In the last month, I’ve written 3/4 of a four-part series on bicycle sharing programs for the Vancouver Observer. The focus is on bringing a bicycle sharing program to Vancouver, but my source material is from my colourful experiences using Paris’ fabulous Velib’ bicycle sharing.
It wasn’t long before I realized I had way too much material for a single
article, so I had to find a way to break it up, but create enough interest
to (hopefully) maintain interest. Here’s what I did.
| Article | Description |
| Part I: What Vancouver can learn from Paris on bikes: City of Light transport (Jan 29th, 2012 ) |
I describe my delightful exposure to Paris and ask, “Why doesn’t Vancouver have a bicycle sharing program?”. I really do ask, in fact, I interview City councillor, Raymond Louie and get the dirt on the province’s helmet laws that have been jack knifing plans to institute a BSP in Vancouver to date. |
| Part II: Going with the Flow in Bicycle-Sharing Paris (Feb 6th, 2012) |
Having experienced the logistical and linguistic challenges of actually usingthe Velib’ in Paris, I offer some technical tips for any intrepid souls visiting Paris. It’s a technical article with some helpful advice about how the French flowbetter than we Anglo-Saxons. |
| Part III: Unforgettable Bicycle Trips Around Paris (Feb 17th, 2012) |
With the technical information behind us, a description of cycling in a foreign city wouldn’t be complete without describing what it feels like to cycle the most romantic city on earth. I rhapsodize Paris as seen from my trusty Velib’ bicycle. |
| Part IV:Bicycle Sharing: Bringing it Home to Vancouver (TBA) | Now it’s time to take it home. I’ve invited readers to submit their favourite stories of cycling in Vancouver. What would be as exciting for someone visiting Vancouver as it was for me in Paris. Let’s take the visitors out of Stanley Park and show them some of the hidden cycling treasures of Vancouver. I’ve collected about six great routes from friends and friends of friends and more are coming in. I’ll compile this collaborative piece in the next couple of weeks and send it to the presses. Stay tuned. |
Webtech Wireless’ Quadrant helps reduce theft, and aids in the recovery of stolen vehicles. In Mexico City, where automobile theft rates exceed 30%, GNP previously faced huge payouts due to rising vehicle theft, and urgently needed a solution.
Webtech Wireless announces the launch of its new corporate identity, unveiled last week to employees worldwide, and being rolled-out across all of the Company’s operations over the coming months. The new identity will be applied to all marketing and communications materials, including the launch of a new website slated for early next month.
On March 11, 2011, the tragic 9.1 Mw Sendai earthquake and resulting tsunami in Japan, again demonstrated Quadrant’s usefulness in times of crises. As Pacific Rim nations raced to secure their coastlines before the tsunami hit, Kelvin was able to use Quadrant GPS to allocate trucks and drivers, and to prepare to assist with evacuations and clean up on the Big Island.
Within the first two years of deploying the Quadrant solution (2008-2009), HELCO realized a fuel savings of over 22,000 gallons (US). In 2010, HELCO saved an additional 18,000 gallons. Kelvin Kohatsu, HELCO Fleet Administrator, credits the impressive reduction and subsequent cost savings for their decision to renew the contract and attributes lower fuel costs to a combination of “GPS technology, driver training (operator knowledge), more fuel efficient vehicles, and improved dispatch management.”
Quadrant customer, MTS Sales & Service, has reported “a tangible reduction in the cost of fleet management costs of 69%.” This figure is based on the difference in the cost of their old fleet management solution and savings in vehicle usage using Webtech Wireless’ Quadrant. Gino Venditti, VP of Operations, says that in addition to the superior quality of service and reliability (at the above-mentioned reduction in cost), it is now possible to manage routes, forecast fuel usage, and monitor assets with real-time notifications of unauthorized vehicle use.
Hino Trucks hails its newest solution designed—in partnership with WebTech Wireless—to advance GPS telematics’ fleet-management capabilities in their trucks. The new offering, HINO INSIGHT, enables fleet managers to gain daily snapshots of their fleets’ critical diagnostics status and performance against established targets. One of the unique elements to Hino INSIGHT is the “Dashboard” main page of the 
