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2016 Section 179 Expiring Soon – Act Now to Save!

As the year is quickly coming to an end it is time to think about how your taxes will be affected for the year.  One thing many businesses consider is purchasing new equipment.

If you are considering acquiring equipment in the near future or are a supplier looking to save your customers money, Section 179 impacts you!

As part of the IRS Tax Code, Section 179 allows businesses to deduct the full purchase price of certain assets financed or leased and put into service during the tax year. Accelerating depreciation rather than spreading the deduction over the item’s useful life provides a larger tax deduction come tax time. With a $500,000 maximum deduction available, you could keep a lot more money in your pocket.

Additionally, since Section 179 covers new and used equipment or software, you can get the equipment you need now, take the full tax benefit now, and spread your expense over a multi-year financing term, thus significantly reducing your true cost of ownership.

Equipment could be things like new vans or trucks, tools, heavy duty equipment and even a GPS tracking system to help manage your business.

It is important to contact your tax advisor before making a purchase to make sure you qualify and what impact a substantial purchase would have on your taxes.

For more details go to the following website:

http://www.section179.org/

 

Overcoming Resistance to New Policies and Technology.

Anytime managers or owners implement new policies there is bound to be resistance from some employees.  This is no more evident when a company implements GPS tracking and telematics to their fleet.  Learning how to implement vehicle monitoring systems in a positive way can help managers avoid pushback from drivers.

Known Benefits of Telematics Push Fleet Managers to Implement Systems

It’s the benefits of telematics and GPS technology that often pushes fleet managers to add systems in spite of resistance. Outside of the obvious benefit of GPS technology, one of the most important benefits is monitoring driver behavior. Not only does this improve fuel efficiency, but it also provides proof against false claims made against drivers involved in crashes.

Strategies to Reduce Resistance

Fleet managers are quick to see the benefits of telematics, but drivers don’t always respond positively to these systems. In one study published  , nearly 43 percent of fleet managers surveyed stated they had a “significant amount” of resistance when implementing telematics systems into their fleets, with another 35.7 percent reporting at least a “little” resistance. In other words, the majority of fleets surveyed had resistance of some sort.

So what can a fleet manager do to implement this valuable system without this resistance? While avoiding all resistance may not be possible, it can be limited with the right approach when implementing telematics, electronic tracking technology, or other vehicle monitoring systems.

Having a policy that clearly states the purpose and use of the system or technology as well as driver responsibility can help communicate the company’s expectations better. The company/agency should have each potential driver acknowledge that they have no expectation of privacy regarding the information gathered through the use of this technology.  The City of Napa circulates a policy to all their potential drivers to inform them of the purpose and use of the technology. The policy also addresses tampering with the hardware.

Using the system as a positive as well as a negative can also help. Using the system to reward drivers who had the least number of offenses, and posting the weekly driver report in a common area, helps create a positive peer pressure about driver safety and fuel efficiency. This created changes without much intervention from management.

Today’s drivers have a lot to keep track of, and any tool that helps them do so more safely is welcome once it is understood.  Once drivers realize that the systems are going to improve overall safety, while also potentially earning them rewards for positive behaviors, they are often more willing to embrace telematics.

In the end, the approach needs to be one of coaching, not reprimanding. While there is often some driver turnover when implementing a system, the end result, which is more efficient and attentive drivers, creates a positive environment for all members of the fleet.

 

Robert Drucker, Owner of Boston Global Tracking, often writes about issues facing owners and managers with fleets of vehicles.  His expertise is highly regarded in the industry and provides his insight and knowledge to help business owners better manage their fleet.

 

MECA 2012 Tradeshow and Annual Meeting

Please join Boston Global Tracking at the MECA 2012 Tradeshow and Annual Meeting.

Location:    Lombardo’s
6 Billings Street
Randolph
Date:    Thursday, November 15, 2012
Time:    Tradeshow – 2:00-7:00 PM
Annual Meeting & Dinner – 7:00 PM

If you are one of over 34,000 licensed electricians in Massachusetts, come join us for our Trade Show!

  • Free Informative Seminars
  • The latest products in the electrical industry
  • Meet with some of the largest manufacturers and distributors in the country
  • Raffle and Door Prizes all day
  • Free Popcorn and Hot Dogs
  • Food
  • So much more . . .

New Study Verifies Value of GPS Fleet Tracking

Research Verifies GPS Fleet Tracking Services Value

The Aberdeen Group, one of America’s most trusted names in business intelligence, has been researching the mobile service business market as to what are the external market conditions that are driving organizations with mobile workforces to adopt GPS Fleet Tracking technology as a means to increase profitability.

The information compiled here provides a synopsis of four recent Aberdeen Group studies. These findings present a compelling argument for the value of real-time, GPS fleet tracking in terms of being able to reduce key operating costs, improve on vehicle and operator performance and increase customer satisfaction.

Key facts from the Aberdeen Group studies:

A majority of leading service companies are using fleet management solutions to realize benefits such as a 12.2% increase in service profitability, 14.8% reduction in average travel time per job, 9.9% decrease in overtime pay and 27.9% increase in operator compliance.

• Firms have reduced overall operating expenses an average of $1,100 per vehicle per year.
• Since leveraging location intelligence, firms have seen a 13.2% reduction in fuel costs and a 13.4% reduction in overtime costs, on average.
• Customer demand for faster service call resolution along with increasing service-related costs are the leading factors driving field service
firms to implement GPS fleet tracking services.
• Firms using GPS fleet tracking services are outperforming their peers by 43% in terms of current workforce utilization.
• Firms using GPS fleet tracking services are two times as successful as all others in meeting service response windows.

Savings from reduction in operating costs alone justify ROI

57% of best-in-class companies reduced their operating costs per vehicle by an average of 10.4%. The survey revealed that the average operating costs per mile was 33 cents and the average miles driven per year were 33,243. Based on this information, the annual savings from reduction in operating costs alone can amount to $1,100 per vehicle.

The bottom line

Investing in GPS tracking is no longer a matter of “if ” for businesses with mobile workforces, but “when.” Aberdeen Group’s research confirms that in the face of economic and market-driven pressures to cut costs, service organizations are increasingly turning to GPS fleet tracking technologies to improve their vehicle tracking, routing, and  maintenance management. These firms are recognizing the potential of these services not only to cut costs, but also to increase vehicle utilization rates, service delivery performance and customer satisfaction.

Boston Global Tracking is the premier GPS tracking provider in Eastern Massachusetts with over 15 years of GPS tracking experience. Our mission is to provide the best service with the best most accurate tracking system on the market today.  Take advantage of the 2 week  free trial offer to see for yourself what GPS fleet tracking can do for your business.