Law Enforecement | Asset Tracking | Personal Tracking | Fleet Management

Lightning GPS is built around global positioning system (GPS), wireless data, and Internet technologies with a feature-rich automated vehicle location (AVL) system as the core application. The AVL tracking system consists of a GPS reciever inside the vehicle and a communications link between the vehicle and the control Center. The communication is a cellular network similar to the one used by your cellular phone.

About GPS Technology

The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a satellite-based navigation system made up of a network of 24 satellites placed into orbit by the U.S. Department of Defense. GPS was originally intended for military applications, but in the 1980s, the government made the system available for civilian use. GPS works in any weather conditions, anywhere in the world, 24 hours a day. There are no subscription fees or setup charges to use GPS.

GPS satellites circle the earth twice daily and transmit signal information. GPS recievers use the information to calculate the user's location by the method of triangulation. Basically, the GPS reciever compares the time a signal was transmitted by a satellite with the time it was recieved. The time difference tells the GPS reciever how far away the satellite is. The reciever must locked on to the signal of at least three satellites to calculate a 2-D position, the latitiudinal and longitudinal position, and track movement. Using four or more satellites, the reciever can determine the user's 3-D position, the latitiude, longitude, and altitude. Once the position has been determined, the GPS unit can calculate other information such as speed, track, trip distance, bearing and more.

Practical Applications

1) Performance Monitoring

Routing can be altered to fit more jobs into a given workday, which will satisfy more customers - without GPS you wouldn't know you had the oppurtunity. Customers want to know when to expect a delivery, and real-time tracking allows you to give them precise and accurate information

2) Schedule Adherence

With a GPS tracking system system you will always be able to know where your assets are. You will be able to track vehicle start and stop times, and this data can be compared to time sheet information to verify work is being done for billed hours.

3) Safety and Security

In the event of an emergency, an accident, a vehicle theft, or a medical problem, knowing the precise location of your vehicle is critical. Customers get peace of mind knowing their cargo is being tracked. Stolen vehicles and merchandise will be easier to find and recover because a GPS system will be able to alert authorities (and you) to their exact location.

4) Improved Communication

Knowing the location of your workforce at all times can facilitate communication. Lost drivers will be able to get immediate directions from the dispatcher. This will then have a direct impact on the customer wait time - it will decrease it significantly.

5) Increased Productivity/Financial Savings

With the rising gas prices, the fuel consumption of a business can make a big difference on monthly budgets. Make sure your fuel is being used efficiently and by you for your business, not by your employees running personal errands. Also, the cost of tracking your valuable cargo is insignificant compared to the increased insurance and replacement costs you will undergo in the event of misplaced or lost cargo.

The Next Step

The type of GPS tracking device you would purchase obviously depends upon your GPS needs. Whether you need to track a fleet, a car, cargo, belongings, a person, or a teen GPS trackers are made with a particular consumer in mind. Please select the category in which you are most interested: