NU Online News Service, May 22, 11:28 a.m. EDT

A California insurer said it is offering a "first-of-its-kind" product to manage commercial fleet safety and cut policy rates by placing dual GPS tracking units in vehicles.

The firm, San Diego-based Golden Eagle, one of eight Liberty Mutual Agency Markets regional companies, promises its Onboard Advisor available in California will help firms "increase fleet safety and productivity, save on commercial auto insurance premiums, and much more."

The system, it was explained, involves installing two small boxes under the dashboard--a Mobile Advisor that tracks where and when a vehicle is being used, and a Performance Advisor that reveals how it is being operated by reporting factors such as acceleration and braking.

Golden Eagle said Onboard Advisor's real-time vehicle tracking and daily driver reports can improve routing and dispatching and help fleet owners reduce expenses on fuel, maintenance, and overtime.

A statement from Thomas M. Troy, executive vice president and chief operating officer, Liberty Mutual Agency Markets' Regional Companies Group, said "Onboard Advisor puts a fleet manager in the driver's seat of every vehicle with daily, weekly, and monthly performance tracking."

Onboard Advisor is a product and service of Open Seas Solutions, Inc., a non-insurance affiliate of Liberty Mutual Insurance Company, and the black boxes are produced by General Electric's GE Security unit.

The system, according to Mr. Troy is "the first GPS-based product to harness multiple technologies to yield direct, measurable savings as well as significant insurance discounts."

His company said the Onboard Advisor's Insurance Advisor component rewards safe fleet management with an average discount of 15 percent in the first year on a Golden Eagle Insurance commercial auto policy, and a maximum discount of up to 40 percent based on fleet performance in renewal years.

The firm said companies can start saving immediately with Onboard Advisor because there are no upfront fees for the hardware and installation, and only a low monthly per-unit service fee for the "fully integrated fleet management solution."

Explaining the technology, the firm said Mobile Advisor is the GPS unit that updates a vehicle's position in real time, which allows fleet managers to map and optimize routes as traffic conditions warrant. Mobile Advisor can also send e-mail alerts about extreme driving or let managers know if a vehicle is driven outside of its designated territory.

Golden Eagle said its Performance Advisor is "the marketplace differentiator, providing a suite of functions not currently available on other GPS fleet systems."

The equipment gathers driver and vehicle data and sends analysis to a fleet manager's desktop dashboard. Onboard sensors, in addition to identifying unsafe driving, also reveal inefficient fuel economy and score each vehicle.

Color-coded icons show exactly what driving behaviors contribute to high, medium, or low risks during all vehicle trips allowing managers to pinpoint driving behavior and improve safety and fuel efficiency, the company said.

"We've developed these tools so companies can take an active role in risk management and improve safety on their routes," said Pete McPartland, president and chief executive officer, Golden Eagle Insurance.

"Loss prevention works best when it's a two-way street. Our commercial policyholders strive for consistent safety records and the result is increased cost efficiencies and significant insurance discounts," he said.

The insurer said its Onboard Advisor's Fuel Advisor component is a fuel management system that helps businesses monitor and control spending. It comes with a no-fee fuel card that provides up to three cents off every gallon of gas purchased at most major gas stations nationwide.

Fuel Advisor monitors expenditures online by capturing driver ID and odometer readings to ensure a company vehicle is being fueled and unapproved purchases are not being made, Golden Eagle said.

It added that online training for Onboard Advisor's Web tools and reports is included for new customers and an online dashboard lets companies follow the progress of safety scores, fuel efficiency, and their estimated insurance discounts.

Information on the system is available at www.onboardadvisor.com or 877-803-5338.

Special Reports /

Vehicle Fleet Tracking Technology Offered By Golden Eagle

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