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

The firm, San Diego-based Golden Eagle, one of eight LibertyMutual Agency Markets regional companies, promises its OnboardAdvisor available in California will help firms "increase fleetsafety and productivity, save on commercial auto insurancepremiums, and much more."

The system, it was explained involves installing two small boxesunder the dashboard--a Mobile Advisor that tracks where and when avehicle is being used, and a Performance Advisor that reveals howit is being operated by reporting factors such as acceleration andbraking.

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

A statement from Thomas M. Troy, executive vice president andchief operating officer, Liberty Mutual Agency Markets' RegionalCompanies Group, said "Onboard Advisor puts a fleet manager in thedriver's seat of every vehicle with daily, weekly, and monthlyperformance tracking."

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

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

His company said the Onboard Advisor's Insurance Advisorcomponent rewards safe fleet management with an average discount of15 percent in the first year on a Golden Eagle Insurance commercialauto policy, and a maximum discount of up to 40 percent based onfleet performance in renewal years.

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

Explaining the technology, the firm said Mobile Advisor is theGPS unit that updates a vehicle's position in real time, whichallows fleet managers to map and optimize routes as trafficconditions warrant. Mobile Advisor can also send e-mail alertsabout extreme driving or let managers know if a vehicle is drivenoutside of its designated territory.

Golden Eagle said its Performance Advisor is "the marketplacedifferentiator, providing a suite of functions not currentlyavailable on other GPS fleet systems."

The equipment gathers driver and vehicle data and sends analysisto a fleet manager's desktop dashboard. Onboard sensors, inaddition to identifying unsafe driving, also reveal inefficientfuel economy and score each vehicle.

Color-coded icons show exactly what driving behaviors contributeto high, medium, or low risks during all vehicle trips allowingmanagers to pinpoint driving behavior and improve safety and fuelefficiency, the company said.

"We've developed these tools so companies can take an activerole in risk management and improve safety on their routes," saidPete McPartland, president and chief executive officer, GoldenEagle Insurance.

"Loss prevention works best when it's a two-way street. Ourcommercial policyholders strive for consistent safety records andthe result is increased cost efficiencies and significant insurancediscounts," he said.

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

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

It added that online training for Onboard Advisor's Web toolsand reports is included for new customers and an online dashboardlets companies follow the progress of safety scores, fuelefficiency, and their estimated insurance discounts.

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