receive when talking to customers is "Why wouldn't I just use my cell phones to track my vehicles?". This is a valid question that I completely understand. Since most people and companies already carry cell phones, there is a natural attraction.

The problems with cell phones for tracking are numerous. Of course, it depends on the needs of the customer.

First, for most companies, their assets are in the vehicle that is being tracked. Unfortunately, you cannot count on a cell phone being in a vehicle. So, if the vehicle is stolen, there is nothing in place to track it.

A second issue is cell phone battery life. It is incumbent  on the driver to keep the cell phone charged.  If all of our drivers were reliable enough to keep their phones charged, we wouldn't be talking about this!

Third, the cell phone can be undermined in the sense that it can be put in a toolbox disabling the signal.

Fourth, the cell phones do not allow you to track idling, ignition starts/stops, or allow for things like starter disabling.

The great benefits to a wired-in device are related to reliability and features.  With a wired device, you always know the device is on the job.  You also get the benefits of a having access to vehicle information.

Steven Van Ooyen
CTO - Track What Matters

Sometimes potentially tragic things are just a little comical. I think that is the case when discussing a particular school bus driver in Red Oak, Texas. You can read more about this story at http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/021108dnmetbusdriverdrink.afbf778d.html. The essence of the problem is that the driver, after dropping off a group of kids at a tennis tournament, took the school bus, went to a nearby convenience store, and purchased beer. Fortunately, the bus driver never returned to pick the kids up. A concerned parent notified authorities of the whereabouts of the school bus driver. As you can imagine, the superintendent was a little upset.

This is one of the easiest arguments for tracking school buses with GPS units that I have ever heard of! Imagine if the entire Red Oak School District bus fleet were outfitted with GPS tracking units. In such a case, every driver would know that their whereabouts are being tracked at all times. Though one might be crazy enough to still do as this guy, it is highly unlikely that they ever would. Certainly not if they intended to stay employed with the school district.

The best news, and the only reason this is comical, in this instance is that the driver never came back to drive those kids home.

Keep safe and healthy!

Steven Van Ooyen
CTO - Track What Matters

One of the most disturbing, if not the most disturbing, crimes in our society is the sexual predator. Most heinous of course is the pedophile. I've been researching the existing GPS tracking for sex offenders over the last few days and have found many disturbing and some interesting things.

The disturbing things didn't necessarily surprise me. Consider these facts taken from the Texas Association Against Sexual Assault website (http://www.taasa.org/sex_offenders/default.php).

• Registered sex offenders represent only a small portion of the actual sex offenders living in our communities. Research has shown the majority of individuals who abuse sexually will not end up in the criminal justice system.3
• Sex offenders are an extremely heterogeneous mixture and do not fit into a standard profile but fall into numerous categories, from the voyeur, exhibitionist, statutory offender, incest offender, the pedophile, the rapists, the sexual sadist, sexual murderers, to the Sexually Violent Predator (SVP).
• Persons who abuse sexually are male and female and come from all socioeconomic and racial groups. Most sex offending begins during adolescence. Typology categories should be used with extreme caution because many sex offenders crossover to different victims and can fall into multiple categories.

I am conservative in regards to most things politically, socially, and economically. I abhor the increase of government control in the taxpayer's life. I strongly support the right to bear arms for more than just hunting, and I dislike the idea of the government being able to track a citizen's movements. However, given the empirical data available with regard to sex offenders, I believe there is a place for tracking sex offenders via GPS. Do a search for "Sex offender statistics". You just might be amazed.

The interesting thing to me is the view of TAASA towards GPS tracking. On their website, the TAASA disagrees with the effectiveness of GPS as a deterrent to sexually predatorily activity. This is about the only point on which I disagree with the group. (You can find their well presented article about "Jessica's Law" at http://www.taasa.org/latest_news/jessicas_law.php.) While I understand their point that GPS tracking might give someone a false sense of security about a sexual predator's behavior, there are still positive benefits to having sex offenders tracked. For instance, even if a GPS unit does not prevent a crime as the crime could happen in a location where the offender is expected to be, the GPS records could prove that the perpetrator was at the location of the crime. This would improve the opportunity of convicting the offender. Additionally, it is quite possible that a sexual predator that preys on children he or she does not know will be deterred from frequenting locations that might be tempting such as schools, parks, and other kid-friendly locations. It could also give authorities a head start finding the victim and offender once a crime is reported.

The positives of tracking sex offenders with GPS are obvious to me. However, the sited drawback is the cost. That is an easily solved problem. MAKE THE OFFENDER PAY FOR THE MONITORING! The choice could be very simple and is given in some instances to convicted DWI offenders. 1. Go to jail. 2. Pay for monitoring. The other obstacle is that GPS can be disabled or have issues. This is true. It is not a perfect technology. However, it is possible, with the use of vehicle tracking as a secondary option, that offenders who use their cars can still be caught.

I know the problem is very complex and there is no singular solution. But, given the seriousness, the empirical data, and the opportunity to protect our children, it has to be considered.

Keep safe,

Steven Van Ooyen
CTO - Track What Matters

It was brought to my attention this week that I haven't talked much, if any, about the benefits of GPS tracking for fleets. Well, I can't argue with that. So, let me tell you a story we recently heard.

A local company installed a GPS tracking system and told their drivers about it. Of course, the drivers knew that completely disconnecting the device would send an alert to management. So, they did not dare to do that. Instead, this pair of less-than-highly-motivated employees purchased a large magnet and placed that magnet over the GPS antenna. Unfortunately for these 2 employees, their little scheme failed to disable the GPS unit and it was discovered that the pair was simply leaving the office daily and parking. I hope their card games (or whatever they did to occupy that time) were worth their pentions. Both were 4 years from getting a full retirement.

Anyone who has managed people, white collar or blue collar, knows that employees often look for ways to improve their own situation at the expense of the company. Whether it is employee theft, endless hours of solitaire on the PC, or taking a company vehicle somewhere it should not go, companies lose an unbelievable amount of money yearly do to lack of productivity and theft. One article I found states that employee theft of small businesses totals $40 billion yearly. The same article states that 30% or workers in America will steal at some time in their careers. Wow! Anyone have 3 or more employees?

I've had employees working for me consistently over the last 14 years. During that time, I have never had an employee that was free of the need for supervision. The great thing about GPS tracking is that, for the most part, it can be used for numerous legitimate reasons other than just ensuring your employees are where they say they are. With the added benefits of fuel cost reductions, route verification, mileage logging, and more, loss of morale that might arise from the installation of a GPS fleet tracking system can be completely avoided.

We would all like to think that our employees are upstanding citizens who would never steal or cheat us out of money. If that is true for you, you have beaten the odds. But, chances are, if you knew the whole truth, you might find otherwise. So, we can take our chances or take control.

Take care,

Steven Van Ooyen
CTO

Imagine having responsibility for the lives of over 3,000 students every day.  That's what the transportation superintendants of major school districts deal with every day.  School buses are on our roads every day of the week.  Whether it is the day-to-day routes or field trips, superintendants carry that responsibility along with the drivers.  As a result of crashes, close calls, and fatalities, as well as simply overlooking a student left on a bus, a number of safety restrictions have been mandated by the states and federal government. 

One item that has yet to be mandated is what we believe to be the new future of bus safety.  That is school bus tracking using GPS.  While commercial fleets track vehicles on a regular basis, schools have been slower to adopt the technology.  Cost is the first, and obvious obstacle.  But, once you get beyond that, there are few reasons to not adapt this technology.  Take into consideration the following:

1. School buses are required to remain under 50 MPH at all times.  This is for the safety of the children.  Reducing speed has long been proven to less the opportunity and result of accidents.  GPS bus tracking gives instant feedback when speed limits are exceeded.
2. Since school buses carry our most precious cargo, it is imperative to  monitor the drivers of those buses to ensure the bus is going where it should be and when it should be going there.  When talking with school administrators, we repeatedly hear stories of drivers, whether fulltime or part time, taking unapproved trips or routes in the school buses.  This not only has the opportunity to endanger the lives of the children but also leaves the school district and administrators open to legal action.  GPS bus tracking with Track What Matters solves this problem by providing accountability to the drivers.  Though some might want to catch offenders, I'd rather inhibit the bad behavior so that it never happens.
3. The school bus fleets we have spoken with are required to maintain a tight schedule and be there when expected.  GPS Tracking of buses can solve at least two problems here.  First, if a driver has a habit of tardiness or even leaving stops early, GPS Tracking with TMW would allow you to see this.  On the other hand, if a driver is doing as they should and running as required, GPS  bus tracking allows supervisors to vindicate their drivers and reason with mistaken parents.
4. Safety is the most important thing in the transportation of children.  Tracking buses with GPS and letting the drivers know about it produces driver accountability and therefore is a deterrent to  bad driving.
5. The worst case scenario I can imagine, beyond a horrific crash, is a bus of children being taken off route in a malicious way.  I sincerely hope, if this ever happens, that a GPS bus tracking unit is present on the vehicle allowing for quick location of the vehicle by the authorities. 

I usually don't "advertise" in my blogging since it is really just my opinions and the stating of facts.  But, this time I think it is worth it.  The cause of bus tracking resonates with me very deeply.  Parents put their trust in the drivers of buses daily.  But, the fact is that not every driver will always do as they should.  Our device, network, and software is designed to mitigate these risks in an economical and unobtrusive manner.   GPS bus tracking offers a wide array of benefits (I didn't even talk about the benefits for dispatch and the like) and our cost is very reasonable, especially when compared to some other systems. 

If you are an administrator, I hope you consider tracking your buses using our GPS Tracking System.  If you are a parent, you might strongly consider a discussion with your school board regarding GPS bus tracking.  I don't think you will find a great amount of resistance from those administrators who have taken on this great responsibility.

Keep them safe and well.

Steven Van Ooyen

CTO - Track What Matters

Comments? Steven Van Ooyen

November 28, 2007 - Teen Driving on YouTube

I'm constantly amazed by the monster that is YouTube.com. It's become an incredible way to mass distribute all video. So, we frequently check out what's going on in YouTube Land. Well, even teen tracking and driving safety are represented there. These short videos are interesting and some are entertaining. Make sure you check out the last one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBPeHY0UOq4&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0Myr0euHBc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAQdkFteZys
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rheoLJw8-tw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYwpuuyBGxM

Live safe and well,

Steven Van Ooyen
CTO

Comments? Steven Van Ooyen

November 6, 2007 - What to tell a teen being tracked

I've spent a lot of time over the past few month talking to parents and imagining a future conversation with my kids when they start driving about why they will be monitored. I'm not sure there is a perfect method for broaching the subject. Some of the parents I've spoken to intimated that they would avoid telling their teens about the units. Other parents are considering a more direct approach of telling them. I think the latter will prove to be the most effective for families. Here are some reasons why:

1. The Track What Matters service works best as a deterent to bad driving behavior. I had breakfast yesterday with one of my pals from high school who told me a story for the first time about him and another buddy racing each other down 635 in Dallas at speeds up to 140 mph! I asked him the question with the obvious answer, "is there any way you would have driven that fast if you knew you dad would find out?" of course his immediate answer was "never".

2. Trust is a huge thing with teens. I remember asking my parents why they didn't show me more trust. The conversation never went well when I had recently broken their trust. It is my thinking that trust might well be a benefit of the TWM system when the subject is properly approached by a savvy parent or two. Consider what breeds trust. The easy answer is the demonstration of trustworthy behavior. When it comes to driving, in the past, trust had to be given in blind faith by parents to kids that didn't have wrecks or traffic tickets to show for their poor driving habits. Or, if a teen truly was a cautious driver, they might still carry unwarranted restrictions since their parents were unable to verify the teen's good habits. Thus, when broaching the subject of tracking, a motivation to a teen (not that I am advocating giving a teen a choice) might well be that your teen could experience greater freedoms more quickly with TWM installed on his or her car accompanied by examples of good driving habits.

3. Trust is a two way street. Did you trust your parents? I can say that I did, but in so many ways, my teen years were lived in a simpler time. Back then (I am 34) they kept tabs on me by talking to the parents of my friends and attending school events. However, though it was just 16 years ago, the world is a completely different place. When I was in high school, the Internet was 9 years from starting to become mainstream. Everything done on the Internet was boring text and was of little appeal to most teens. Though we still managed to download a very long list of blonde jokes (I found these highly offensive and would never condone the practice of making fun of this upstanding group of people whether they were of natural membership or synthetically included :) ). The point here is that today, since it is easy to create community online, a great number of concerned parents are monitoring their teen's Internet activities to be able to more quickly identify problems in behavior and association. In light of recent school tragedies, and statistics, this can only be viewed as a wise practice. But how does this establish trust between teen and parent? It only does if your relationship is honest. By this I mean that you tell your teen that you are going to be monitoring his or her activities because you care for them and desire to protect them from the many negative influences that are out there today. This is the chief justification I see in teen tracking.

What about Big Brother? Well, Big Brother doesn't work at Track What Matters. Neither is TWM an agent of any governmental authority. Your privacy and safety are our chief concerns. We will never sell your personal information to an outside entity or give it to a govenrmental agency without your written concent. My slightly governmentally paranoid personality won't allow it.

So, rest assured that you can put restrictions on you teens and it will never kill them. On the other hand, had I been left to my own conscience as a guide through my teen years, I might not have survived them.

Take care,

Steven Van Ooyen
CTO

October 29 - Teen Brains

Howdy From Flower Mound, Texas:

When we first started investigating GPS tracking and its possibilities, we had an idea of the dangers teen drivers pose to themselves and to others. However, the more I've investigated, the more heartbroken I've become. Over the last 8 months, I've read hundreds of articles about teen driving accidents. The statistics just don't tell the whole story. When you read that 3,800 teens die yearly and 8,000 people die yearly as a result of teen drivers, you miss the real impact. It's not until you read the details that it really hits your heart.

On the way to the office this morning, I heard about 2 boys in Benbrook, Texas that died and the girl with them that had to be taken by air to the hospital due to a high speed wreck. In this case, the truck they were in ended up in a tree upside down. I can't help but hurt for the families that were left without their boys and the struggles ahead for the young girl.

Through more research this week, I've read multiple articles that document studies that point to a part of the brain that isn't fully developed until approximately 25. (Of course, the insurance companies have known this forever.) This is the part of the brain that processes risk and danger. I've listed some articles below that detail this. Knowing this, and my own experiences driving and being with other drivers in high school, I shouldn't be surprised by the headlines. One of my friends, who was a "good kid" was in a wreck on a two lane road at about 115 mph that easily could have killed him or the driver whose car he hit. As a good friend's mother liked to tell her, good kids can get in trouble too. It only takes one time.

This is where we feel teen vehicle tracking can make a huge difference in the fatality rates of teen drivers. When do kids misbehave? Easy answer: When they can get away with it! At least that's how I was. If I knew that my parents would see when I was driving my vehicle at high speeds, I'd definitely have reigned in my 1970 F-100. If you have the chance to improve the odds of you teen's survival, why wouldn't you?

Keep them safe. Life's short enough.

Steven Van Ooyen
CTO

Articles:

http://adtsea.iup.edu/adtsea/articles/Article.aspx?ArticleID=2273bb8c-b15f-46ff-87be-3b6e236f856b
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A52687-2005Jan31.html
http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/Health/story?id=462287

 

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