How to safeguard your wealth against inflation

GPS Trackers Can Potentially Help Save Millions for Public Schools

GPS Tracking Systems Good for Public School Buses

The public school bus system in Cobb County, Georgia, has been utilizing GPS tracking systems to monitor and track its fleet of school buses. Prior to implementing the new GPS tracking technology, the county received numerous calls each day from flustered parents whose children were not picked up by the bus that day.

Whether the child overslept and missed the bus or the driver actually pass by the stop, school administrators had no way of confirming which reason it was. As a result the district paid for the additional gas, and sometimes overtime, to send a bus driver back out to pick up the child.

Since installing the GPS trackers, those so-called “courtesy runs” have been drastically reduced, as have parent complaints. And Cobb County school officials are crediting a device that’s no bigger than a cell phone.

The GPS tracking system monitors the current location of each school bus in its fleet, if and when a bus is stopping to pick up children and the speed limit. School administrators say the GPS devices provide crucial data to help create a better, safer service to and from school. However, driver advocates argue that they are an unnecessary expense, coming at a time when the school system can least afford it. They also argue that the devices are being unfairly used against the bus drivers.

“This system provides a level of safety equal to a supervisor on every bus,” said Lynn Simpson, the director of Fulton County Schools’ transportation department.

Although the GPS system costs about $600,000 a year, school officials say it saves $1.2 million annually by cutting down on gas mileage and driver overtime.

Bus GPS Fleet Tracking Provides More Than Cost-Savings

Administrators have used the GPS system to track how long bus drivers are on the road, which they say has effectively lowered overtime costs by cutting down on the timesheet exaggerations or inaccuracies that sometimes happen when they rely on drivers memories. This not only allows them to keep more accurate times on their drivers, they also provide a greater degree of accountability for both drivers and administrators.

The GPS devices also help the school system map more efficient routes. This allows drivers the ability arrive at their designated stops on time in the case of detours or accidents.

More importantly, administrators say the complaints made by parents have gone down since using the GPS tracking system.

“Now we know, for a fact, if buses are stopping on time,” said Rick Grisham, the director of Cobb’s transportation department. “Before, we were relying on bus driver and parent testimony.”

However, bus driver advocates say managers are using the data obtained from the tracking technology and using them against bus drivers, accusing them of speeding, driving recklessly, getting lost and dropping students off at school late.

“Employees don’t feel, as a whole, that the technology is being used to work together but as another tool to isolate individuals and go after them for termination,” said Mark Perez, a field representative for the Georgia Association of Educators, which advocates for bus drivers.

Perez said the costs are extraordinary at a time of state austerity cuts.

“Districts are reducing bus routes they offer to parents and reducing salary and benefits to employees to make up for the budget shortfalls,” Perez said. “And yet they’re spending a large amount of money for a new system that seems to be nice, but are they the most prudent expenditures inside the current economic situation? It’s like you would like to put in a nice deck or build a new pool but your house is upside down in mortgage. It’s not good math.”

Grisham, however, stands in full support for the new tracking system, as well as for the other tools that the administration has implemented to provide a safer, more efficient and cost-effective service for its students.

“It’s a non-stop battle to come up with ways to keep students safe,” Grisham said. “Minutes and seconds matter a lot in our business.”

Real-time GPS tracking systems, such as Tracking System Direct’s Connect GPS, can potentially help public school systems like Cobb County save millions in wasted time and fuel costs. It allows dispatchers and fleet managers the ability to monitor and track each bus in real-time from an internet-enabled computer, laptop or even a mobile device, such as a smartphone or tablet, without having to contact the drivers and asking where they are.

And with the ShareSpot® feature, parents will be able to see precisely where their buses are in real-time from the school district’s website. This is especially helpful during inclement weather conditions. Parents can track where their buses are along its route and have their children at their stops right when the bus arrives instead of having to wait around and guess.

For more information about Tracking System Direct and the companies’ real-time GPS fleet management solutions, please visit them online at:

https://www.trackingsystemdirect.com

Does your company have a good accounting professional? If not, do you understand how you can find one? If you discover the ideal accounting professional and deal with them, they can be a huge asset to your service. An accounting professional will help handle your business’s financial resources, create monetary statements for your organization, do tax preparation and far more. How precisely can an accounting professional assist your service succeed? Read on to get more information about how a good accounting professional can assist grow your business.

Keep An Eye On Financial Information

A good accounting professional will keep all your financial info organized. They’ll develop a budget for your service each year, which will consist of projected sales, expenses, and earnings. Your accounting professional will then review your organization’s financial information monthly, to make sure everything is on track. They’ll likewise keep track of all monetary deals, including payments made and received, assets acquired and sold, and charge card charges. Keeping track of this details can help you make informed business choices, use the correct amount of cash flow, and stay on top of your taxes.

For additional information please see https://www.sfb.group

Payroll Services

If you have staff members, you’ll likely require to supply them with a pay check. This can be a daunting procedure for a company owner who isn’t acquainted with payroll. An accounting professional can assist you browse the complicated world of payroll taxes. They’ll make sure employees are paid properly, consisting of any payroll taxes, reductions, and advantages. Lots of accounting professionals offer payroll services to their customers. If your accounting professional does not use payroll services, they can still assist you browse the process. They can stroll you through the right payroll tax deductions and help you avoid payroll mistakes that can be expensive.

Supply Marketing Advice

Accountants are typically trained in service and marketing principles, so they’ll have a good understanding of your business’s marketing needs. They might not be creatives, however they can help you carry out marketing techniques and provide guidance on how to enhance your marketing efforts. An accounting professional can assist you create marketing goals, establish a marketing plan, and develop a budget for marketing efforts. They can also assist with producing a marketing message and finding methods to execute your marketing plan. Some accounting professionals specialize in marketing and can offer additional marketing services, consisting of advertising, public relations, and social media marketing. If your accountant uses marketing services, ensure they have the experience and abilities to help your service prosper. If your accounting professional doesn’t provide marketing services, they can still help you select a marketing technique, strategy, and budget plan.

For more information please see

Help with Tax Preparation and Planning

An accounting professional will assist you prepare and file your business taxes each year, so you do not have to worry about making errors. They’ll likewise be able to describe any tax problems you may have, so you can take the appropriate actions to resolve them. Your accounting professional may likewise be able to help you plan for future tax payments. They’ll take a look at your company and financial info to figure out if you have sufficient capital to cover your tax payments. An accounting professional can help you make changes to your company, if needed, to make certain you have sufficient capital to cover all of your costs, consisting of taxes.

Conclusion

When you discover the best accounting professional and work with them, they can be a huge asset to your service. An accountant will help manage your company’s financial resources, create monetary statements for your organization, do tax preparation, and far more. They’ll keep track of monetary details, help you pay staff members, supply marketing suggestions, and help with tax preparation and preparation. If you do not have an accountant, or you’re not utilizing the services of an accounting professional, you’re missing out on numerous benefits they can offer.

For more information please see