Tracker on your van/car etc?

[seaop]

Hi there,

This is my first post, im hoping to stay around here for a while, I work for a small groundworks company based in manchester and they abuse the tracker service like hell, I thought I would post my first share!

Block your vehicle tracker

I use one in our van and my dad has one in his, as a while ago we were given an official warning for using the van outside of work hours to move house, i found these babies [/url]

 

[sparkiedave]

Not being funny here, but if I had an employee who took a vehicle home at night/weekends, I would be a bit cheesed off to find they'd used it for anything other than my business without at least asking me first, I would probably say yes if asked, within reason.
Some folks seem to think employers are some sort of charity, free tool & vehicle hire service, they are not

 

[aquariusxi]

I suppose its down to whether you have personal use and being stopped the £3000 a year on you tax.

But if you have no personal use and i found one of my guys doing this they would be sacked

 

[seco services]

Block your vehicle tracker

not to obvious when they notice the tracker disappeared from the system for a few hours even if the vehicle isn't moving.

 

[1john]

Hmmm, get docked pay fot time that you didn't work and wern't on site, or get sacked..... decisions decisions.......

Surely it is easier to ask to use works equipment when you shouldn't be using it (although to be fair if you are using it for your own personal gain and doing your employer out of work, what do you expect him/her to do), and also easier to be on site when you are supposed to be?

 

[Mw Roofline]

Bear in mind the newer tracker systems will email the owner with details of downtime.

I lent a van to a fitter who used it to go all the way to Weston-Super-Mare. All he had to do was ask, he did and I said yes

 

[Diyisfun]

We have trackers, they are always going wrong, in as much as they will lose data.

 

[nickso]

i believe most trackers have a 30 day cache to prevent that sort of thing going on.

facts are if they abuse the tracker they will probably notice discrepancies in its usage and bin you anyway.

 

[westbrom]

They do work bud but they only jam the GPS signal I used to use one when i worked for a certain company just to p..s the boss off who thought he was a kin detective

They used to follow lads round trying to catch em out and they caught and sacked 3 but they could never find me...to catch me I used to turn it back on when I got to the job


they can be brought a lot cheaper as well mate

the info of usage is still cached ......

 

[crank39]

You can kiss goodbye to using a sat nav to get you about while your blocking the tracker too.

I used to work for a big company that relied on the tracker not just spy on you at night but to plan your days work. We also took the vans home because as service engineers we were on call 24-7, if you ever wanted to use the van then you just did BUT the transport manager would ring you sometime during monday to confirm with you that you will be charged 25p for every mile you did outside of work that week, this was for tax purposes. Tax man agreed not to class the vans as a company vehicle and to tax us or the company so long as the company could prove we werent using the vans for personal use thus a perk which is taxable.

So long as we paid the 25p a mile it was effectively a PAYG tax

 

[r.bartlett]

We use trackers on our 'fleet' (err 3 vans) and it has helped. I now occasionally cross check start times and end times and I must say our guy's are pretty honest. It also helps when customers call ask ask "how long will he be" and I can see where he is and reply. That always impresses and reassures the customer of our commitment.

The other side is that we occasionally get into arguments with customers about times and the tracker stops all that nonsense..

The tax is also an issue. I really don't care if the guy's use the vans over the weekend. A bit of running around isn't a problem. However if they were to use it to go to Scotland every weekend I may have to ask for some renumeration.Seems fair

This them V us is a real PITA. From a 'boss' perspective staff are like small children, sadly because they act like small children (see first post for proof) and often need to be treated like such. Trackers are a vital tool for business, this year is shaping up to be one of the worst ever known and everyone needs to do their bit.

I would hate to have someone as dodgy as the first guy'working' for me .

Still, let me be fair

"Abuse like hell"

Please expand

 

[emze30]

oh dear seaop, i really do feel for your boss!

i work for a company with over 150 vans on trackers 20 or so of these i handle, its an essential part of our system, allocating works, call outs, directing the guys in, pay is even calculated by them sometimes!

we get the same idioctic theory from the lads assuming we're 'spying' on them, they soon shut up when they're either lost, accused of not turning up when customer don't stay in for appointments and paid the additional hours THEY missed off job sheets!!

i'm on a tracker myself so i know what it feels like, and my boss is the easiest guy i know allowing usage as long as you asked, mainly for insurance reasons. aint difficult.

im guessing seaops workmanship is as good as his work ethics... k*ob

 

[ladylola]

Just a thought but what's the point of fitting a tracker to prevent or deter a theft if the crims only got to use one of these things?

 

[BingoBongo]

you probably wont be insured for using the van for personal use

 

[timtheenchanter]

anyone watch watchdog a couple of weeks ago, a guy got out of a large fine because his company fitted trackers, and could prove the vehicle wasnt where the alleged offence took place.