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Business Journals
07-07-2025
- Automotive
- Business Journals
The future of fleet management: Inside Verizon Connect's safety transformation
Peter Mitchell, general manager of Verizon Connect, still remembers one of the company's first customers: a small business run by a husband-and-wife team, with a fleet of just 10 vehicles. The business had signed up for Verizon Connect's fleet management system, a brand new offering at the time. Within days, the business saw a 10% improvement in efficiency — the equivalent, the owners said, of getting a new truck and driver for free. And that was just the beginning: Over time, the company went on to improve its efficiency by 45%. For Mitchell, that early customer experience speaks to the impact Verizon Connect has in helping businesses implement and streamline their fleet operations to boost efficiency and deliver measurable results. 'Small and medium-sized businesses, like that first customer, are creating jobs and serving their communities, and we help them be even better,' Mitchell said. Technologies that meet a 'defined need' The use of fleet management technology has increased exponentially since then. According to the 2025 Verizon Connect Fleet Trends Report, more than 80% of fleet professionals now use at least one form of fleet tech. With rising operational costs remaining a top concern (cited by 77% of respondents for the fifth year in a row), technology is proving to be a viable solution. Among the available technologies, GPS tracking is the most widely used, with 69% of fleets across industries having implemented it into their daily operations. Of those, nearly half have achieved a positive ROI in less than a year, and 57% cited improved driver safety as a key benefit. In addition, over a quarter reported that GPS fleet tracking helps identify opportunities for electric vehicle (EV) integration. St. Johns County Public Works in northeast Florida is one example of the power of GPS tracking in action. The department manages a fleet of over 1,000 vehicles and was using a tedious, manual process to track them — an approach that wasted resources and prevented timely response. Recognizing these limitations, the department went in search of an innovative solution and opted to implement GPS fleet tracking software through Verizon Connect. The results of this upgrade include improved resource allocation, accountability and transparency, as well as strengthened relationships between departments, said Rocky Agbunag, information systems officer for St. Johns County Public Works. 'Resource allocation is a huge advantage of using this system. The fleet maintenance team is providing information about the various departments' vehicles and their operation of their fleet," Agbunag said. The technology has also proven valuable in communicating with communities during severe weather events. "We're able to say, 'Hey, this crew is moving along your neighborhood,' or 'This crew is going to be in your subdivision next,'" Agbundag said. Leading through continuous innovation Verizon Connect has introduced new tools aimed at improving fleet safety and compliance, including Extended View Cameras to enhance driver visibility and performance, and Driver Vehicle Inspection Report (DVIR) to streamline compliance and maintenance needs. Extended View Cameras provide near-360-degree visibility through four additional cameras and an in-cab monitor, giving fleet managers and drivers a clearer view of their surroundings. This enhanced visibility not only improves situational awareness but also encourages safer driving behaviors. In fact, vehicles using Extended View Cameras with artificial intelligence and in-cab alerts experienced significant improvements compared to vehicles with AI cameras but no alerts, including reductions in tailgating, calling while driving, distraction and fatigue. The DVIR tool consolidates inspection and compliance tracking into a single platform. Drivers can upload photos to document vehicle issues, while fleet managers receive real-time alerts for incomplete inspections or reported defects, helping prevent costly repairs or compliance penalties. Improving safety and insights through artificial intelligence Unsurprisingly, AI is one of the latest technologies driving advancements in fleet safety, with AI-powered dashcams to detect distracted driving patterns and road hazards in real time. By combining high-quality, AI-powered visual data, like lane changes or red-light violations, with performance indicators like hard braking or sudden acceleration, operators gain a more complete understanding of driver behavior and vehicle dynamics within minutes of an incident occurring. 'You get a rich data source when you put those two data sets together and add the location and related details like the speed limit or proximity to a school,' Mitchell said. 'Most important is distilling that down to what you should care about if you're an owner.' Similar technology is being applied beyond vehicles. Equipment Asset Trackers (EAT) allow customers to monitor and manage equipment in the field. With remote access to vital equipment data such as status, location, productivity and health, businesses gain efficiencies while reducing theft and downtime for high-value or critical machinery. 'Businesses operating fleets have financial pressures, and they are aware of the benefits that these systems can bring,' Mitchell said. 'Fleet management technology boosts performance, reduces costs, improves safety and supports sustainability. The results are being clearly demonstrated." Learn more about how fleet management technology continues to empower fleets across small, medium and enterprise companies to enhance efficiency, improve safety and navigate sustainability challenges in the 2025 Verizon Connect Fleet Trends Report. Verizon Connect is a leading provider of fleet management and mobile workforce solutions, helping businesses improve safety, efficiency and productivity. With advanced GPS tracking, integrated video solutions, AI-powered insights and compliance tools, Verizon Connect empowers companies to optimize operations and reduce costs. Learn more at
Yahoo
31-01-2025
- Yahoo
These 24 Angeles National Forest trails and campgrounds are closed following the Eaton fire
Much of Angeles National Forest reopened Thursday after a weeks-long closure because of wildfires and red flag warnings, but some beloved trails and campgrounds will remain inaccessible while the land recovers from the blazes. The areas that burned in the Eaton fire in January and Bridge fire in September will remain closed, an area that makes up about 17% of the 700,000-acre forest. Both fires' closure orders are set to expire Dec. 31, 2025, although the U.S. Forest Service has the authority to extend those orders if necessary. One of the biggest losses to L.A's outdoors community is the closure of trails in Big Santa Anita Canyon, which had only just reopened in October after being closed for four years. The Bobcat fire raged through the area in 2020, and volunteer crews spent hundreds of hours rebuilding trails, including the path to the serene 55-foot Sturtevant Falls. The Chantry Flat Recreation Area in Big Santa Anita Canyon is technically open, but because of the Eaton fire, the Los Angeles County Public Works has temporarily closed the county-managed section of roadway that leads visitors into the area. This cuts off access to the charming Adams Pack Station (and its famous donkey herd) and Sturtevant Camp. Staff at Adams Pack Station were told it could be three or four months before the road reopens, according to the store's Instagram page. Several miles of hiking and popular mountain biking trails remain closed, including much of the Gabrielino National Recreation Trail, a 28.8-mile tree-lined treasure popular among hikers, backpackers, horseback riders and mountain bikers. Here is what is closed in Angeles National Forest because of the Eaton fire. The Times previously reported on the 26 trails that burned in the Eaton fire and the 25 trails that burned in the Bridge fire. Read more: These 54 L.A. hiking trails burned in the SoCal fires Bear Canyon Trail Brown Mountain Truck Trail (also known as the Ken Burton Trail) Dawn Mine Trail Echo Mountain Trail via Cobb Estate El Prieto Trail Idlehour Trail Gabrielino Trail: From Chantry Flat Recreation Area to Newcomb's Pass is closed; from Newcomb's Pass to Devore Trail Camp is open, but may be overgrown and have damage from recent storms; from Devore Trail Camp to Red Box Picnic Area is open; from Red Box Picnic Area to the Gabrielino western trail head near the Arroyo Seco is closed. See map for more details. Millard Canyon Falls Trail Mt. Lowe (West) Trail Mt. Wilson Trail Sam Merrill Trail: Includes lower, middle and upper San Gabriel Peak Trail Sunset Ridge Trail Sturtevant Trail and Loop Winter Creek Trail Zion Trail Echo Mountain Picnic Area Gould Mesa Trail Camp (hike-in campground) Hoegees Trail Camp (hike-in campground) Millard Trail Camp (hike-in campground) Mt. Lowe Trail Camp (hike-in campground) Paul Little Picnic Area Spruce Grove Trail Camp (hike-in campground) Switzer Picnic Site Sign up for The Wild newsletter to get weekly insider tips on the best of our beaches, trails, parks, deserts, forests and mountains. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
31-01-2025
- Los Angeles Times
These 24 Angeles National Forest trails and campgrounds are closed following the Eaton fire
Much of Angeles National Forest reopened Thursday after a weeks-long closure because of wildfires and red flag warnings, but some beloved trails and campgrounds will remain inaccessible while the land recovers from the blazes. The areas that burned in the Eaton fire in January and Bridge fire in September will remain closed, an area that makes up about 17% of the 700,000-acre forest. Both fires' closure orders are set to expire Dec. 31, 2025, although the U.S. Forest Service has the authority to extend those orders if necessary. One of the biggest losses to L.A's outdoors community is the closure of trails in Big Santa Anita Canyon, which had only just reopened in October after being closed for four years. The Bobcat fire raged through the area in 2020, and volunteer crews spent hundreds of hours rebuilding trails, including the path to the serene 55-foot Sturtevant Falls. The Chantry Flat Recreation Area in Big Santa Anita Canyon is technically open, but because of the Eaton fire, the Los Angeles County Public Works has temporarily closed the county-managed section of roadway that leads visitors into the area. This cuts off access to the charming Adams Pack Station (and its famous donkey herd) and Sturtevant Camp. Staff at Adams Pack Station were told it could be three or four months before the road reopens, according to the store's Instagram page. Several miles of hiking and popular mountain biking trails remain closed, including much of the Gabrielino National Recreation Trail, a 28.8-mile tree-lined treasure popular among hikers, backpackers, horseback riders and mountain bikers. Here is what is closed in Angeles National Forest because of the Eaton fire. The Times previously reported on the 26 trails that burned in the Eaton fire and the 25 trails that burned in the Bridge fire.
