Commerce relies on fleets of vehicles to deliver goods and services either across a crowded city or through nationwide corridors. So, effective fleet management has direct bottom-line implications, such as telling a customer when a package will arrive, spacing buses for the best scheduled service, directing the nearest ambulance to an accident, or helping tankers avoid hazards.

GPS used in conjunction with communication links and computers can provide the backbone for systems tailored to applications in agriculture, mass transit, urban delivery, public safety, and vessel and vehicle tracking. So it's no surprise that police, ambulance, and fire departments are adopting systems like Nova Stars's GPS-based AVL (Automatic Vehicle Location) Manager to pinpoint both the location of the emergency and the location of the nearest response vehicle on a computer map. With this kind of clear visual picture of the situation, dispatchers can react immediately and confidently.

Chicago developed a GPS tracking system to monitor emergency vehicles through their streets, saving precious time responding to 911 calls. And on the commercial front,  taxi companies track their cabs for better profit and improved safety.