I am always really happy when I see old friends making good.  For years I sold GPS tracking systems from Geotab, mainly, because after years of experience with a number of other systems, I was convinced Geotab’s use of the technology was one of the best in the world.

We had many successes together but one segment of the market I was never able to “crack” was school transportation … a segment that really needed the cost savings and absolutely needed the operational and safety aspects … but was very much entrenched with suppliers who “always” served the schools market … none of whom ever offered anything as good as Geotab.

Today I came across this announcement, and I see my old colleagues at Geotab have made a great partnership.  Good on you, mates.

DALLAS–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Tyler Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: TYL) announced today that it now offers Tyler Telematic GPS™, a solution that uses Global Positioning System (GPS) technology integrated with Tyler’s School Solutions to provide insight into transportation data. The product offering will help Tyler’s student transportation clients lower fuel consumption, gain insight into driver habits and reduce maintenance costs. Tyler Telematic GPS will initially be offered to clients in the K-12 school market through Tyler’s Versatrans Solution.

“This technology represents the most significant innovation in the school transportation industry since the advent of automated routing,” said John Fahey, a Tyler Versatrans consultant and former assistant superintendent for Buffalo, N.Y. School District. “Transportation managers can rely on Tyler Telematic GPS to provide significant cost savings by allowing real-time monitoring of vehicle information and driver behavior. This product really taps into the return on investment GPS technology provides when used to its fullest capabilities.”

In addition to position information provided by traditional GPS devices, Tyler Telematic GPS provides insight into vehicle data and driver behavior. Information collected from On-Board Diagnostic monitoring can include engine faults, low battery voltage, engine idling, oil pressure, harsh braking, and other warnings and alerts. Proactively managing these items helps fleet managers save money, reduce driver related incidents, and decrease their environmental footprint.

This new offering leverages Tyler’s Versatrans Onscreen and Powercheck software with GPS hardware through Geotab. Tyler’s Versatrans Onscreen is real-time GPS fleet tracking and management software, while Powercheck creates driver and vehicle profiles, and engine diagnostic reports. Geotab has more than 100,000 similar units already deployed.

Geotab Chief Executive Officer Neil Cawse said, “Combining Tyler’s Versatrans Solution with our leading Telematic’s technology, creates a solution that gives customers the tools and data they need to improve efficiencies, reduce waste and build service levels, making very real improvements to business.”

And to any school district decision-makers reading this … or any parents who care about their children’s safety, better take note.  This is the train to be on, believe me (and remember, I don’t sell anything here … I just assure you that you need to be on the train or be sorry you missed it.

Let’s get together on this stuff, shall we folks? Congress can pass bailout legislation and top level issues like that, but are you depending on them to tell you how to execute your own jobs and do what is needed in today’s world? What happened to American ingenuity and self-reliance? Look at this idiotic article. The MTA contradicts themselves within three paragraphs of each other.

You are a transit authority. Your job is … or should be … to get people on buses. Business is up, and up sharply. So in response do you expand and take advantage of the new business or do you respond to ‘good news’ for your business by cutting back? I can’t get my head around this…..

MTA to cut commuter bus routes
The Maryland Transit Administration is proposing to eliminate six commuter bus routes, reduce the number of rides on others and cut back on its increasingly popular MARC train service as a result of severe revenue shortfalls, the O’Malley administration announced yesterday…..

Commuter bus lines have been among the fastest-growing forms of transit use as long-distance commuters have left their cars in park-and-ride lots to save on expensive gasoline and parking. MARC train service, including that on two lines linking Baltimore and Washington, has also attracted a growing number of riders in recent years…

Now in contrast, what could the Maryland Transit Administration be doing? Isn’t this the time to be looking at ways of getting people on busses rather than forcing them off?

Transit authority bus routes expand, free Saturday rides planned
Friday, October 17, 2008
Southeast Missourian

Cape Girardeau County Transit Authority is expanding its bus route and 30-minute service.

The Cape Girardeau County Transit Authority will debut an expanded bus route and 30-minute service Oct. 27. Tom Mogelnicki, the transit authority’s executive director, unveiled the plan during the board of directors quarterly meeting Thursday….

As I have said before, it seems as if more and more transit authorities are interested in decreasing ridership and profit and putting themselves out of business. Is this the smart way to operate, especially considering today’s global economy?

Mega-kudos to Cape Girardeau … they ‘have the bubble’.