Re: GPS in cars increasing in use
- From: Larry Gross <gross.larry@xxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 17 Nov 2007 14:43:31 -0800 (PST)
On Nov 17, 9:18 am, John Lansford <jlnsf...@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20071115/D8SU9CCO1.html?45
"GPS tracking devices installed on government-issue vehicles are
helping communities around the country reduce waste and abuse, in part
by catching employees shopping, working out at the gym or otherwise
loafing while on the clock.
The use of GPS has led to firings, stoking complaints from employees
and unions that the devices are intrusive, Big Brother technology. But
city officials say that monitoring employees' movements has deterred
abuses, saving the taxpayers money in gasoline and lost productivity."
...
"It's growing by leaps and bounds," said Chris Ransom of Networkcar,
one of the country's leading providers of GPS systems. "I'd say we're
seeing double-digit growth among the municipalities, whether it's
statewide or down to the local county."
----------------------------------------------------------------
So, to those who think this isn't the way that highway taxes will
eventually be collected, I suggest you think again. It always starts
with the public vehicles and gradually spreads to the private sector.
Perhaps initially there will be a lower rate for those who install GPS
in their vehicles vs an odometer tax, or a rebate for some of their
gas tax money paid at the pump. Then all new cars will be required to
have them. Eventually all vehicles will have them and revenue
collection will be based on your mileage (and destination) that you
travelled.
It will come; certainly faster than putting tolls on uncontrolled
surface roads, for sure.
John Lansford, PE
--
John's Shop of Woodhttp://wood.jlansford.net/
well as long as GPS units are portable and can be moved.. or
removed... I don't think that idea is going to fly.
and I would also agree that tolls on uncontrolled surface streets
MIGHT not be feasible but there ARE cordon tolls in effect in Europe
and so it would be physically possible to toll some kinds of surface
streets - in a similar way.
New cars could have odometers that "broadcast" (active or passive
RFID)... but that alone won't do it because you'd need the VIN and/or
the license tags to also do it... and then how would you handle out-of-
state travel?
It's a whole lot simpler to do tolls... in many respects and I would
admit that a sales tax (or indexed) gasoline would be the simplest but
the problem with that is that as gasoline gets more expensive... from
both increased oil prices AND taxes, it ends up encouraging people to
find strategies to reduce the amount of gasoline they buy...
ergo...reduce the taxes they pay.
I wouldn't rule out a mileage tax... 5 or 10 years from now.. but it
will take manufacturer changes in autos, new "mileage" sensors/
receivers and new Federal/State laws... to do this... and I don't know
about you guys but government is not generally known for moving
quickly... even when everyone wants them to.
.
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