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Bosses Keep Sharp Eye on Mobile Workers
camusflage writes "AP is running a story on the penetration of GPS devices and monitoring of fleet operations. Such technology is hitting the mainstream, with UPS distributing 100,000 GPS-enabled handhelds 'to alert them when they're at the wrong address.' One driver is quoted saying, 'It's kind of like Big Brother is watching a little bit. But it's where we're heading in this society.' Needless to say, the Teamsters weigh in on the negative side on the whole thing."
We've been tracking our field staff using Airlink CDMA PinPoint modems. Not only does it provide our field staff with cellular-based internet access for our web-based field applications, but it also provides us with GPS coordinates of the device every 5 seconds. It also came in handy when one of our trucks was stolen a while back, it was easy to track it and find it. We just cant wait 'til they upgrade the modems from 1xRTT to 1xEVDO. 200kbit/s wireless access!
The Doormat
If you're not outraged, then you're not paying attention.
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This is definitely an anomolous situation, but I bet it'll only add to my problems in the future.
My addresss is almost impossible to find. Physically, it's nestled back in some woods and looks somewhat like the entrance to the (Adam West/Burt Ward) Batcave. The problem is that it's also next to an expensive club that wanted a more exclusive address and was able to get the short extension of road we sit on changed to the exact name of a more expensive road nearby. This was an insane political maneuver, but money talks and they wanted an address that sounded exclusive rather than redneck.
All of the locals and long time residents can find my address if I tell them the "wrong" address. Map readers or locals who are told the "correct" address won't find it because they go to an address on the other road that's slightly transposed numerically from my house number.
The utility men use long time residents to read my meters but if I go into an office to pay my bill and ask them to look up my address I have to be prepared to wait for 30 minutes of tellers asking managers for help in finding the information.
While I can see why a manager would want to have full control and knowledge over a delivery person, I bet this will have a detrimental effect on getting my packages delivered. I already tell people to avoid sending me things via FedEx since they repeatedly can not find any address I give them. I'll send a few packages by UPS after this policy goes into effect and see if I need to add UPS to my "DO NOT SHIP" list.
naeem
It's not just one U.S. trucking firm. Nearly all I've run into and worked for do it using a system from Qualcomm. JB Hunt, Werner, Swift, C.R. England and Schneider to my knowledge do it. It doesn't cause grousing for a couple reasons.
-- In the event of mechanical trouble, the trucker can be located even easier.
-- The system itself allows realtime communication with the dispatcher and other groups within the company. In some cases, it even allows truck to truck communication.
-- The GPS allows the driver to request directions to a destination from their current location.
-- The fuel information can help an Owner Operator save money.
-- The usage tracking can be useful in proving that a driver was operating legally in case of accident or other violation. This is a biggie.
I think it just ended up that the good outweighed the bad. I know it doesn't really bother me, after all, I'm on my employer's dollar anyway. Granted, I don't get paid hourly anyway (per stop and mile instead), so it doesn't make a huge difference unless I'm late to an appointment...
I sing the doggie electric!