GPS tracking is showing up everywhere these days – including an action-packed railroad flick starring Liam Neeson. “The Commuter” promises theater audiences a suspense-filled ride as mystery woman, Joanna, makes dangles an attractive character in front of cash-strapped family man, Michael MacCauley, played by Neeson.

It was the perfect storm of events for MacCauley who had just become the victim of corporate downsizing and was facing a long ride home aboard the same commuter train he had taken for 10 years.

The carrot?

Neeson is tasked with planting a GPS tracking device on one of the passengers, one who doesn’t belong, on his commuter train before it makes his final stop for the day. The payoff for doing so is $100,000. There is an envelope with $25,000 cash in the train’s bathroom to serve as a down payment. If he takes the cash, he is agreeing to do the job.

The problem?

Of course, there’s a problem, it wouldn’t be a great Liam Neeson film otherwise, right? Well, the task isn’t quite as straightforward as promised.

While the task is as much physical as psychological with Neeson taking a few punches and landing a few of his own, the taskmaster disappears from sight and threatens MacCauley’s while sending electronic messages and threats should all not go as planned.

In fact, (spoiler alert),  it ends up with MacCauley being framed for all the carnage that takes place on the train and a train wreck of a climax (no pun intended).

For people who take films seriously and want a compelling story and in-depth plot, this may not be the best fit for you. However, if you’re one who prefers plot lines thin and action heavy, then you’ll love the fact that this movie has more twists and turns than should be possible on a commuter train from New York.

Fortunately, GPS trakcing is there to save the day if anything goes wrong. While many would argue that Liam Neeson is a big name and a huge draw for this film, others might state that Joanna’s shoes stole the show – despite their oh-so-brief appearance. Perhaps they should have garnered a little GPS tracking love, so every woman can have a pair for herself.

This technology can be used to track a variety of people: from GPS tracking for teen drivers to GPS tracking dementia patients, and even GPS tracking for children who have certain illnesses and tendencies to wander. Fortunately, most GPS tracking situations don’t come with the degree of violence witnessed in “The Commuter.”-

Fleet vehicles are on the road in a variety of weather conditions. They are expected to perform exemplary no matter what Mother Nature has in store. However, cold temperatures can take its toll on your fleet vehicle batteries. If you don’t watch closely, it could leave your drivers frozen and out of sorts when winter’s fury flies full force.

How Does Weather Affect Vehicle Batteries?

The thing about batteries is that they are vulnerable to extreme temperatures: hot or cold. Heat accelerates the chemical process batteries go through, but also speeds up corrosion within the battery. This results in a shorter battery life.

Cold, on the other hand, slows things down. Many people experience what you might refer to as a sluggish batter during the winter months. In some cases, the temperatures may be sufficiently cold that the battery will be unable to start your vehicles. One fact many people do not know is that it is possible for the water inside the battery to freeze. This does a wide range of damage to your battery’s internal structure and ability to operate. When this happens, batteries must be replaced.

What Can You do to Prevent Cold-Weather Related Battery Issues in Fleet Vehicles?

Since Mother Nature has a mind of her own and you can’t always plan ahead for whatever cold her whims may send your way, there are things you can do to protect the batteries in your fleet vehicles to make them less susceptible to freezing when the temperatures drop, like these:

• Maintain your batteries properly. Excess dirt and corrosion can cause the power in your batteries to drain faster making them less effective in colder conditions. Keep them clean and clear of debris. Make this part of the daily routine for drivers so it becomes a habit.
• Buy batteries with appropriate cold cranking amperage (CCA). This number indicates how well a battery is able to deliver currents in temperatures up to -18 degrees C without diminished performance. The higher the rating, the better for your batteries if your vehicles operate in cooler climates.
• Use a GPS fleet tracking system that offers low vehicle battery alerts. These alerts can notify you of potential problems before they become major headaches for your drivers and your schedule.

The last thing you want is to deal with drivers left out in the cold this winter. Keeping your batteries in good working order throughout the winter can be essential for avoiding this situation.

Snowmobiling is a fun pastime for many visitors to Boulder Mountain in Utah. One wrong turn, though resulted in a harrowing experience for two young men who were forced to spend a night in frigid temperatures after becoming lost and short on fuel.

The young men were carrying avalanche gear with them when their snowmobile became bogged down in a gully, but they did not have sat phones or personal GPS tracking devices with them. A mistake that could have proven fatal had they not been resourceful and stuck together during their experience on the mountain.

As daylight was fading, the two young men decided to focus their final hours of light building a shelter where they could hunker down for the night. When they didn’t return Saturday evening, it triggered an alert that had people combing the mountainside in search of them.

It was their footprints in the snow that alerted rescue helicopters to their presence and quick thinking on their part that had them shooting flares to help rescuers zero in on their location for a fast rescue Sunday.

When they were found the men were cold and wet, and beginning to feel more than a little panic that they would not make it home.

Today, the men are grateful to rescuers and happy to be alive, warm, and with their families who shed plenty of happy tears upon their return.

Gary Vanos of Revelstoke Search and Rescue credits the fact that the young men stuck together for their survival, stating how important that was in their efforts to remain safe throughout the ordeal.

Other things snowmobilers can do to avoid similar harrowing ordeals is to always ride prepared with GPS tracking, satellite phones, and find safety in numbers. The more people in a group, the better the odds of a rescue if something happens to one of the units.

With the right kind of GPS tracking units, snowmobilers can not only send out signals alerting others to their plights, but also receive directions to help them find their way home if their snowmobile becomes disabled.

Fortunately, for these young men, quick thinking and sticking together kept them safe and alive in a situation where the wrong moves could have resulted in a much sadder outcome.