Officials hope a new GPS system for township trucks will increase fuel savings and safety.
Independence Township Board voted for a three-year contract with Fleetmatics, Nov. 18, to equip township vehicles with the fleet-tracking system.
Township Treasurer Paul Brown said Fleetmatics is a reputable company that oversees numerous large fleets.
‘They are a big company with the right experience,? Brown said.
He added Fleetmatics’ bid was not the lowest, but paying less does not ensure the best company to provide quality service.
The cost for the system is $38 a month each for up to 63 township vehicles ? up to $2,457 a month. Some vehicles in the fleet may not be equipped with the service depending on input of department heads.
Brown estimated about $1,235 a month in savings after expenses, mostly in fuel and hourly labor. He said projected savings are a conservative figure and he believes fuel savings will be greater than projected.
The Global Positioning System uses 27 satellites transmiting information about vehicles every 90 seconds to receivers around the world.
They provide real-time snapshots of location, mileage, speed, and other information about each vehicle in a fleet. Management can also customize reports for particular vehicles.
Brown said statistics show employees driving vehicles with systems installed are more efficient, and do a better job getting where they need to be when the system is installed.
After systems are installed, each department head will be able to retrieve information on each vehicle. Information on aggressive driving, like speeding or braking hard, will also be available.
Convenience for certain services, like senior center busing, will increase because exact arrival times, which are now estimated, can be calculated almost exactly, Brown said.
Insurance costs may also decrease because installing the system helps lowers liabilities and accident risks, he said.
‘That alone is a good reason to put them in,? he said.
Trustee David Lohmeier was curious about how employees may feel about implementing the plan to install the system.
‘We don’t want to be a watchdog,? he said. ‘We want to give our employees tools and change harmful behaviors. It’s safer for employees and safer for residents.?
Notification about driving monitored vehicles will be disclosed in employee handbooks. If certain rules and policies are violated, the employee may face consequences, Brown said.
Details like who has access to information on each vehicle is another detail that must still be worked out, he said.
Lohmeier said major companies continue to invest in fleet systems for their fleets too.
Every three years, each vehicle in the program will get a new system.